The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MNF) awarded its Faculty and Teaching Prizes for the Winter Semester 2025/26 on December 4, 2025, recognizing outstanding scientific achievements as well as exceptional commitment to teaching.
Faculty Prize in Physics
The Faculty Prize in Physics was awarded to Lina Bielke for her excellent master’s thesis, which she completed in the research group of Prof. Dr. Bauer within the LiMatI Collaborative Research Center.
In her master’s thesis, Lina Bielke investigated high-harmonic generation (HHG) in thin organic molecular crystals. Building on current experimental work, she developed a theoretical model to study the dependence of the emitted high harmonics on the polarization direction of a laser pulse and other model parameters. Her work contributed to a deeper theoretical understanding of HHG processes in molecular materials.
Teaching Prizes in Physics
During the award ceremony, the MNF also presented its Teaching Prizes, which honor instructors who demonstrate exceptional dedication to high-quality, engaging, and innovative teaching.
In Physics, Dr. Lennart Seiffert (Postdoctoral Researcher, AG Fennel, LiMatI CRC) was recognized for his lecture “Theoretical Mechanics for Teaching Degree Students”. The course was characterized by an open and interactive atmosphere in which student questions were explicitly encouraged. Through the use of illustrative examples and interactive elements, he successfully made complex concepts understandable while consistently relating the material to future school teaching contexts.
A shared Teaching Prize was awarded to Dr. Haldor Hartwig, Samuel Schöpa (Doctoral Researcher, AG Bauer, LiMatI CRC), and Paul Tümmler (Doctoral Researcher, AG Fennel, LiMatI CRC).
Dr. Hartwig was honored for his exceptional commitment in introductory physics laboratory courses, where he supported students from various degree programs competently, helpfully, and respectfully. Samuel Schöpa impressed with his exercise course “Theoretical Physics 6 for Bachelor Students”, which combined an interactive and creative teaching style with the use of diverse media to make the material clear and accessible. Paul Tümmler received the award for his exercise course “Theoretical Mechanics for Teaching Degree Students”, in which he created an open and motivating learning environment and consistently made connections to school contexts.
Michel Flögel was recognized for his exercise course “Theoretical Quantum Mechanics for Teaching Degree Students”. He employed interactive teaching methods such as online surveys, quizzes, and group work, while highlighting connections to research projects and school teaching. This approach motivated students to actively engage with the material and made complex concepts accessible and understandable.
These awards highlight the high quality of research and teaching at the Institute of Physics, made possible through the commitment and dedication of its staff.