On the trail of pollutants in the water on an Elbe expedition

On the trail of pollutants in the water on an Elbe expedition

Natural sciences were Alina Mees' favorite subjects at school. Today, the 23-year-old is studying environmental sciences in Landau. Last summer, she sailed across the Elbe for ten days on the research boat "Aldebaran" in the name of science. The perfect place for Alina to gain practical experience as part of a team.

Alina decided to study physics straight after leaving school. With the emergence of the Fridays for Future movement, her desire to better understand the processes in nature, which had already fascinated her as a schoolgirl, came to the fore through her studies. Changing her subject and coming to Landau was the right decision for her: "I often feel powerless in the face of climate change, but thanks to my studies, I understand the connections better and hope to be able to make a professional contribution to protecting the environment later on."

Alina likes the broad combination of subjects on her Bachelor's degree course. She has yet to decide what direction her Master's should take. "I have lots of ideas about what I want to do later in my career." Among other things, she could imagine doing an English-language Master's in Environmental Pollution Management in Landau, which focuses on developing methods for risk management and mitigation with regard to the effects of chemicals on biological systems. In the summer, Alina will do an internship at the Natural History Museum in Münster. She will accompany groups of visitors and supervise her own project on groundwater wells.

Alina particularly likes the practical teaching formats such as identification courses, laboratory practicals and excursions, which were somewhat neglected during the corona semester. The opportunity to be part of the Aldebaran's Elbe excursion last summer came at just the right time. "The exchange with the other scientists and the opportunity to bring science closer to the visitors on the boat was a great experience." Alina examined the river sediment for methane production - one of seven research projects on board. "Methane is a greenhouse gas. Researchers assume that it accounts for 30 percent of the warming caused by humans." Alina has now written her Bachelor's thesis on the research project. Her tip for prospective students? "Work as a student assistant at the university as early as possible, it gives you a lot of practical experience and valuable insights into research." (KT)

Source: This article was first published in a special supplement to the daily newspaper "DIE RHEINPFALZ" in May 2023.