From interactive exhibitions to online content for children in lockdown: Jürgen Richter-Gebert strives to make abstract mathematical content visible, audible and easy to grasp. For his outstanding science communication, the DFG (German Research Foundation) and the Stifterverband have selected the Professor of Geometry and Visualization at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) as the winner of the Communicator Award 2021.
The Communicator Award worth 50,000 euros, was inaugurated in 2000 and is considered the most important prize of its kind in Germany. It is awarded to researchers who demonstrate creativity in their scientific communications
The jury cited Prof. Richter-Gebert’s inventive and wide-ranging efforts over the past 20 years to bring the power and beauty of mathematics to life through a number of innovative formats. With relentless energy and creativity, he has continually opened up new avenues to the understanding of mathematics in various social and aesthetic contexts. The jury also noted that he encourages his audience to take the initiative in experimenting, developing concepts and pursuing further exploration.
Digital concepts for children in lockdown
Richter-Gebert is also constantly on the lookout for new ways of gaining mathematical insights in everyday life – as he impressively demonstrated during the pandemic in 2020. He wasted no time in developing fun and easily accessible digital concepts for families in lockdown to help children explore mathematics and physics. He also took the transition to digital teaching as an opportunity to develop high-quality formats. These are now accessible to the general public and can thus have a lasting impact.
Successful digital formats
Prof. Richter-Gebert was appointed as Professor of Geometry and Visualization at TUM in 2001. He has received many awards, including the Ars Legendi Prize for outstanding university teaching from the Stifterverband. He is the founder and director of the ix-quadrat mathematics exhibition at TUM and a co-author of the Cinderella mathematical visualization software. He also runs the Mathe-Vital website. In addition, he is an important contributor to the travelling exhibition Imaginary. The digital formats he has developed, including the free “TUM Interactive” app to mark the university’s 150th anniversary, have been downloaded by thousands of users.
Contacts to this article:
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Richter-Gebert
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Chair of Geometry and Visualization
Tel.: +49 (0)89 / 28 91 83 54
richter(at)ma.tum.de
