In March 2026, curious visitors joined the SynTrac researchers at the Institute of Thermodynamics at the University of Stuttgart: a total of 11 children, aged five to six, from Kita Steppkes came to SynTrac to learn more about airplanes and flying.

Reaching young people is a key priority as part of SynTracs outreach activities. It is therefore especially encouraging that the daycare center is visiting with a group for the third time, a sign of lasting interest and successful early engagement.

At the beginning of this visit, the children shared their own experiences with flying. Some had already traveled on an airplane and talked about it enthusiastically, while others asked many curious questions: Why can airplanes fly? How do they stay in the air?

To make sure everyone could participate and try things out themselves, the children were divided into two groups and guided through the program.

Together we talked about the human dream of flying and how research and engineering have helped turn this dream into reality. We also discussed the role research plays today in making aviation more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Of course, the visit was not just about listening but there was also plenty of hands-on activity. The children built their own gliders, decorated them with colorful designs, and then tested how well they could fly. It quickly became clear that while a glider can glide for a short distance, an airplane needs propulsion to travel long distances.

Building on this, we took a closer look at aircraft engines, the exhaust gases they produce, and the very high temperatures inside an engine. To demonstrate how researchers measure such heat, the children were able to try out a piece of research equipment themselves: a thermal imaging camera. Together, they explored what the camera can and cannot detect: Which objects appear clearly in a thermal image? Can you see through materials? And what does a person look like in a thermal image?

Finally, the children conducted their own small experiment. They decorated cups that were then sprayed with a temperature-sensitive coating of thermochromic liquid crystals. Their artwork becomes visible only when a warm drink is poured into the cup.

The visit was great fun for everyone and perhaps it sparked an early interest in science and engineering for some of the young visitors.

Following the success of last year’s outreach activity, SynTrac once again hosted the event “Wunderwelt der Tropfen” in February 2026 as part of the Try Science initiative at the University of Stuttgart. For a second year in a row, the Institute of Aerospace Thermodynamics at University of Stuttgart welcomed 11 motivated students aged 16 and above from various schools, offering them insight into the fundamental science behind innovative and sustainable aviation technologies.

The event began with an introduction to SynTrac’s research mission and objectives. Participants learned how the project tackles complex engineering challenges, particularly in advancing greener aviation concepts to reduce the environmental impact of air travel.

The scientific focus of this year’s event was again droplet dynamics, a research topic within the Research Area C of SynTrac. David Gösele from sub-project C02 introduced students to experimental and numerical methods used to investigate droplet behavior.

Understanding droplet dynamics is crucial for analyzing condensation processes in aircraft engines and the transport of excess water in exhaust gases. Within SynTrac, reducing excess water plays an important role in mitigating contrail formation. Beyond CO₂ emissions, contrails (ice clouds formed from aircraft exhaust) significantly contribute to aviation’s climate impact. Addressing their formation is therefore a dedicated research focus of the project.

In sub-projects B04 and C02, researchers investigate advanced approaches such as optimizing exhaust gas treatment and water recovery using porous media to reduce contrail formation at its source.

As in the previous edition, students toured the laboratories where the research takes place and were shown various testing facilities. Interactive discussions with doctoral researchers provided valuable insights into academic career paths, daily research work, and the broader societal relevance of engineering research.

A highlight of the event was once again the opportunity for participants to conduct their own droplet experiments, translating theoretical knowledge into practical experience and fostering curiosity through hands-on discovery. This year we further expanded on the scope of the hands-on part by introducing new engaging ways of experiencing science such as a floating droplet experiment and the use of thermal imaging as a research method.

With the second edition of “Wunderwelt der Tropfen,” SynTrac continues to strengthen its commitment to science outreach, inspiring young talent and promoting enthusiasm for STEM and sustainable aviation research.

Quench your thirst for knowledge while enjoying a relaxed drink – that’s what the Science Pub is all about. In an informal atmosphere, leading researchers serve science in a refreshingly accessible way: entertaining, understandable, and full of “aha” moments.

A little more than 100 years ago, flying was still a dream. Today, aviation is an integral part of everyday life: we fly for business, to visit friends, or to go on holiday. After decades of technological progress and economic optimization, the aviation sector is now entering a new phase. The path forward leads from what is merely economically optimal to what is also environmentally, socially, and globally sustainable.

In the Science Pub talk, Dr. Christian Koch, lead of subproject B01: Functional integration and performance retention of propulsors — waste heat recovery, presented a range of forward-looking ideas and technologies that could shape this transformation. Through clear, accessible explanations, the presentation highlighted that aviation must be understood as a global industry and that international, interdisciplinary collaboration is key to making sustainable innovation a reality.

Organized by the Society for Natural History in Württemberg and the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, the event was moderated by Tobias Wilhelm and drew strong public interest. Numerous questions, ranging from technical details to broader reflections on the future of mobility, showed just how much this topic resonates with the audience.

This year, TU Braunschweig hosted the SynTrac Annual Meeting which took place at Hofjäger 36, an inspiring workspace that provided the perfect setting for three days of intensive presentations, lively poster sessions, and vibrant interdisciplinary exchange.

Across three consecutive sessions, the sub-projects A – Assessment, B – Integration, and C – Physical Processes presented their current results and ongoing collaborations. All attending researchers actively contributed to the discussions and offered valuable feedback. The dynamically designed poster sessions of each sub-project fostered cross-disciplinary dialogue, ranging from in-depth methodological discussions to open exchanges with colleagues and members of the Advisory Board.

In addition, project leads from each sub-project moderated joint Interactive Sessions, during which the entire team worked together on consolidating a baseline for the next project phase. The sessions focused on Insights, Challenges, and the Outlook beyond the current timeline. The intensive, cross-disciplinary discussions proved highly valuable: collective reflection and the diverse perspectives from different fields sharpened key questions and provided strategic impulses for the upcoming phase of the project.

Representatives of the Advisory Board played an essential role in taking stock of the project’s progress and refining future perspectives. Cameron Tropea, Cord Rossow, and Daniel Reckzeh raised thought-provoking, strategic questions, engaged in individual discussions with researchers, and enriched the meeting with constructive contributions throughout. In his absence, Dr. Schaber (MTU) was acknowledged for his previous input and committed involvement, as the project leadership announced a change regarding MTU’s representation on the Advisory Board.

SynTrac participated in the EASN Conference 2025, held in Madrid, Spain, with a dedicated project session chaired by the spokesperson Prof. Sabine Langer and co-spokesperson Prof. Stephan Staudacher.

The EASN (European Aeronautics Science Network) Conference is a leading international forum for aeronautics research and innovation in Europe, bringing together academic researchers, industry experts, and policymakers to share advances, discuss emerging technologies, and foster collaboration across the aerospace community.

Prof. Langer opened the session with a compelling overview of the SynTrac project, outlining the project objectives and research approach. This high-level introduction framed the varied set of presentations that followed.

The dedicated SynTrac session provided a dynamic platform to present the project’s interdisciplinary work, showcasing a diverse mix of technical presentations spanning multiple topics and disciplines. Contributions ranged from extending engine performance modelling for highly integrated transport aircraft as well as modeling the acoustic chain from source to immission, to engine–airframe integration using numerical approaches as well as off-design assessment in preliminary aircraft design using actual operational data. The presentations showcased SynTrac’s ability to link fundamental research with applied engineering challenges.

Beyond technical topics, the session includes presentation by the supporting project structures such as the Public Relations project and the integrated Research Training Group, offering insights into the project’s culture and everyday research life. By combining in-depth technical exchange with broader perspectives on collaboration and outreach, SynTrac’s session stood out from typical conference sessions and attracted a diverse audience.

Dr.-Ing. Xing Yang has taken an important step in his career and now holds a professorship at the School of Energy and Power Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University (China). His academic career is closely linked to the University of Stuttgart and the SynTrac research consortium: he received funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for a two-year research stay. The host for this funding was Prof. Dr. Bernhard Weigand at the Institute of Aerospace Thermodynamics (ITLR) at the University of Stuttgart.

Following the Humboldt Fellowship, Dr. Xing Yang continued his research for another two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Stuttgart.

The topics he worked on in collaboration with the SynTrac research project had a significant impact on his scientific profile. His scientific focus is on gas turbines, heat transfer, particle deposition, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and experimental measurement methods.

In his office in China, the SynTrac model aircraft now reminds him of his successful time at the University of Stuttgart.

At the University of Stuttgart’s annual celebration last Friday, Prof. Dr-Ing Rolf Radespiel of TU Braunschweig was awarded an honorary doctorate in a solemn ceremony.

The annual event brings together members of the university and invited guests from science, business, politics, and society for a diverse program in which the Rector reviews the challenges and accomplishments of the academic year, honors are conferred, and a keynote address reflects the theme of the current Science Year.

Photo credit: University of Stuttgart/Uli Regenscheit

As part of the research club of the SE²A – Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Aviation Cluster of Excellence at the Technical University of Braunschweig, Juliette Thoma and Mingli Zhu – both researchers at SynTrac – hosted an exciting event specifically for students interested in technology, titled „The world of Acoustics“. In the familiar setting of the research club, which takes place regularly every two weeks on an afternoon, they offered an inspiring mix of theory and practice.

The research club offers school students the opportunity to gain regular insights into the world of technology and science. Events take place at the research airport, the DLR_School_Lab, and various institutes at the Technical University of Braunschweig, among other locations. The club is recognized as an extracurricular activity and can also be used for research projects, for example, with individual supervision.

The participants, all students from Braunschweig and the surrounding region, learn in a fixed group together with engineering students who act as mentors. In this special session, Juliette and Mingli not only provided a technical introduction, but also offered exciting insights into their professional practice at SynTrac.

 

How exactly does an aircraft work and how can aviation become more climate-friendly in the future? These questions were at the heart of the workshop “Research for Climate-Neutral Aviation”, organized by SynTrac as part of the Try Science program at the University of Stuttgart.

During their school break in October 2025 seven students from different secondary schools got an exciting first-hand look at the world of aerospace engineering, with a special focus on sustainable technologies and climate-neutral flight.

During the SynTrac Lab Tour, participants experienced how aircraft work and explored the role of research in shaping the aviation of the future. The day’s program included:

• Insights into Current Research: The session began with a reflection on personal travel behavior: Why do we fly, where, and how often? Flying connects people and economies worldwide – global mobility is a key part of modern life. At the same time, the importance of reducing emissions and using energy efficiently was discussed. Participants also learned how SynTrac uses experiments and computer simulations to improve energy efficiency in aviation and thus creates additional potential to lower emissions.
• Fundamentals of Flight and Propulsion: To establish a solid foundation for all participants, the workshop started with easy-to-understand explanations of aerodynamics, lift, and modern engines. The theory quickly came to life: by examining a Trent 500 aircraft engine, students could see the real-world technology behind the concepts they had just learned.

• Interactive Lab Tour: From the water channel to the altitude test stand and the vibration lab, students experienced live demonstrations and hands-on experiments.
  A highlight was the flow simulation in the water channel, where various flight phases with newly integrated propulsion technologies were analyzed.

Building on the success of its earlier retreat on research planning and collaboration, the Integrated Research Training Group (iRTG) of the SynTrac project recently hosted another training event—this time with a dedicated focus on academic writing. From 25. August to 29. August 2025, the doctoral researchers once again came together in in Almendorf near Fulda for a workshop designed to sharpen their scientific communication and writing skills and support the publication process.

Writing Coach Dr CJ Fitzsimons from Leadership Sculptor GmbH delivered a dynamic research writing workshop for the SynTrac PhD candidates, offering participants an in-depth look at how to craft effective academic papers and sharpen their writing skills.

The Research Training Camp was structured into three main parts:

1. Clinic – Participants examined and discussed examples from various sections of research papers, analyzing what works and why.
2. Input – Organizers shared key information and practical tools related to academic writing, helping attendees develop a strong foundation.
3. Writing – Guided work phases allowed participants to apply what they learned directly to their own writing projects, with feedback from the Writing Coach and SynTrac Project leads.