Strategic Controlling
Prize for Outstanding Teaching - history and general information
The Prize for Outstanding Teaching is awarded annually at Technische Universität Berlin to teachers demonstrating exceptional commitment. The prize helps raise the profile of innovative new teaching concepts and encourages teachers to explore new paths. At the same time, the award serves to underscore the importance and requirements of teaching as laid out in the University’s mission statement on teaching. The 4,000-euro prize is awarded by the Society of Friends of TU Berlin.
- Since 2017, a specific category for the prize has been defined each year.
- From 2010 to 2016, the prize was awarded as a traveling trophy to instructors in each faculty.
- While the procedure has changed over the years, course evaluations and final selection by a jury have always played a key role.
Here you’ll find an overview of the recipients of the Prize for Outstanding Teaching by year.
Faculty awards
Some TU Berlin faculties also award their own prizes for teaching:
Faculty III - Process Sciences Prize for Teaching
Faculty VI - Planning Building Environment Prize for Teaching
Faculty VII – Economics and Management Prize for Teaching
2021
Topic: best bachelor’s digital lecture/integrated course during the first pandemic semester, summer semester 2020
| Category | Small course | Large course |
|---|---|---|
| Award recipients | Prof. Vera Meyer for “Microbiology II” | Prof. Utz von Wagner for “Statics and Mechanics of Materials” |
| Faculty | Faculty III | Faculty V |
| Academic chair | Applied and Molecular Microbiology | Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics |
| Prize money | EUR 2,000 | EUR 2,000 |
2020
Topic: outstanding seminars (period: “pre-coronavirus,” winter semester 2018/19 to 2019/20)
| Category | Seminar | Seminar | Honorable mention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Birgit Beck and Prof. Dr. Jens Kurreck for their joint course “Introduction to Bioethics” | Gerrit von Jorck for the block seminar “Exploring Ecological Economics” | Lara Danyel and Mona Beyer for the project laboratory “Denk- und Aktionslabor StadtLand” (DAL) |
| Faculty | Faculty I and III | Faculty I | Faculty VI |
| Academic chair | Ethics and Philosophy of Technology as well as Applied Biochemistry | Economic Education and Sustainable Consumption | Urban and Regional Economics |
| Prize money | EUR 1,500 | EUR 1,500 | EUR 1,000 |
2019
Topic: outstanding digital or digitally-enhanced course
| Category | Small course | Large course |
|---|---|---|
| Award recipients | Dr. Züleyha Yenice Campbell, Dr. Franz-Josef Schmitt, and Prof. Dr. Thomas Friedrich for the online project laboratory “Everyday Chemistry” (OPL Chemie) | Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Zarnekow for the module “Introduction to Information Systems” |
| Faculty | Faculty II | Faculty VII |
| Academic chair | Institute of Chemistry | Information and Communication Management |
| Prize money | EUR 2,000 | EUR 2,000 |
2018
Topic: academic projects
| Award recipients | Katharina Hagg, Prof. Dr. Philipp Misselwitz, Aine Ryan, and Prof. Jörg Stollmann for the project "UD Studio 01: compulsory Design Studio in the first degree semester of Urban Design" | Thorsten Burandt, Dr. Pao-Yu Oei, Konstantin Löffler, and Dr. Roman Mendelevitch for the project "Operations Research – Methods for Energy and Resource Markets (OR-RES): System-wide modeling and country-specific policy analyses" | Hannah Aring, Saba Nojoumi, and Dr. Franz-Josef Schmitt for the project "tu project iGEM – Synthetische Biologie" |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty VI | Faculty VII | Faculty II |
| Academic chair | Habitat Unit as well as Urban Design and Urbanization | Infrastructure Policy | Biocatalysis |
| Prize money | EUR 1,500 | EUR 1,500 | EUR 1,500 |
2017
Topic: service courses by Faculty II – Mathematics and Natural Sciences for students from other faculties
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Boris Springborn | Dr. Gabriele Penn-Karras | Prof. Dr. Fredi Tröltzsch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty II | Faculty II | Faculty II |
| Institute | Institute of Mathematics | Institute of Mathematics | Institute of Mathematics |
| Prize money | collectively EUR 4,500 | ||
| Quote | “I try to tell an exciting story on the chalkboard.” | “Students should not get the impression that the material taught is a secret science that can only be mastered with a lot of computer and media input. Rather than impressive media magic, it is better to develop the material comprehensibly before students' eyes - in short, to let a whole world emerge from a small piece of chalk.” | “For many, mathematics is difficult to work out. Therefore, I limit myself to the essentials and explain new ideas with simple examples. Once you have understood those, the more general solutions frequently become apparent.” |
2016
Topic: teaching teams from Faculty VI Planning Building Environment
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Ingo Kowarik and Dr. Moritz von der Lippes for the module “Nature Conservation” | Prof. Dr. Frank Vogdt and tutors Anke Franz and Lars Wagner for the lecture and tutorial “Fundamentals of Building Physics” |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty VI | Faculty VI |
| Academic chair | Ecosystem Science / Plant Ecology | Building Physics and Building |
| Constructions | ||
| Prize money | EUR 2,000 | EUR 2,000 |
2015
Topic: outstanding teaching in Faculty VII – Economics and Management
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Maik Lachmann | Prof. Dr. Axel Hunscha |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty VII | Faculty VII |
| Academic chair | Accounting and Management Control | Business and Labor Law |
| Prize money | EUR 2,000 | EUR 2,000 |
| Quote | “As a teacher, you have the opportunity to constantly explore new ways to convey course content in an interesting and vivid way.” | “Teachers should draw a lot from actors, who present themselves consciously and with purpose.” |
2014
Topic: outstanding teaching in Faculty V – Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Peitsch | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Paul Uwe Thamsen | Dr. Ralf Wille |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty V | Faculty V | Faculty V |
| Academic Chair | Aero Engines | Fluid System Dynamics ‒ Fluid Dynamics in Machines and Plants | Fluid System Dynamics ‒ Fluid Dynamics in Machines and Plants |
| Quote | “For me, teaching is a professor’s core task. However, this is only made possible with the support and commitment of teaching and research assistants.” | “‘Perception is the foundation of all knowledge’ – this quote from Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi is the motto of our teaching.” | “Motivation and interest grow through compelling real-life examples and should continue to increase as the course progresses.” |
2013
Topic: outstanding teaching in Faculty I - Humanities and Educational Sciences
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Simone Knab | Prof. Dr. Bénédicte Savoy |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty I | Faculty I |
| Academic chair | Didactics of Work Studies | Art History |
| Prize money | EUR 2,000 | EUR 2,000 |
| Quote | “Teachers must burn with enthusiasm for what they teach. However, enthusiasm alone is not a guarantee of good teaching. Teaching methods and media should be combined and tailored to the content and students.” | “Students themselves should become researchers. Teaching should be enjoyed, on both sides of the lectern.” |
2012
Topic: outstanding teaching in Faculty III - Process Sciences
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Roland Lauster | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Felix Ziegler |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty III | Faculty III |
| Academic chair | Medical Biotechnology | Energy Conversion Technology |
| Prize money | EUR 2,000 | EUR 2,000 |
| Quote | “My 'recipe' for exemplary teaching includes supplementing the curriculum with current research findings, always relating questions to the topic at hand, involving all staff, keeping lab groups small, and placing students in the best labs and companies.” | “First-semester students in particular should not simply bravely persevere with what will seem to them to be gray theory, but rather, learn to truly enjoy its incomparable beauty.” |
2011
Topic: outstanding bachelor’s and undergraduate courses in Faculty II - Mathematics and Natural Sciences
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Siegfried Blechert | Prof. Dr. Christian Mehl | Prof. Dr. Arne Thomas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Faculty II | Faculty II | Faculty II |
| Academic chair | Organic Chemistry/ Natural Product-Oriented Synthesis Chemistry | Numerical Mathematics | Functional Materials |
| Quote | “You have to exude enthusiasm for your subject and make it easier for students to listen by giving interesting, lively lectures. That way, the content sticks better.” | “I don’t just want to impart knowledge. I want to motivate students to also want to understand the material. Sometimes I use prizes to motivate them...” | “To be honest, the basic principles of chemistry can be quite dry. Bridging the gap between everyday life and complex issues can show the importance of chemistry in our daily lives - but also how fascinating this science is.” |
2010
Topic: outstanding teaching in Faculty IV - Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
| Category | Prize for Outstanding Teaching | Honorable mention |
|---|---|---|
| Award recipients | Prof. Dr. Uwe Nestmann for his lecture “Theoretical Fundamentals of Computer Science 2” | Dr. Stefan Fricke for his course “Artificial Intelligence – Basic Principles and Applications” |
| Faculty | Faculty IV | Faculty VI |
| Academic chair | Models and Theory of Distributed Systems | Agent Technologies in Business |
| Applications and Telecommunications | ||
| Prize money | EUR 4,000 | EUR 500 |
