At the award ceremony on March 10, 2025 in the castle hall of the palace in Oldenburg, GreenLab_OS received the third prize of 2,000 € in the "School Lab+" category. The prize honors outstanding concepts that inspire pupils in a special way for scientific topics.
In the award-winning project "GreenLab_OS goes circular", which is carried out by research assistant and doctoral student Sascha Hager, the school laboratory deals intensively with the topic of circular value creation. In an interactive laboratory environment, pupils learn hands-on how chemical processes can be made more sustainable by using resources efficiently, reducing waste products and testing innovative recycling methods. The aim is to familiarize participants with the principles of the circular economy through their own experiments and research-based learning. The project combines science, sustainability and education in a unique way. "The award shows that our concepts for knowledge transfer and our focus on circular value creation are very well received. We are very pleased about the recognition of our work and look forward to future developments with great anticipation," explains Prof. Dr. Marco Beeken, Head of the Chemistry Didactics and Science Communication working group. The German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) supported the project.
The LearningLab Prize (LeLa Prize) is one of the most important awards for non-university teaching and learning locations in the natural sciences in Germany. The award confirms the outstanding work of GreenLab_OS in science communication and the promotion of young talent. The award ceremony took place as part of this year's LeLa conference, which highlights key trends and developments in the field of school laboratories.
In addition to the award ceremony, there was another welcome announcement: Osnabrück University will host the next LeLa conference in cooperation with the DBU. From March 8 to 10, 2026, scientists, teachers and school laboratory directors from all over Germany will meet in Osnabrück. "With the upcoming LeLa Conference 2026 in Osnabrück University, the university will once again position itself as a central player in the school laboratory landscape and present innovative concepts for the future of STEM education," concludes Beeken.
Further information for editorial offices:
Prof. Dr. Marco Beeken, Osnabrück University
Chemistry Didactics
Phone: +49 541 969 3378
marco.beeken@uos.de
