In early March, interested students had the opportunity to visit research laboratories at FAU and experience how scientists study and learn from nature.
On March 6, the group visited the laboratories of the Institute of Materials Science and Engineering of Metals (IMN) and Central Institute for New Materials and Process Technology (CENEM). During the visit, students discovered the fascinating phenomenon of structural color in nature—colors that arise not from pigments but from microscopic structures that interact with light. Using advanced microscopy techniques, they observed how researchers investigate the tiny architectures in biological materials that produce brilliant colors such as those seen in butterfly wings and beetle shells.
A few days later, on March 10, the students visited the Institute of Particle Technology (IPT). There, they learned how scientists take inspiration from nature to design new materials in the laboratory. By studying natural structures and replicating them using particles, researchers can develop materials with unique optical and liquid repellent properties.
The visits offered students a glimpse into how interdisciplinary research connects biology, physics, and materials science—and how observing nature can lead to innovative technologies, aiming at motivating them to keep learning about science in their university path.