Research That Inspires
Three Weeks of Science, New Perspectives and Discoveries for the Max Planck Junior Scholars 2026
How is scientific knowledge generated? What does everyday life in a research laboratory look like? And which career paths can science open up? Over the course of three weeks, 16 motivated students from Frankfurt High Schools explored these questions at as part of this year’s Max Planck Junior Scholars Program, run by the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research.
The Max Planck Junior Scholar Program gives young people the opportunity to gain first-hand insights into current research and become directly involved in scientific projects. The 2026 edition was supported by the Körber Foundation and the Friends of the Frankfurt Max Planck Institute for Brain Research. Alongside the MPI for Brain Research, the participating institutions included the neighboring MPI of Biophysics, the MPI for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim, and Goethe University Frankfurt. The students had previously been nominated for the program by science teachers at Frankfurt high schools.
Supporting Underrepresented Young Scientists
“In selecting the participants, we considered not only academic motivation and a strong enthusiasm for science, but also placed particular emphasis on diversity and equal opportunities. The program explicitly seeks to include young people from underrepresented groups, including students from families without an academic background,” explains program manager, Dr. Irina Epstein.
From Science Bootcamp to Hands-On Research
The program began with an engaging one-week Science Bootcamp. Through workshops, practical exercises, institute tours and scientific journey testimonials from graduate students, staff and postdoctoral fellows, the students gained insights into a range of research fields, scientific methods and career paths. Topics included brain imaging, mass spectrometry and scientific computing. The participants also explored questions of ethics in science and the responsible use of animal models in research.
At the heart of the program was a two-week research internship in laboratories at the participating institutions. Supported by scientists and technical staff, the Junior Scholars learned a range of laboratory methods, analyzed data and worked on specific scientific questions. They then prepared their findings for a final presentation.
On 17 July 2026, the participants, their families, teachers, mentors and members of the participating research institutions came together for a celebratory closing ceremony. The students presented their projects and subsequently received their certificates of participation.
Approaching science with curiosity, perseverance, and openness
Inspired by the students’ presentations, Prof. Erin Schuman, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and initiator of the program, reflects: “Over the past few weeks, the students have worked with great curiosity, perseverance and openness. It has been particularly impressive to see how quickly they familiarized themselves with new topics and how effectively they learned to break down complex scientific questions and communicate them in a clear and accessible way. The program demonstrates how important it is to give young people genuine insights into science and research at an early stage.”
“The program offers far more than insights into how science is done”...
For the Junior Scholars, the past three weeks were filled with lots of new experiences. Looking back, Hlieb Marchenko says: “The program offers far more than insights into how science is done. During these weeks, I gained valuable experience, made meaningful connections and formed friendships that I hope will last well beyond the program. The special atmosphere is difficult to put into words.”
The closing ceremony marks the end of an intensive period during the hessian summer holidays. However, the experience gained, the new connections made, and the scientific inspiration sparked during the program will continue to accompany the participants well beyond these three weeks.
