Werner Rieß

Prof. Dr. habil. Werner Rieß is a faculty member at Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg (PH Freiburg), holding the W3 Professorship for Biology and its Didactics. He leads the Institute of Biology and the Research Center for Climate Change Education and Education for Sustainable Development (ReCCE). His work focuses on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), systems thinking, and teacher training, with a strong emphasis on empirical research in biology didactics, climate literacy, and evidence-based instructional methods. He collaborates extensively with interdisciplinary teams across Germany and internationally.

• Research Interests: ESD, systems thinking, diagnostic teaching, climate change education, and multimedia learning.
• Projects: ProBiKlima, TEVI, BUGEN, SysThema, and DFG-funded initiatives.
• Editorial Roles: Member of the editorial board of Sustainability and the scientific advisory board of the journal für Naturschutz, Pflege der Kulturlandschaft und Nachhaltige Entwicklung.
• Memberships: VBio, KeBU, Waldhaus Freiburg, Naturparkschule Hochschwarzwald.

His recent publications highlight the effectiveness of climate change education, systems thinking in elementary schooling, and instructional design principles for teacher training. He mentors PhD candidates and has contributed to numerous empirical studies on sustainability competencies and teacher development.