Girls’ Day 2026 at Fraunhofer IAF

On April 23, Fraunhofer opened its doors to interested female students for Girls’ Day, offering rare insights into areas that are usually closed to the public.

After an introduction to the institute and its diverse research fields, the day began with a special highlight: a visit to the cleanroom. There, the participants not only gained an impression of the strict working conditions, but were also allowed to put on protective clothing and get hands-on experience. In a practical experiment, they saw firsthand how a delicate gold structure is created from a simple drawing made with a permanent marker using the so-called lift-off technique. The result: individually designed wafers with microscopically fine gold patterns. Looking through the microscope further illustrated the precision required in microelectronics.

Afterwards, the group headed to the diamond laboratory. Here, during the so-called "ice test," the students could try out for themselves how extraordinary the properties of diamond are. Thin diamond discs slid effortlessly through ice cubes thanks to their high thermal conductivity. In addition, the participants observed how diamond is grown, analyzed, and processed in the laboratory.

The day concluded with a personal exchange with female employees from science and technology. In open conversations, they answered questions about their career paths and provided insights into their daily research work.

With its commitment to Girls’ Day, Fraunhofer IAF pursues a clear goal: to inspire more girls and young women to take an interest in STEM subjects and to show them career prospects in science and technology. The event not only offered exciting insights, but also valuable inspiration for possible future paths.

About the initiative:

On Girls’ Day, girls get to know professions or fields of study in which the proportion of women is less than 40 percent, such as IT, skilled trades, science, and technology. For more information visit: www.girls-day.de

This certificate confirms that, by participating in Girls’ Day, we are contributing to greater equality of opportunity in education and the workplace, career guidance free of stereotypes, and a sustainable, discrimination-sensitive society.

In doing so, we support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).