University of Tübingen: Active for 25 years- Teaching prize from the University of Tübingen honors international mathematics seminar

This year’s teaching prize from the University of Tübingen goes to Professor Rainer Nagel from mathematics for the international “Internet seminar on evolutionary equations”. He has been combining digital elements with face-to-face teaching in this seminar for 25 years: students from currently 120 universities around the world work together on mathematical topics that change every year. The seminar was founded by Rainer Nagel, has been continuously developed and is now organized and evaluated jointly by an international committee of 15 scientists.

The university awards the prize, which is worth 2,500 euros, annually for innovative teaching formats or special commitment in teaching.

The “Mindful Science” initiative from the neurosciences received the special prize for outstanding student commitment 2022 from the University of Tübingen: doctoral candidates offer low-threshold formats such as lectures and joint walks in which students and researchers can discuss the topic of “mental health” and their own situation and burdens, including in the pandemic situation.

Teaching prize for the “Internet seminar evolution equations”
The acknowledgment of the Internet seminar coincides with an anniversary: ​​25 years ago, in the 1997/98 winter semester, Professor Nagel established the format for mathematics students from the third semester onwards. Around 500 mathematics students from 40 countries now take part every year.

In the process, digital phases alternate with face-to-face events: From October to February, the ” virtual lecturer ” imparts the necessary basic knowledge in an online course – supplemented by exercises, online meetings with other participants and supervised by local coordinators. From March to June, small cross-university groups are formed to work on key topics and regularly submit “ status reports ” on their progress. The results will be presented in June during a one-week workshop in attendance and in English.

An international management committee made up of 15 professors, many of whom have already taken part in the seminar as students, selects the respective main topic. The committee supports the organization and raises funds for the organization of the workshop.

“In this seminar, students make their first international and professional contacts and experience mathematics as an international science,” says Nagel. “It is always impressive for me to experience the enthusiasm and commitment of the participants.”

The prize money is intended to provide financial support to students from Tübingen when they take part in the seminar.

Special award for outstanding student commitment to the “Mindful Science” initiative
The ” Mindful Science ” initiative of former students and now doctoral students Marleen Veit and Morgan Hess arose from the pandemic situation: A survey they conducted in the master’s courses and in the doctoral program of the Tübingen interfaculty neurosciences showed that the majority of those surveyed had already faced mental health problems. 25 percent also stated that they did not know any contact points for support.

On this basis, a committed group of students and doctoral candidates became active and has been offering regular formats that provide low-threshold support to fellow students since 2020. In hybrid lectures (“ Growing up in Science ”), neuroscientists report on their careers, including unexpected difficulties and the lessons learned from them. They will then be available for questions and discussion.

Since November 2021, the group has been organizing walks together (“ Mental Health Walks ”), which offer space for contacts and discussions about one’s own situation. In addition, posts on the subject of “ mental health ” are regularly published on the group’s Instagram and Twitter channels.

All offers are actively used by interested parties and should be continued in the future. The aim is to create a space for information and discussion on mental health in science. The topic should receive more attention and psychological problems should be destigmatized in order to strengthen students and researchers in the long term. The prize money is intended to finance further events for students and lectures with external speakers.