Research Theses at «BIKO mach MINT»

Research and experimentation under professional conditions

The lab BIKO mach MINT at the Educational Lab offers students the opportunity to complete research projects in STEM subjects under professional conditions. Use of the lab spaces and available equipment is free of charge.

For projects in the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, computer science, robotics, and engineering, well-equipped laboratories and the necessary materials are available. These are provided by the State of Carinthia. The equipment also enables experiments that often cannot be conducted in a school setting due to the infrastructure required. The spectrum ranges from molecular biology to quantum physics.

The lab facilities are not limited to use during class hours. They are also available in the evenings, on weekends, and during school breaks. An introduction to lab work and subject-specific guidance are included in the program. If additional supplies are needed for a project, they can be purchased within the budget allocated for that purpose.

A prerequisite for the approval of an application is a challenging, hands-on STEM topic that cannot be implemented at schools with traditional equipment.
If multiple applications are submitted each year, a team decides which project can be supported.

Real-world example: In August 2026, Leonid Strecker, a high school graduate from Vienna (BRG 18, Schopenhauerstraße), took advantage of the program for his science thesis. Thanks to his Carinthian roots, he learned about the opportunities offered by the Educational Lab and traveled to Klagenfurt on two weekends to conduct his experimental work. His thesis, titled «The Denaturation of Albumin in a Chicken Egg,» examines the role that temperature, pH, and additives such as salt or sugar play in altering egg white. For his experiments at BIKO mach MINT, he used, among other things, a magnetic stirrer, a photometer, a precision balance, and a vortex mixer.