Teaching Award from the Dahlem School of Education for Dr. Elke Müller
Dr. Elke Müller erhielt den DSE-Preis für gute Lehre (2026).
Image Credit: Ralf Rühmeier
Die Jubiläumsfeier und die Preisverleihung der Dahlem School of Education
Image Credit: Ralf Rühmeier
During the festive anniversary event of the Dahlem School of Education on 18 June 2026, Dr. Elke Müller received the Award for Good Teaching. The Award, based on student nominations, was presented for her course Fundamentals of Experimental Physics 1 and 2. The jury particularly praised her consistent student-oriented use of digital media, which promotes individualized learning and supports the communication of complex physical content.
News from Jun 19, 2026
Over the past sixteen years, around 1,000 students in teacher education programs and meteorology have attended her experimental physics lectures. Through this work, Dr. Elke Müller has made a significant contribution to the training of future teachers and scientists.
“I think it’s important to present physics as something tangible, vivid, and genuinely fascinating—not a subject reserved for a select few geniuses,” says the Award recipient. “At the same time, my digital teaching formats allow students, within a clear structure, to find their own pace and take greater ownership of their learning process.”
Dr. Elke Müller (née Heinecke) has a background in experimental physics, with specialization in laser spectroscopy of atoms and molecules. Since joining Freie Universität Berlin in 2010, she has focused on developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative teaching approaches—both for future physics teachers and for physics education more broadly.
In addition to her teaching, Dr. Müller serves as the Women’s and Gender Equality Officer in the Department of Physics. In this role, she advocates for equal opportunity, diversity, and the support of early-career researchers at the Department of Physics, Freie Universität Berlin.