The Society for the Distribution of Nature Doctrine (SNU) awards the H.C. Ørsted Medal in bronze for outstanding dissemination of science to Associate Professor Lasse Seidelin Bendtsen, Borupgaard Gymnasium in Ballerup. With the medal and the honor comes a travel grant of 25,000 kroner and 50,000 kroner for a project at the high school sponsored by the energy company Ørsted.
The award of the medal itself due to COVID-19 will not take place until spring 2021.
About the medal recipient
Since 2003, Associate Professor Lasse Seidelin Bendtsen has been employed at Borupgaard Gymnasium, where he teaches the subjects of physics and astronomy. His teaching is characterized by an extraordinary commitment, a high academic level and a great didactic insight, and his creative ideas promote students' curiosity, reflection and interest in science. He has developed the concept of experience-based teaching as a new approach to science education, and this helps to lift both weak and strong students. The teaching is built on experiences that open up curiosity, interest and commitment in the students. His great efforts have lifted the professional dissemination and interest in science, not only in his own teaching, because his teaching principles have gained ground as the entire school's official pedagogical efforts.
In many contexts, Lasse has disseminated science to a larger audience through websites, articles, books, museums and films. Thus, his YouTube channel is watched extensively by students inside and outside high school. He has also been a scientific consultant at Louisiana and an employee on the website at DTU Space and has written a book on physics writing exercises.
Lasse has also created a collaboration with the local primary schools to offer astronomy at secondary school level as an elective in primary school and has made numerous events where high school students have disseminated science to primary school students in new and creative ways, as well as being a major player in the school's annual Science Event. Not only high school and primary school students have benefited Lasse, he has also given lectures and workshops to colleagues around the country as well as abroad.
President of the SNUs, Professor, Dr.Scient. Dorte Olesen says: " Lasse Seidelin Bendtsen is one of the enthusiasts who inspires the next generation to familiarize themselves with the science subjects that are so central to today's global social development, and it is a hugely important effort that we are very happy to reward with an H.C Ørsted Medal."
Jesper Skov Gretlund, Head of Mathematical Modelling at The Energy Company Ørsted says: "From Ørsted's side, we are very happy to contribute to giving an H.C. Ørsted Medal to such an inspiring high school teacher as Lasse Seidelin Bendtsen. Secondary school teachers are incredibly important for the training of skilled and motivated natural scientists, which we so need in the renewable energy industry. Among many impressive contenders for this year's bronze medal, Lasse stands as a deserved winner with his unique contributions both at his local educational institution and in his field in general. Big congratulations from here."
About H.C. Ørsted Medal in bronze for inspiring high school teachers:
Since 2012, the Society for the Dissemination of Nature Doctrine (SNU) has highlighted the important dissemination in high school by awarding the H.C Annual Award. Ørsted Medal in Bronze for inspiring high school teachers and excellent facilitators in the upper secondary world within the Company's professional circle. The medal is now awarded for the tenth time.
An inspiring high school teacher in science can determine whether a student becomes interested and has a good way to understand the scientific and technical world. For many, this can also be a motivating factor in the selection of studies and important for whether you dare to pursue an education that requires insight in the field of science or technology.
The award in 2020 is based on recommendations from secondary school principals, colleagues and pupils across Denmark, which have been judged by a seven-person expert assessment committee led by former principal Hans Lindemann, Metropolitan School.
About the energy company Ørsted:
Ørsted's vision is to create a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted is inspired by H.C. Ørsted's curiosity to understand nature, and H.C. Ørsted's discovery of electromagnetism is the basis for modern electricity production, which is at the heart of ørsted. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore and onshore wind farms as well as bioenergy, solar and energy storage systems and supplies energy products to its customers. Ørsted tops the 2020 Corporate Knights' Global 100 index of the world's most sustainable companies and ranks on the climate organization CDP's A-list for its global leader in climate change. Ørsted has 6,100 employees and is headquartered in Denmark.