A Heart for Science - a future-oriented initiative
Sustainability

A Heart for Science

ZEISS international initiative to encourage young people

Inspiring the explorers of tomorrow about science today

Enthusiasm for nature and technology has always been an integral part of the company's DNA. On the occasion of the company's 175th anniversary, ZEISS launched 'A Heart for Science' – an international initiative to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for young people under the age of 18. What makes the initiative so special is that it is being planned and organized by ZEISS employees.

Employees around the world can get socially involved and pass on their knowledge to the explorers of tomorrow. ZEISS is supporting the commitment of its volunteers in many different ways. This includes a handbook about the initiative, age-appropriate guided experiments and a digital platform where volunteers can get together and collaborate on their joint projects. Selected activities are also being funded.

Insights into the initiative

  • Sparking interest in STEM amongst Spanish adolescents with ZEISS

  • Young minds explore biodiversity and environmental protection in Japan with ZEISS

    Young minds explore biodiversity and environmental protection in Japan

  • ZEISS A Heart for Science

    ZEISS' “A Heart for Science” collaborates with TEDx: Volunteers in Italy inspire young explorers

  • ZEISS CTO Susan-Stefanie Breitkopf is encouraging girls' interest in science and technology

    ZEISS CTO Susan-Stefanie Breitkopf is encouraging girls' interest in science and technology

  • ZEISS President and CEO Dr. Karl Lamprecht volunteers for "A Heart for Science"

  • A Heart for Science – inspiring explorers of tomorrow

    A Heart for Science – inspiring explorers of tomorrow

Focusing on engaged ZEISS employees

From biology workshops to insights into the microcosm and programming – ZEISS employees around the world get involved in a variety of ways and inspire young people for STEM during multifaceted and exciting events.

  • Pramod Gopalan works on his laptop in his office at ZEISS
  • Pramod Gopalan arbeitet am Laptop in seinem Büro bei ZEISS
  • Ein Schüler schaut sich ein medizinisches Gerät an.
  • Ein Schüler bedient ein medizinisches Gerät im Rahmen eines Versuchaufbaus

From Bangalore to Kozhikode

Pramod Gopalan, a service specialist at the customer repair center in India, drove nine hours from his office in Bangalore to the coastal town of Kozhikode to inspire 200 schoolchildren for STEM. Inspired by his own passion as a biomedical engineer and his own son's enthusiasm for the microscopes at the ZEISS Medical Experience Center, he came up with the idea of giving more young people the experience his son had already gained.

During his first 'A Heart for Science' event, around 200 young people were able to experiment with ZEISS technologies and learn how these devices are used to diagnose and treat diseases. But the teachers also had the opportunity to expand their own technical knowledge and use it later in the classroom.

"I believe that this project will capture the hearts of young students. Bringing these tools into the classroom at this point and allowing young people to experience the tools first-hand will double their interest in STEM," says Gopalan.

  • Portrait of Miho Egawa
  • Children work on animal and plant samples
  • Children learn more about animals and plants on the beach
  • View of an algae leaf through a microscope
  • Red aquatic plants are examined on a white base

Combining a STEM education with sustainability

Creating value for society and a happy coexistence: Miho Egawa can completely identify with this. Alongside her job in Corporate Finance at ZEISS in Japan, she campaigns for animal welfare – and is involved with the 'A Heart for Science' initiative.

She regularly supports the Citizen Science program, a well-established project in Japan. Young people can use microscopes to observe tiny creatures such as insects and worms, as well as examine and analyze water and soil samples. The enthusiasm of the young participants reinforces Egawa's commitment to inspiring young people to play an active role in science and contribute to sustainability.
Egawa is committed to promoting women in science and hopes to encourage more girls to discover, strengthen and pursue their enthusiasm for science through ongoing activities.

ZEISS is committed to young STEM talent

  • >400

    More than 400 employees are involved worldwide

  • >40

    More than 40 activities take place as part of the initiative

  • >40

    Over 40 Offices ZEISS sites worldwide

  • >20

    More than 20 countries are part of "A Heart for Science"

  • 3 million

    euros in ten years

  • 34%

    of the overall funding volume

Global A Heart for Science projects

Projects in North America

From mentoring programs to astronomy – the volunteers in North America inspire young people for STEM in many different ways.

Projects in Africa

Between quizzes and microscopes, young people in Africa have the opportunity to gain an insight into the world of science.

Projects in Europe

From optics and microbiology to mechanical engineering – the volunteers in Europe spark interest in STEM with a wide range of activities.

Projects in Asia

Cancer research, biodiversity and measurement technology – in Asia, young people are given an insight into the many facets of science and technology through a wide range of methods.

Projects in Australia

Students in remote areas of Australia gain access to STEM education through DeadlyScience.

  • South Africa

    Students from low-income areas in South Africa, particularly Johannesburg, are encouraged to explore community issues using a ZEISS microscope.

  • China

    From 3D scanning technology to retina cameras, young people in China explored the world of ZEISS and experienced the world of healthcare, microscope and measurement technology during the first event. The ZEISS team in China would like to inspire young people for technology and innovation with other planned initiatives and workshops and make a contribution to a sustainable future.

    Korea

    ZEISS Team Korea initiates the ZEISS Science Class to promote STEM education. Young people immerse themselves in the world of microscopes and actively experience science and research for themselves.

    Japan

    Awakening a fascination for biodiversity and raising young people's awareness of sustainability – that is the aim of the volunteers in Japan. In multifaceted workshops, young researchers can discover the world of microorganisms with ZEISS microscopes and learn about the effects of human activity on the climate and biodiversity.

    India

    350 km and nine hours later, a volunteer from Bangalore arrived at his project. In a state school, over 200 young people were given an insight into ZEISS technologies and learned about their importance for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

  • Australia

    In Australia, volunteers collaborate with "Deadly Science", an organization that aims to provide high-quality STEM education to indigenous children in all areas of the country. Using ZEISS microscopes, the young people immerse themselves in the world of microorganisms and see the smallest creatures on huge screens.

  • France

    Panel discussions and workshops focused on the topic of STEM. Students from the middle and upper school took part in the events at the school in Rueil-Malmaison with great interest.

    Spain

    ZEISS employees organized a workshop for young people in Bilbao, Spain, together with the EMBL organization. In a two-part workshop, the participants gained insights into the importance of research for environmental and climate action. They also immersed themselves in the world of microorganisms and learned about fluorescent proteins and transgenic materials. They recombined genes themselves, produced their own samples and examined them under the microscope.

    Georgia

    Promoting STEM education and international cooperation at Georgian schools – the project aims to promote enthusiasm for science among students and intercultural skills among young people.

    Germany

    From supervising seminar papers and leading working groups in STEM subjects to workshops on 3D printing, microscopes and programming – the volunteers in Germany are active in a variety of ways. President and CEO, Dr. Karl Lamprecht, and, CTO, Susan Breitkopf are also involved among others.

    Italy

    According to the motto "Science as you've never seen it before", ZEISS employees organized a workshop for young people in Varese, Italy, in collaboration with TEDx. Fascination for science and research was awakened through various experiments. The explorers of tomorrow applied what they had learned in games and practice tests.

    Israel

    Interactive presentations and excursions to museums and companies – young people are accompanied on their learning journey in a variety of ways and their curiosity for science and research is sparked.

  • Dublin, USA

    As part of the mentoring program in Dublin, America, young people receive bespoke support from their mentors. From general introductions to the field to mock interviews, writing your CV, networking and personal development, the aim is to show young people the path to a STEM career.

    Hebron, USA

    What are micrometeorites? What information do they provide about the solar system? How can they be documented and classified? The young stardust hunters get answers to these questions in cooperation with the Cincinnati Observatory. They are specifically encouraged to experiment with different techniques, to record interesting finds of heavenly and earthly origin and to exchange ideas about them.

    Mexico

    Industry 4.0, innovation and opportunities for local industry – during a presentation at a local high school, the young people gained exciting insights into the process of developing innovative solutions and immersed themselves in the history of ZEISS' inventions.

Current collaborations and partnerships

Passing on knowledge in an interactive and exciting manner and getting people excited about science. ZEISS supports its collaboration partners on the journey to communicate research in an interesting way.

Dr. Karl Lamprecht, ZEISS President & CEO

It has become a tradition at ZEISS to promote education and science and it is part of the company’s very fabric. A Heart for Science is primarily about opening the door to the world of research for young people and stimulating enthusiasm for nature and technology.

Dr. Karl Lamprecht

President and CEO of ZEISS

A Heart for Science Newsroom

News and press releases about the international initiative can be found here.

What is our focus? Social commitment and sustainability

  • Voluntary social commitment is a positive activity from several perspectives: Motivated volunteers use their time, knowledge and skills to contribute to society. At the same time, they expand their skills, meet new people and gain multifaceted experiences. ZEISS supports, promotes and recognizes the social commitment of its employees and motivates them to take on new projects.

  • A high-quality inclusive education with equal access to educational opportunities for all people is enshrined in the United Nations' global sustainability goals.

    Engaging with science, technology, engineering and mathematics at an early age can make an important contribution to the development of important skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and analysis. Within research activities, young people are encouraged to observe, ask questions, articulate assumptions and seek explanations. The attitude that develops as a result can provide orientation, make it easier to understand complicated relationships and solve complex problems together with others. These skills help to maintain an overview in a fast-moving world, to understand new technologies and findings and to actively shape the environment.

  • ZEISS is committed to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on areas where meaningful action can be taken. The company's initiatives revolve around three key themes derived from the SDGs: climate action, circular economy and value for society.

    Find out more about ZEISS’ efforts.

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