Every autumn, the FChO organises a research seminar for students aged from 14 to 16 in Mainz. Invitations go to 30 of the most excelling participants of experimental competitions in chemistry.

This nationwide seminar is held since 2008 and gathers two young chemists of each federal state. For only 1 out of 1000 students can be selected, prospective participants are required to be succesful not only once, but in a row of competitions. Since 2009, participants of two more competitions, the „International Junior Science Olympiad IJSO“ and „DECHEMAX“, are allowed to take part in the seminar.

In Mainz, the young chemists conduct experiments at the NaT-Lab, an educational research facility at the Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz. Experiments include topics like properties of metals, dyes or acids and bases. Joy and fun are always present during the preparation of sparklers, indigo dyeing or handling liquid nitrogen. Visiting research facilities at the University and Max-Planck Institutes (MPI for Chemistry, MPI for Polymer Research) as well as sightseeing are part of the schedule.

The seminar often arises interest in local newspapers and television. The feedback of former participants is consistently positive, which encourages us to keep the seminar up.