The PHOENIX project investigates how young people can be sustainably engaged in the natural sciences, with a particular focus on physics. During the seven-year funding period of the Cluster of Excellence, the project conducts an internationally unique large-scale longitudinal intervention study with more than 1,500 students across several German federal states, with a special focus on underrepresented groups.
The experimental study is based on the premise that fostering interest alone is insufficient: students must perceive physics as both relevant and compatible with their self in order to inform their course selections and study choices.

To address this, the project develops, implements, and evaluates a multi-year intervention program, accompanying students from grade 9 through to the transition beyond school. This is complemented by a longitudinal interview study that provides in-depth insights into the development of physics-related identities.

The interdisciplinary research team aims to identify effective approaches for improving motivational and performance-related outcomes, as well as educational choices, and to uncover the underlying mechanisms and differential effects across student groups.

Unlike many previous educational interventions, PHOENIX is directly anchored in a cutting-edge physics research cluster. Findings from PHOENIX will guide the cluster’s future outreach and science communication strategies. On the other hand PHOENIX will directly draw on the inspiration and dedication of frontier researchers of the excellence cluster serving as role models to prepare materials of the intervention study.

The project is supported by a Scientific Advisory Board.