Goldener Zirkel WS 20/21

In the summer semester of 2021, we, the mathematics student council, will once again award outstanding teaching in the past semester. We want to announce the awards in the three categories Best Introductory Course, Best Advanced Course and Best Exercise Coordination:

In the category Best Introductory Course, we want to congratulate Prof. Richter-Gebert, Dr Werner and Ms Polke on the lecture Geometriekalküle (MA2203) for their first place. As a “motivated team” in which “everyone involved truly enjoys teaching”, they have managed to “establish a connection to the students, that resembles normal lectures, despite the corona-related distance”. In addition, Professor Richter-Gebert has once again created “very clear and interesting” “outstanding lecture videos” that you are “truly flabbergasted by”.

With the Einführung in die Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie und Statistik (MA0009), Prof. Rolles and Dr Haug have created an „excellent [lecture] that is fun and motivates to learn! Even at 8 o’clock in the morning”. Also, because of the “very concise and well-structured lecture notes” and a “[well thought-out] concept for more exchange among students”, we congratulate them on a strong second place.

Third place goes to Prof. Kemper and Dr Mundelius for their course Lineare Algebra 1 (MA0004). As a “motivated, committed and likeable professor”, Mr Kemper inspired the first-year students “with concise and still rigorous [explanations]” that Dr. “Mundelius took to a next level [in his central tutorials]”.

In the category Best Advanced Course, we would like to award Prof. Weltge first place for his course Polyhedral Combinatorics (MA5225). With his “unbelievably pleasant way of [teaching]”, Professor Weltge presented a “very interesting topic [for which] he can convey real enthusiasm” in a “personal and interactive [setting]” that “comes very close to in-person lectures”. He placed “a lot of emphasis on quality” in both the lecture and the exercise, explained “everything in a very detailed and understandable way”, and was a “very likeable, committed and motivated” lecturer.

For their second place, we congratulate Prof. Zagst and Dr Wahl on the course Applied Risk Management (MA5730). In a very “interactive and compact Case-Study format”, Professor Zagst “addressed the needs of all of his students” with “fluid expositions” and a “superb practical relevance”, leaving them already asking for “more courses like this”.

For the course Mathematical Models in Biology 1 (MA3601), Prof. Kuttler and Mr Schlicke won third place. As a “well organised, […] motivated and motivating team”, they were always “very well prepared”, on top of creating “interesting videos” and “very detailed lecture notes”.

We would also like to honour the course High-dimensional Statistics (MA5442) by Prof. Drton and Mr Dettling.

On the category Best Exercise Coordination, we would like to award first place to Dr Fernandez for the course Insurance Mathematics (MA3405). In her “great tutorials”, she was always “extremely committed and interested in the learning success of the students” and was able to “truly inspire them”. She was “always available”, answered “all questions that arose, in a comprehensible and detailed manner”, and created “very detailed […] and clear” solutions for all exercises.

Mr Muhr, Dr Melas and Dr Köppl impressed their students in the course Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations (MA3303) with " superb explanations" in both elaborate solution videos and detailed sample solutions. We award them a well-deserved second place with the additional option of “extensive e-tests” and a well-supervised question forum.

The third place is awarded to Mr Kschonnek in Fixed Income Markets, as he was “really committed to making […] online teaching interesting”. His students’ questions were “always addressed and fully answered”, he created extensive sample solutions and created interactive tutorial sessions, despite the online distance.

We would also like to honour Dr Wahl’s exercise coordination in Applied Risk Management (MA5730).