Wittgenstein Academy

The Wittgenstein academy was planned as a forum where high schools can get into contact with science. Wittgenstein Prize winners and later ERC grantees presented their enthusiasm for science to young high school students, presented their projects, their work environment and were simply there for the questions of young pupils. The science was presented in discussions, hands-on projects and demonstrations or videos. The Wittgenstein Academy was mainly geared at pupils in the 6th and 7th year of gymnasium, high-school and technical high-schools. At that age, basic scientific knowledge should be present, and the contact to the scientists should help students to prepare for their vorwissenschaftliche Arbeit. The contact to leading scientists should help and encourage to find prospect and goals in intellectual and scientific undertakings. IN the same sense female Wittgenstein Prize winners can be role models for young female high-school students. Besides the transfer of knowledge, the main goal of the Wittgenstein Academy was to present the fascination, enthusiasm and the joy of intellectual discourse and science. The overfull curriculum in the schools has little room for science, and even highly motivated teachers have very little opportunity to present modern developments in the regular classes. The Wittgenstein Academy was conducted at the TU-Wien, the University of Vienna and the Max Perutz Laboratories at the Vienna Biocenter.