Team

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 (see above and here) 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.

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. Her professional experience includes workin in public relations and adult education, e.g. developing educational materials and training programs as well as evaluating them. Elena joined the PHFR team in 2013 and worked in our large-scale projects PRIMAS and mascil. She brought in her experiences in implementing marketing concepts and dissemination plans to promote our projects’ aims and activities and, for example, has been the main organiser of our international conferences (such as Educating the Educators I and II). Elena is the responsible project manager for two of ICSE’s current Erasmus+ projects – IncluSMe and STEM PD Net – and she is co-responsible for the European STEM Professional Development Centre Network which has been founded 2014 at the University of Education and which backs the STEM PD Net project.

Katharina studied mathematics and physics for secondary education at the renowned KIT – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and has, previously 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.

Dr. Oliver Straser studied Mathematics with a minor in Physics in Essen and Heidelberg, Germany, and graduated from the University of Heidelberg (Diplom). He worked as a scientist at the University of Freiburg and received his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Soergel in Mathematics.  Since 2015 he has been working as a vocational school teacher.

In September 2018 he joined the ICSE Team.  He primarily contributes to the design and dissemination of IBL tasks and to our professional training programs for teachers and schools.

Anika has been a teacher for mathematics, physics and economics in lower and upper secondary schools for 10 years and is currently, next to her partical secondment to ICSE, teaching at the Rotteck Gymnasium in Freiburg. She has joined the team in 2014 and has since then brought her expertise to developing inquiry-based learning tasks for students, using in particular real-life and world-of-work contexts. Anika is also highly experienced in leading professional development courses and designing learning material for teachers on how to implement open and enticing learning environments in STEM classrooms. Anika is ICSE’s expert for STEM classroom and professional development materials and involved in our international projects. She is also the lead developer of our programs for schools and teachers in Germany.

Christiane Fischer holds undergraduate degrees in History and Politics from the University of Manitoba in Canada. She graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Social Sciences (Global Studies Programme) from the University of Freiburg (Germany) and FLACSO Argentina. Christiane has worked in political, educational and civil society contexts, focusing on the management of volunteers, event organization and project design and management.

For ICSE, Christiane now works in public relations and event management. As part of the MaSDiV project, she organizes the conference series ‘Educating the Educators’. Moreover, she develops new marketing strategies for ICSE and puts them into action, while taking care of the overall communication and public relations sector.

Barbara studied forest science and graduated from the University of Freiburg. She has a broad professional background in the field of administration and finances and has been working in private companies as well as in public institutions. Barbara is responsible for the financial and administrative implementation of ICSE´s projects and activities on national as well as international level.

Elena Köck holds an Engineering Diploma Degree from the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim and worked as a production engineer in Berlin bevor moving to Freiburg in 2010. For 6 years she worked at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, mainly in the area of research, quality and sustainability management. Additionally to her engineering degree, she holds a Diploma from the University of Edinburgh in Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education. Of relevance to her current field of work is also that she was awarded a certificate of professional development in the area of European research funding and research management by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the University of Speyer. She also obtained a TÜV (German Association for Technical Inspection) quality management representative certificate.

From November on, Elena helps the ICSE Team with research proposals and third party funding.

Sabine studied Applied Cultural Sciences at the University of Lüneburg. As a freelance cultural manager, Sabine has a wealth of experience at the intersection between culture and economics. For example, she designed and managed the ArtCard project for Deutsche Bank – Art, Culture & Sports. Prior to this, at the Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin, she organised events and educational trips for the friendship circle of the museum. Sabine’s professional experience includes marketing and communication skills, in particular in project management, the set-up of international networks, and editing brochures and newsletters. Furthermore, being an instructor at the Hector Kinderakademie, she runs interdisciplinary courses for primary school kids.

At ICSE, Sabine is the project manager for our high-profile project MaSDiV, in which 11 European ministries work together with renowned researchers in STEM education.

Laura Wanckel studied History of Art, History, Slavic Studies and Museum Management in Dresden and Hamburg and graduated from the University of Hamburg (M.A.). Before she came to the ICSE she completed a training in project management. Her professional experience includes working as a curator and in public relations at the Städtische Museen Freiburg. In addition to curatorial work, her focus was on exhibition organization and coordination as well as the organization of events. Laura also created marketing concepts and was responsible for the editing and production of the advertising material.

Laura joined the PHFR team in October 2018 and is the responsible project manager for the ICSE´s current ERASMUS+ project STEM PD Net.

Dita Betere holds a M.A. in the Educational Science, Field of Study: Adult and Continuing Education. Along the Master Studies she gained a University Certificate for expertise in empirical research methods.

Shortly before studies in Freiburg, Germany she was the National Coordinator of „The Duke of Edinburgh`s Award“ in the National Centre for Education and was responsible for finances, marketing, training the trainers and leaders of the programme, national and international events and projects.

At the International Centre for STEM Education (ICSE) she will be managing the project IncluSMe.

On maternity leave

Elisabeth studied Philosophy in Cologne and Freiburg, and graduated from the University of Freiburg in Philosophy and Historical Anthropology (M.A.). She has worked as a curator in scientific and cultural institutions and developed a strong interdisciplinary focus. Elisabeth has a broad background ranging from curating and managing (international) cultural programmes to conceptualizing and implementing educational offers. Before joining our team at the International Centre for STEM Education (ICSE), Elisabeth worked as a publishing editor. Elisabeth is ICSE’s main professional responsible for all internal and external organisation and communication and she is the project manager of our high-level project MaSDiV in which 11 European ministries work together with renowed researchers in STEM education.

On maternity leave

Assiyeah studied English Philology, German Literature, and Art History in Freiburg and Cambridge and graduated from the University of Freiburg (M.A.). She has worked in the field of science communication for several years, especially in scientific programmes and institutions with a strong interdisciplinary focus. Her professional experience includes working in public relations and marketing, event management, language teaching and translating. She is also experienced in designing and editing information and marketing materials. Assiyeah is responsible for target group-oriented communication through ICSE’s media channels and marketing tools, such as our newsletters, website, press releases, social media, brochures and flyers. She supports the team with the planning and organization of international conferences, national school events and the networking with our partners.