06.07.2026
Roshan Hafezalsehe is a volunteer for the Astronomy and Biology Olympiad and is a student at the University of Fribourg.
Annual theme “Look up!”: Who do we look up to? What do we see, when we look up — maybe using a telescope at the new Astronomy Olympiad? Just as a ship can use the stars to navigate, role models can help us find our path. In 2026 we meet inspiring people and those inspired by them. We present talent promotion practices worth looking up to. And we gaze at the sky. Subscribe to the newsletter or follow us on Instagram so you don’t miss anything!
The rigour you applied in your biology lessons not only fascinated me, but also taught me a way of working that still serves me enormously well in my studies today – not just settling for the bare minimum, but really seeking to understand the full picture of what is going on. Do you often think about the impact you’ve had – and continue to have – on the careers of the young people you teach?
Actually, I don’t think about it. I see it through the students I bump into again who tell me what they’ve gained from it, or through the fact that they’ve gone on to study biology. But it’s not something I think about whilst I’m teaching. Of course, I want the students to become passionate about the subject, just as I became passionate about it. I think the best way to do that is to show my own passion and interest in the subject.
I don’t think there are any teachers who actively think about the impact they have whilst they’re teaching. I think that when you’re passionate, you try to give your very best to spark an interest in all your students in the subject you’re teaching and, if possible, to inspire a passion for it.
I wanted to ask you, what challenges do you face in keeping your students motivated or interested? How do you go about it?
It’s about trying to vary what we do in class, but also linking the lesson to current events, finding a topic familiar to the students and opening up the discussion.
For example, during the Covid pandemic, the cleaning staff would come and wipe down all the door handles in the classrooms several times a day. We were studying evolution at the time, and I asked the students: ‘What do you think this constant disinfecting might lead to over time?’. This sparked a discussion about natural selection – the process of selecting organisms that are resistant whilst eliminating all those that are not – and how, in this context, it could potentially lead to an increase in resistant microorganisms. It also helped to show the students that biology can explain what is happening around us.
Over the years of teaching, having had several cohorts of students, you also begin to know which topics that interest students the most.
Nathalie Wehrli began her career as a biologist in a laboratory, specialising in immunology and virology for four years. After graduation, rather than remaining in research by doing a postdoc, she decided to become a teacher. After a year at teacher college and around ten years teaching at Sek I level, she began to teach in gymnasium, which she still does, 16 years later.
In your own academic and teaching career, was there anyone who served as a source of inspiration, or someone you looked up to?
My philosophy teacher made a big impression on me because during lessons we had lots of debates and he emphasised the meaning of the words we used, and the fact that the same word didn’t have quite the same meaning for every philosopher. It was thanks to his lessons that I realised the impact of word choice. In every subject, we have specific terms that allow us to clarify what we’re saying and to understand one another precisely.
Another way in which you had a major influence on my journey was through the Biology Olympiad, which you introduced to our class in our second year. Despite the fact that I didn’t get past the second round, it allowed me to immerse myself in the volunteer community I am part of today, and it helped me gain confidence in my abilities. That said, that’s just my experience. From a broader perspective, do you think that competitions such as the Science Olympiads generally have a positive impact on the pupils who take part?
I found that the participating students gain a greater depth of scientific knowledge and skills. From the feedback I received from the students, some of the volunteers who supported them throughout the week were really specialists in their fields. So the topics covered were explored in great depth and with a practical touch. I also got the impression that this helped reinforce the students’ desire to pursue a degree in scientific subjects, or even to go into research.
I think it helps to be surrounded by other young people who share the same interests and volunteers working purely out of passion. I think it's also valuable that many of the volunteers are former participants or at least not too far removed from the participants’ age group. It really allows them to get a glimpse of what lies directly ahead for them, rather than wondering what they’ll want to do with their whole lives. There’s a more immediate, more tangible aspect to it.
It’s been thirty years since I finished my studies and moved away from the world of biological research. Biology courses have changed, as have research fields. I have my own memories of research and the laboratory, but it’s not the same as experiencing it first-hand and being able to explain the current curriculum.
It’s good that students can meet people who are currently involved in research and who motivate them to pursue this path.
I’ve talked quite a bit about how I saw you, but what was your impression of me as a student, if you can remember?
I remember you as someone who was relatively shy at first. You were a very attentive listener… and at the same time you were doodling all over the margins of the biology handouts. I even asked you for a copy as a keepsake. It was a way for you to concentrate, because afterwards, in the tests and practicals, you didn’t have any trouble at all…
So, thanks to you, I learnt that we shouldn’t automatically judge a student who draws or does something else during lessons.
We’ve mostly talked about the influence teachers have on students. But what about the influence students have on teachers? Do you have any students who’ve left a lasting impression on you—for better or for worse, in any way at all?
Yes, some students have left a lasting impression on me, but not necessarily in relation to biology. Some have told me about other things they enjoyed, and thanks to them, I’ve read certain books, listened to certain music, or become interested in certain topics.
There was also, not too long ago, a student who was passionate about birds, and it’s undoubtedly partly thanks to him that I suggested a matura thesis topic on bioacoustics. I developed this project because it already seemed to interest one student, and I thought it might allow other students to develop experimental skills by studying the sounds produced by organisms.
Teaching is my job. But with some classes, you actually enjoy it —that’s something the students give us, too. Wqwhen you see that students are eager to learn and ask questions, that’s what fuels a teacher. There really needs to be a two-way exchange. It allows the teacher to keep going and think, “Yes, that’s right—keep going. They enjoy the classes, and you enjoy teaching them.”
And then later on, when I meet students who have gone on to pursue a career in your field… it reinforces your belief that “This is it—I need to keep moving in this direction because it will help some students find their path.” In fact, that’s what we wish for all students, whoever they may be. If we can help them find their path—and if they choose a path that we’re passionate about, so much the better.
Sometimes students’ perspectives can also make us think… because the world is changing, and you young people are witnesses to what’s happening right now. That can help us adjust our attitudes and approaches a little. The world is changing; you are changing this world; you are the future.
I think that being in contact with students helps us stay connected to the present and adapt. It makes us more aware of how society is evolving.
Ultimately, in teaching, it’s the interpersonal and human aspect that drew me to it, as opposed to the more solitary work in the lab. What I find essential about teaching is the exchange with students and what students convey to us and give us—even if they might not realize it themselves (laughs).
