Chemnitz UT: Mechanical Engineering: Sports Equipment & Technology: Summer School 2009: start

The ISEA Short-time Summer School 2009 drew 21 students and young researchers from Europe and the U.S. to Chemnitz, Germany. The course offered a good mixture of lectures, workshops and various sports and cultural activities.

The question at the heart of scientific research, i.e. how to collect and process data in order to arrive at meaningful conclusions, was applied to the field of sports engineering and explored in a number of theoretical and practical sessions, including a workshop on instrumentation offered by IMC, one of the leading manufacturers of computer-based measuring technology.

The academic sessions were spiced up with various sports activities, such as a bike tour in and around Chemnitz with mountain bikes sponsored by DIAMANT. As the 4th Chemnitz Company Run was held during that week, we enlisted 3 teams for the summer school resulting in a third place for one of the male teams. This success was celebrated in one of the local clubs afterward.

The long night notwithstanding, the whole group met early the next day for another highlight of the week – a field trip to Dresden. After a visit to the wind tunnel where the students were introduced to the aerodynamic testing of sports equipment, the group went on a guided tour through Dresden before heading out for the Sächsische Schweiz, a scenic national park perfect for hiking and climbing. Exhausted but full of exciting experiences and insights, the participants finally gathered for the farewell brunch on Friday.