The Faculty of Civil Engineering at TH OWL was represented for the first time this year and presented practical hands-on activities and its current research project, "ImBrAs." The focus of the trade fair presentation was bridge construction.
Students were able to construct the famous Leonardo bridge themselves using wooden sticks. This bridge construction principle is based on a fabric arch construction in which rigid elements support each other exclusively through intelligent interlocking – without any screws, nails, or ropes. In addition, visitors had the opportunity to implement bridge designs digitally on a PC and understand the differences between analog and digital design.
The faculty also presented the research project "Immersive Bridge Analytics" ("ImBrAs"). Funded since February 2025 as part of the mFUND program, the project is developing innovative methods for combining stability calculations for reinforced concrete bridges with real sensor-captured structural data. This information is brought together in a digital twin and visualized using extended reality technologies. The aim of the project is to be able to inspect, maintain, and renovate bridges more efficiently, safely, and sustainably in the future.
The wasser^plus OWL project from the Faculty of Civil Engineering's water management specialization was also represented at the Lippe.MINT Day. The cross-sector networks are dedicated to the current and future challenges of water management – from climate change and extreme weather events to resource management and energy efficiency – and are working on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary strategies for long-term sustainable water management in Ostwestfalen-Lippe.
The trade fair presentation was complemented by the student laboratory and the Faculty of Life Science Technologies at TH OWL, which also offered practical insights into their fields of research and work.
With its diverse range of offerings, the Lippe.MINT Day once again demonstrated how practical, creative, and relevant STEM topics are for young people—and what opportunities they open up for training, degree programs, and careers.
