Teaching

courses, philosophy and training

Teaching

Current courses at the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HSWT):
  • Summer semester: Bat Biology, Ecology & Conservation; Biodiversity; Conservation Biology; Innovation & Research
  • Winter semester: People & Wildlife, Wildlife Biology
Previous courses that I taught at the Freie Universität Berlin (FU Berlin), Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) and Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW):
  • Urban and Bat Ecology: `Bats in the City` (MSc, FU Berlin)
  • Conservation Social Sciences (MSc, FU Berlin). More information can be found here.
  • Biotic interactions and phenological mismatches: ‘Catch me if you can’ (BSc, TU Berlin), in collaboration with DataCamp. More information can be found here (in German). 
  • Urban Ecology: ‘Urban Biodiversity in a changing world’ (BSc, TU Berlin). In collaboration with DataCamp.
  • Urban Ecology: ‘Urban Cemeteries – What values do they have for biodiversity and visitor?’ (BSc, TU Berlin). In collaboration with DataCamp.
  • Human-Wildlife Conflicts (MSc, IZW/FU Berlin – co-lecturer)
  • Wild plant identification (BSc, TU Berlin)
  • Biology of Bats (MSc, IZW/FU Berlin – co-lecturer)

I further gave several guest lectures on Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management in several courses (e.g. Tierökologie, History and Perspectives of Urban Ecosystems).

Teaching Philosophy

For me, teaching is about creating an environment in which students can grow, find their own direction, and learn to contribute to what matters to them and to do this well. So, these four principles guide my teaching:

Aiming for quality. I believe in high standards, but not in perfection. I encourage students to think critically, question assumptions, take their own ideas seriously and care about the quality of the outcome of their work. Particularly in ecology and wildlife management, there is rarely one simple answer. What matters is learning to engage with evidence, different knowledge systems and perspectives and to make well-reasoned decisions.

Keep growing. A university should not only be a place where students demonstrate what they already know, but where they can develop. Learning involves curiosity, uncertainty, feedback, mistakes, openess and sometimes changing direction.

Find your own direction. There is no single path through science, conservation or wildlife management. I want to expose students to different questions, perspectives and opportunities that help them discover their interests, strengths and eventually their own scientific and professional voice.

Grow together. Learning is not a competition. I aim to create an environment in which students exchange ideas, ask questions, share their strengths and support each other’s development. Science rarely happens in isolation and neither should learning.

Ultimately, I hope students leave my courses not only knowing more, but as curious and independent thinkers, confident in finding their own direction and willing to help others grow along the way.

Teaching Training

I hold the “Berlin Certificate of Teaching Internationally” from the Berlin Centre for Higher Education (BZHL) certificate programme which provides systematic, advanced higher education training that is led by national and international standards. During this training, I gained insights in various aspects of teaching in an international context, including gender and diversity, multicultural group work, ethics or storytelling in teaching.