2025-cohort
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=Cohort Fall 2025=
[[Fellow:Dominik_Wittenhagen|Dominik_Wittenhagen]]
[[Fellow:Nithyashree Ravishankar|Nithyashree Ravishankar]]
[[Fellow:Rishabh Shukla|Rishabh Shukla]]
[[Fellow:Sri Valli Lahari Meenakshi Kanchibhotla|Sri Valli Lahari Meenakshi Kanchibhotla]]
==Project #1 - Mind Matters==
[[File:Mind Matters.png|thumb|link=Special:FilePath/Mind Matters.png]]
At TUHH, student well-being is increasingly being recognized as a vital part of academic and personal success. The TUHH already offers valuable counseling support and targeted workshops for different student groups, helping them manage challenges such as stress, cultural adjustment, and academic pressure.
Yet, even with these resources, many students hesitate to seek help. The reasons are often not about access but about comfort; it can be the fear of being judged, misunderstood, or seen as “struggling.” This hesitation leaves a gap between the support available and the support actually received.
'''''Mind Matters''''' seeks to bridge that gap. It is an initiative to create a culture of open and stigma-free conversations around mental health at TUHH. The aim is not only to support those facing visible mental health challenges but also to provide a space for any student who wants to talk, reflect, or simply connect.
The vision is to build a safe, welcoming space, both physical and digital, where students can share experiences, find peer support, and learn new ways to care for their wellbeing. The concept extends beyond traditional counselling by including peer-to-peer reflection circles, creative expression sessions (like journaling or open mics), and community events that strengthen a sense of belonging.
Mind Matters will also collaborate closely with student bodies and faculty members to complement existing support systems while encouraging more informal, everyday engagement with wellbeing.
Ultimately, Mind Matters aims to shift the conversation around mental health, from something personal and private to something collective, open, and empowering for the entire TUHH community.
===Strategic Priorities===
'''[1] Establish a central point of access for all mental health and wellbeing resources.'''
'''[2] Encourage peer-led and informal support systems (e.g., reflection cafés, art or journaling spaces).'''
'''[3] Strengthen community belonging by bridging cultural and academic gaps, especially for international students.'''
'''[4] Integrate preventive wellbeing education into campus life through events, workshops, and digital campaigns.'''
===Next Steps===
'''[1] Research existing mental health and wellbeing programs already offered at TUHH and nearby universities.'''
'''[2] Design a prototype template for ''Mind Matters'' that encourages students to engage and participate.'''
'''[3] Collect student feedback to refine the concept into something both useful and approachable.'''
'''[4] Begin testing with small-scale pilot activities like informal wellbeing sessions or peer cafés.'''
==Project #2 - EcoTUHH==
[[File:EcoTUHH.png|thumb|link=Special:FilePath/EcoTUHH.png]]
Sustainability has become one of the most defining topics of our timeand TUHH, as a university of technology, is uniquely positioned to lead by example. Across campus, several initiatives already contribute to a greener TUHH: the Mensa’s vegetarian and vegan days, discounts on leftover food, and carbon footprint labels on meals are meaningful steps in encouraging responsible choices. Some previous projects, such as bicycle stand programs and Blue Engineering student initiatives, have also shown how much students care about sustainable living.
Yet, many of these efforts remain isolated, and students often struggle to see how their individual actions connect to the bigger sustainability picture on campus. This is where EcoTUHH steps in.
EcoTUHH envisions the TUHH campus as a living laboratory for sustainability, a place where ideas are not just discussed but experienced, tested, and shared. It aims to empower students, staff, and faculty to collaboratively turn sustainability into visible, everyday practice.
The initiative will bring together existing resources and new student-led projects under one umbrella, from waste-sorting workshops and digital carbon awareness campaigns to eco-challenges, campus gardening, and energy-saving experiments. It encourages learning by doing and creates opportunities for hands-on engagement with real sustainability problems and solutions.
Partnerships with TUHH’s Sustainability Office, Facilities Management, student AGs like Blue Engineering, and city or industry partners will play a central role in making this initiative both practical and scalable.
Ultimately, EcoTUHH aims to cultivate a mindset where sustainability is not a side project or a once-a-year event, but a shared daily habit that defines how the TUHH community learns, works, and lives together. It is a step toward transforming the university into a truly sustainable ecosystem, by the students, for the students, and with the planet in mind.
===Strategic priorities===
'''[1] Promote hands-on, student-led sustainability projects (e.g., waste sorting workshops, tree planting, energy audits).'''
'''[2] Enhance digital and operational sustainability through automation and paperless systems.'''
'''[3] Create awareness and engagement using gamified and social formats like Eco-Challenges or sustainability hackathons.'''
'''[4] Build partnerships with the Sustainability Office, city networks, and local industries for real-world collaboration.'''
===Next Steps===
'''[1] Research what sustainability initiatives and partnerships already exist at TUHH.'''
'''[2] Develop a motivating project template to help students propose and lead their own eco-projects.'''
'''[3] Identify quick-win pilot activities to make the project visible early (e.g., automatic lights or digital dashboards).'''
'''[4] Engage key institutional stakeholders to align EcoTUHH with TUHH’s sustainability goals.'''
==Project #3 - Tech-Detox Lock-In==
[[File:Tech-Detox In.png|thumb|link=Special:FilePath/Tech-Detox In.png]]
'''''The Tech-Detox Lock-In''''' project is designed to give TUHH students a valuable opportunity to disconnect from digital devices and refocus on personal wellbeing and meaningful social engagement for an entire day. By participating in organized weekly or bi-weekly Tech Detox events, students are encouraged to lock away their phones and gadgets, stepping away from social media and random internet browsing to fully immerse themselves in collaborative hands-on activities, brainstorming sessions, and creative projects with their peers.
This intentional break from digital distractions promotes concentration, supports mental health, and allows for shared reflection where participants can showcase what they have learned or created during the detox—helping students rediscover the power of offline experiences and enabling them to create positive impact within the university community.To keep engagement high, campus-wide reminders and community messaging via posters, WhatsApp groups, and social media will highlight the benefits of digital detoxing, while small rewards like coffee vouchers or snacks will be offered to students who complete full sessions.
===Strategic priorities===
'''[1] Creating a device-free environment to foster genuine focus and social connection'''
'''[2] Ensuring sustained student participation through engaging activities and positive reinforcement along with rewarding offline activities.'''
'''[3] Promote mindful technology use as a campus-wide movement to strengthen student wellbeing and in-person community.'''
===Next Steps===
'''[1] Test engagement strategies like language cafes and advertise in student hotspots (e.g., departments, mensa, newsletters) '''
'''[2] Position detox as a flexible tool for digital balance—helping, not restricting, student life.'''
'''[3] Collaborate with student bodies and wellbeing offices to scale Tech Lock-In as a recurring, widely embraced initiative. '''
==Project #4 - TUHH Business Games==
[[File:TUHH Business Games Render.png|alt=|thumb]]
At TUHH, students often learn about innovation in theory but do not always get the chance to try it out in a fun and relaxed way. Many students feel that events about entrepreneurship or business are too formal or only meant for certain programs. The TUHH Business Games aims to change that by making innovation learning something anyone can join, enjoy, and learn from.
The TUHH Business Games is a playful, hands-on event where students from different backgrounds come together to solve real challenges from companies and the community. In small teams, they brainstorm ideas, build quick concepts, and pitch their solutions at the end of the session. It is about exploring creativity, learning to work with new people, and seeing how ideas can take shape when everyone contributes.
Instead of focusing only on competition, the Business Games focus on collaboration, curiosity, and real experience. Students learn by doing, not by sitting through presentations. The event also gives them a taste of how creative problem-solving works in industry while keeping the atmosphere light and welcoming.
The goal is to build a space where students can experiment, make mistakes, and learn together. Over time, the Business Games can grow into a regular event that brings together students, tutors, and company partners around innovation and teamwork..
===Strategic priorities===
'''[1] Make innovation learning approachable through fun, hands-on challenges.'''
'''[2] Create collaboration between students from different programs and backgrounds.'''
'''[3] Connect student creativity with real industry challenges.'''
'''[4] Build continuity by turning the Business Games into a recurring, student-driven event.'''
===Next Steps===
'''[1] Develop simple, engaging game modules that encourage creativity and teamwork.'''
'''[2] Get feedback from the University and startup port stakeholders'''
'''[3] Partner with companies to bring real problem statements and mentors to the event.'''
'''[4] Pilot the event on campus and collect feedback to make improvements for the next iteration.'''
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=Cohort Fall 2024=
[[Fellow:Emily Behrens|Emily Behrens]]
[[Fellow:Saakshi Bhargava|Saakshi Bhargava]]
[[Fellow:Shreya Kori|Shreya Kori]]
[[Fellow:Junaidali Surti|Junaid-Ali Surti]]
==Project #1 - A Platform for Women in STEM at TUHH==
Women represent only 35% of the global STEM workforce and just 28% of STEM students at TUHH.
In STEM fields , women often face societal stereotypes, isolation, lack of mentorship, and gender bias in education and the workforce.
This project aims to close the gender gap in STEM at TUHH by creating a platform that fosters a digital and physical community for female students and faculty in STEM. The platform will centralize resources and offer peer-to-peer support, mentorship opportunities, and collaboration to enhance the educational experience for women at TUHH.
The initiative will include offerings such as study groups, chatrooms, networking events, coaching workshops, and inspirational talks. By connecting female students to existing tools and initiatives, the platform will empower them to pursue leadership roles in what is currently a male-dominated environment.
Other universities in Germany, like RWTH Aachen and TU Dortmund, have already developed innovative tools to empower women, such as the CHEFIN project, which supports female students on their path to leadership roles.
===Strategic Priorities===
'''[1] Creating a supportive network and community for female students at TUHH'''
'''[2] Expanding mentorship and leadership training opportunities'''
'''[3] Facilitating community engagement and collaboration'''
===Next Steps===
'''[1] Develop the platform structure with a pilot group of female students'''
'''[2] Organize the first series of networking and mentorship events for early 2025'''
'''[3] Partner with TUHH Career Center and other local organizations to expand the initiative'''
=Cohort Fall 2023=
[[Fellow:Jeremy Strätling|Jeremy Strätling]]
In general, students should be able to dedicate 4-6 hours of work per day during the two work phases. During the reflection weeks, the effort should be 2 hours per week.
[[File:Prototype 4-2.pdf|thumb|link=Special:FilePath/Prototype_4-2.pdf]]
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===Strategic priorities===