Team Freiburg

Katja is a researcher, educator and leader of international projects in mathematics and science education. She holds a master’s degree in mathematics and biology, acquired her PhD in mathematics education in 2004 and was awarded professorship in the same year. Her main professional interests are modelling and applications (solving open, realistic problems with the help of mathematics) and inquiry-based science teaching. Her research has been published widely in the most prestigious journals in the field. Next to teaching and research in these fields, her work is characterised by a strong practical and melioristic concern towards advancing science teaching. Katja has successfully coordinated numerous large-scale European projects to foster innovation in STEM education, including award-winning projects like PRIMAS, mascil or COMPASS. She has acted as the German representative in the EC’s working group on science and mathematics education with a particular focus on low achieving students and co-initiated the European STEM Professional Development Centre Network. Katja is also a highly experienced and renowned professional development course instructor of in-service teachers and facilitators in the German-speaking countries and her focus on transferring research into practice is also mirrored in publications directly addressing teachers. Her work is distinguished by both a local and international orientation and she relies on excellent networks to research, policy and practice. As the founding director of ICSE she aims to take European collaboration in STEM education to a next level so as to maximise quality, equality and innovation in day-to-day STEM teaching.

Laura Wanckel has been part of the ICSE team since October 2018 and has served as the vice director since 2020. In this role, she supports Prof. Dr. Katja Maass in managing the Institute, focusing on team leadership, project management, and project administration. Her expertise includes strategic planning and the management of international third-party funded projects such as Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. By leading the interdisciplinary ICSE team, Laura initiates change processes to make the Institute more agile and adaptable.

With an academic background in Art History, History, Slavic Studies, and Museum Management from the Universities of Dresden and Hamburg, Laura brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her work. She is particularly interested in team leadership, new work, people-centered organizational development, and project management, which she pursues with passion and commitment.

Dr. Oliver Straser graduated from the University of Heidelberg with a degree in mathematics and a minor in physics. He then worked as a research assistant at the University of Freiburg and completed his doctorate in mathematics under Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Soergel. From 2015 to 2019, he worked as a teacher at vocational schools.

Since September 2018, he has been working as a seconded teacher at ICSE, where he currently heads the research and development group. He is involved in the STEMkey and Ensite projects, coordinates the implementation of the GEM project in Germany, in which STEM summer schools for girls are organized, and leads the MINT4Life project. His research interests include investigating the possible applications of 3D printing technologies in science education, researching the use of escape rooms in STEM subjects and investigating the effectiveness of extracurricular activities to generate enthusiasm for STEM subjects, particularly with a gender-specific focus.

Oliver Straser is also an expert for “Educational Escape Rooms” and is responsible for the conception and implementation of ICSE’s escape activities: he supervises the Escape Room, the Escape Box and the digital Escape Room.

Elena Schäfer is Executive Project Manager at ICSE and currently managing the Erasmus+ project STEMkey.

Elena joined the PHFR team in 2013 and brought with her professional experience that includes working in adult education and developing educational materials for training programs. She was working in our large-scale international STEM education projects PRIMAS and mascil and from 2016 on she was the project manager for the two KA2 projects IncluSMe and STEM PD Net. Also she was co-responsible for the European STEM Professional Development Centre Network. Elena is the main organiser of ICSEs international conference series ‘ETE – Educating the Educators’ and chair of the third ETE conference. Elena is also experienced in designing and implementing marketing concepts and dissemination plans to promote our project’s aims and activities and brings this expertise into ICSE’s communication with the public.

Elena Schäfer has her Bachelor’s degree in Educational Planning and Instructional Design and a Master’s in Educational studies with the focus on adult education and professional development.

Rahel Brugger has been working at ICSE since July 2022. As part of the content team, she develops and researches materials for students and teachers on 3D printing in STEM education, the connection between math and art, Educational Escape Rooms, and other STEM topics.

After a PhD in mathematics at the University of Göttingen and a postdoctoral position at the TU Dresden, she was initially a scientific volunteer at the Technische Sammlungen Dresden, where she co-curated hands-on exhibitions on the topics of climate change and quantum mechanics, among others, and developed offers around the Erlebnisland Mathematik. At Science & Technologie gGmbH, she then performed chemistry shows at schools, organized “hackdays” and developed offerings such as a workshop with math exhibits, “lunchbox experiments” or a science rally.

Dr. Peter Steurer studied chemistry in Freiburg, Germany, and Montpellier, France. In 2006 he graduated from the University of Freiburg (Diploma). From 2006 to 2010 he worked as a scientist at Freiburg University and the Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF) and received this PhD under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Rolf Mülhaupt in Chemistry at the Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry.

In 2011 he started working as a vocational teacher in Offenburg and Wolfach. Besides teaching, he was supervising students at a national science comeptition and was holding the position of safety manager.

Peter has joined the ICSE team in September 2022 and is currently working at the projects MINT4life and Teacher Academy. He is also in charge of the 3-D-printing student lab.

Anna Bölke is a high school teacher who has worked in various schools with different focuses over the past 13 years, including integrated schools with a scientific profile. She trained student teachers within the school setting and led several eTwinning projects in collaboration with various European project partners. Additionally, she was an active member of the school development team.

As a project manager, Anna Bölke initiated a volunteer project for the establishment of the “Waldkindergarten Zwetschgenkinder e.V.” in Merzhausen, which was launched in 2023.

She studied English and Spanish philology at Newcastle University, Universiade de Santiago de Compostela, and RWTH Aachen. At RWTH Aachen, she coordinated the Master’s program in German as a Foreign Language.

Anna Bölke is the responsible Junior Project Manager at ICSE Academy.

Aileen joined the ICSE team in February 2021 and is currently involved in the MINT4Life and MOST projects.

Previously, she worked as the pedagogical director of an after-school program at the Brunnmatt Primary School in Basel (Switzerland). She was responsible for the theoretical development and implementation of the pedagogical concept and for connecting students, teachers and parents. In Switzerland, she also obtained the qualification as a vocational trainer and thus trained pedagogical staff.

Aileen studied mathematics, geography and ethics to become a teacher at the University of Education in Freiburg and successfully passed the First State Examination in 2013.

Elena Suess started studying sports science at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in 2009 and received her master’s degree at the University of Freiburg in 2015. From 2016 she worked as a research assistant at the Mental mHealth Lab, KIT and completed her PhD in the field of health psychology in 2022. Within her work, she was involved in two European projects in which she implemented the Ambulatory Assessment method in clinical intervention studies at four European sites. From 2020 she also worked as an advisor for a third European project at the Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at the University Hospital Frankfurt for two years.

Elena Süß has been working at ICSE since January 2024 as project manager of the ICSE Science Factory.

Chrissi Fischer holds undergraduate degrees in History and Politics from the University of Manitoba in Canada. They graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Social Sciences (Global Studies Programme) from the University of Freiburg (Germany) and FLACSO Argentina. Besides their work at ICSE, Chrissi is working in civil society and political movement contexts, as an organizer, counselor and educator.

At ICSE Chrissi works in the public relations sector since 2018. They are currently managing the websites and publishing ICSE’s newsletters.

Alexander Veit has been a trainee office management assistant at the PH Freiburg since 2021. His focus here is on finance, both in public fund management and in commercial accounting management. Prior to this, he completed his business baccalaureate specializing in financial management.

Alexander Veit has been working at ICSE since September 2023 as a support in the management of various projects and ensures the coordination of ICSE’s goals with those of the central PH administration through constant exchange.

Sabrina Deck has been working at ICSE since September 2021. Here she accompanies the Open Schooling projects nationwide, develops concepts for funding applications and is involved in workshops, professional development and lecturing on the topics of sustainability, digitalization and health as part of the ICSE Science Factory.

She previously worked for 10 years as a teacher in secondary schools. She has project experience with school classes, trainee teachers and in teacher training. She also qualified in project management and public relations at the Goethe-Institut in Melbourne.

Sabrina Deck studied English and German language and literature in Freiburg and Sheffield (England) and passed her two state examinations at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and at the Seminar Karlsruhe.

Katharina studied mathematics and physics for secondary education at the renowed KIT – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and has, previousely to commencing her appointment at ICSE in 2017, been teaching at the Goethe Gymnasium Emmendingen. She is a qualified teacher for the bilingual teaching of STEM subjects and has experience in fostering international dimensions in STEM classrooms by working with students on tasks that specifically carry international settings. Katharina is also experienced in bringing inquiry-based learning and interdisciplinary connections into her classroom and is specifically trained to enhance student learning by including longer-term student projects into regular class work.

At ICSE, Katharina brings her expertise into our national and international STEM education projects and contributes specifically to the design and dissemination of IBL and interdisciplinary tasks and to our professional development programs for teachers and schools. Moreover, she is involved in the development of Educational Escape Activites for ICSE and brings her expertise in this field to teacher workshops and student events.