Ose la recherche 2026: Gisèle Umbhauer introduces young people to game theory

On 11 February 2026, Gisèle Umbhauer, senior lecturer and researcher at BETA, took part in the annual event « Ose la recherche ! », organised by Le Vaisseau and the Alsace delegation of the CNRS. This anniversary edition, hosted for the first time at the CNRS in Cronenbourg, aimed to offer the 80 participating students—from Year 8 to Year 13—a first concrete and stimulating contact with the world of scientific research.

A fun immersion in game theory

While some researchers talked to parents about careers in research, sixteen other teacher-researchers led participatory workshops for the teenagers.

It was in this context that Gisèle Umbhauer stepped in, offering a workshop entirely devoted to game theory, a discipline she wanted to make accessible, interactive and exciting.

Her goal was to:

• explain how a game is constructed from a theoretical point of view,
• introduce fundamental concepts such as equilibrium and strategic orientation,
• and above all make young people want to ‘do game theory’ by showing them that they themselves can think about, analyse and formalise situations of interaction.

The workshop also provided an opportunity to present the research carried out at BETA and to illustrate the links between theory and economic applications.

Four games adapted for a young audience

During the afternoon, Gisèle Umbhauer met with four groups of five young people, spending about 30 minutes with each group. To spark their curiosity and encourage discussion, she invited them to play four games, specially adapted for the occasion:

• The volunteer’s dilemma, illustrated by the chore of cleaning;
• Bidding on a shared valuable item, using a shopping trolley filled with surprise gifts;
• All-paying bidding, using Shubik’s dollar game;
• A game of exchanging envelopes containing monetary amounts.

The playful format quickly facilitated discussions: the young people spontaneously made the connection between the games and their own experiences, sometimes in unexpected ways… much to the delight of the facilitator.

On the same subject, read the press article published on 11 February 2026 on the Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace website: “Ose la recherche” : 80 élèves à la découverte des métiers et disciplines scientifiques au CNRS