What news and outreach activities does ZARM share?

ZARM (the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity at the University of Bremen) publishes three main types of public-facing updates: scientific talks, education and outreach partnerships, and science-communication projects. The clearest current examples are the ZARM Talk lecture series, the new ESERO partnership making Bremen an ESERO partner site, participation in Mural City 2026, and the open application phase for the German CanSat competition. If you want to follow ZARM's public activity, these four channels are where the activity is concentrated.

Scientific Talks: the ZARM Talk series

ZARM runs a talk format where researchers explain a specific problem in accessible terms. The most recent example listed is:

• "Bubble breakup in turbulence" — presented by Aliénor Riviere on September 16th. The talk explains how random flow fluctuations trigger bubble breakup, using stochastic models and stability analysis, and reports surprising bubble motions and a new deformation mode.

This is a useful model for what to expect from the series: one focused physical question, a method (here stochastic modeling plus stability analysis), and a result that revises prior assumptions. If you are a student or researcher deciding whether to attend, the value is in seeing how a narrow fluid-dynamics problem is framed for a mixed audience.

Education and outreach partnerships

ESERO partnership in Bremen

ZARM and ESERO established a partnership that makes Bremen an ESERO partner site. The stated aim is to inspire the next generation of space explorers. The first joint activity, "Explore Science", is scheduled for September 10–12 in Bremen's Bürgerpark.

For teachers and outreach organizers, this is the concrete entry point: a local partner site means space-education activities are being coordinated in Bremen rather than only at national level.

German CanSat Competition

The application phase for the 2026/27 German CanSat Competition has begun. This is the 13th edition of the competition and it invites German school students interested in building and flying a can-sized satellite. If you are a teacher or student, the actionable step is to apply during the open phase; the competition is aimed at school teams, not university researchers.

Science communication through public art

As part of Mural City 2026, two ZARM researchers provided the inspiration for large-scale murals in Bremen's "Viertel" neighborhood. The project pairs science with urban art — a different outreach route than lectures or competitions, aimed at a general city audience rather than students or specialists.

How to decide which channel fits you

ZARM's own framing of its work is that it conducts research for space and under space conditions, with fundamental research paving the way before everyday applications. The outreach activities above are the public-facing side of that mission, alongside its microgravity facilities such as the Drop Tower Bremen (9.3 seconds of weightlessness) and the GraviTower (20 microgravity experiments per hour, plus partial-gravity research as found on the Moon or Mars).