Professor Petersen believes it is a privilege to go to work and inspire young people every day. It quickly becomes apparent when he stands at the front of a classroom or auditorium that he is a gifted communicator. Something he is well aware of. He has the ability to light a fire in his students and instill them with a common cause they carry with them through the rest of their studies, and onwards into the real world.

“As a teacher, you really have the chance to influence other people, which is why I approach my job with a degree of veneration. I always make a point of creating an affinity with the students in the teaching situation, as well as communicating to both their emotions and intellect. I very consciously try to avoid falling into the trap of planning my teaching on the principle that I have to teach someone something. I want to do much more. My students need to absorb knowledge, be engaged, think critically, look at things from a different perspective, and I can only help them achieve all this if I’m authentically present. I’m definitely at my best as a teacher when the students can sense that I sincerely have something to say," says Steffen Petersen.

Steffen Petersen teaches building science to engineering students at the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering; a subject that entails a lot of theoretical physics and mathematics. New students often begin their studies expecting to learn to calculate building structures. However, Steffen confronts them with a much broader agenda.

“Civil engineering is about creating the best framework for people to live their lives, and it’s also about minimising our climate impact. The sector accounts for roughly one third of society's CO₂ emissions, so we cannot continue to build the way we do today. Something needs to change if our children and grandchildren are going to be able to live on this planet. We have to re-think how we build things, and that’s the mindset I try to impart to my students. I want to instil them with the intransigence and courage to go out into the world and change it. That’s the ambition on which I build my teaching," he says.

"My scientific publications can’t do much on their own, but I can influence the next generation of engineers through my teaching. They are the ones who will have to transfer the research and generate changes in society. They have the opportunity to use knowledge and technology to make an impact, and that is why the task of educating these students has become a bit of a calling for me. It's certainly something that I’ll put a lot of effort into and make a priority.”

Rock music and building physics

Steffen Petersen is also a performing musician, and he draws inspiration from stage performance in his teaching. He also loves going to concerts – preferably the kind where a diversity of vocal and instrumental styles turn into hard rock or heavy metal.

It does not always happen, but often it does. That’s where the magic is. The connection between the artists on stage and the audience on the floor.

“It’s the ultimate form of connection, and if I have to point to a source of inspiration for my professional work, that's it. When I get to the point where I feel a sense of connection with my students while teaching, then I know I’ve opened the door to learning,” he says.

So, what does he want to teach his students? He replies:

“I want them to be skilled theorists and good at converting knowledge into practice. I want them to be brave enough to challenge conventional ways of thinking, and their mastery of the subject matter should never overtake their curiosity. Or their imagination. Balancing the two extremes is incredibly important."

He adds:

"In fact, it’s the same with music. A concert is super boring if it only consists of musically pleasant sounds. There needs to be elements of boldness as well."

Boldness and curiosity are exactly the values that have characterised Steffen's own academic career. He has dedicated his research to identifying how we can reduce the construction industry’s wear and tear on the Earth's ecosystems and create a healthier indoor climate. He does not shy away from joining public debate. It is very clear that he has an agenda.

"Good research begins by mapping out what we already know. That’s also something I teach my students. Get to grips with state-of-the-art and then ask a bold question or make an interesting hypothesis. It doesn’t have to be a particularly complex hypothesis. Building science is a very practical subject, where there’s sometimes far between what we know and what actually happens in practice. There’s a performance gap that ignites curiosity in many students.  Can’t we do this better? Shouldn’t we find another way? I’d like to equip the next generation of civil engineers to challenge existing practices using the latest knowledge. They must be open to new ideas and ready to tackle change. This is also something the construction industry desperately," he says.

The citation for the award emphasises that Steffen Petersen’s playful and inquisitive approach to teaching rubs off on students’ engagement, critical sense and desire to learn, which ultimately is reflected in student projects of extraordinarily high quality at all academic levels.

You can also read the article: New professor invites the construction industry to collaborate with the university.

It's not going that well

Steffen Petersen is 44 years old and began working at Aarhus University in 2011 after completing his doctoral dissertation at DTU. It would be an understatement to call his scientific career ordinary. Steffen Petersen is the author of more than 100 articles, he has developed brand new research-based Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes within civil and architectural engineering, and he has invited large parts of the construction industry to collaborate with the university. Impressive.

One of the most eye-catching items on his CV is the amount of time he spends with students.

For years, Steffen Petersen has taught almost three times as much as the norm prescribes. He also makes himself available to his students any hour of the day, any day of the year.

"They need to know that I’m there for them. I want them to know I care. And that includes after they graduate. I keep in touch with many of them," he says.

To the question of why he dedicates so much of his time and energy to the students, Steffen responds that it is because it is important to him.

“It’s not going that well,” he says, as he

looks at the view of Aarhus from his office at Navitas down by the harbour.

"There's so much talk about the lack of engineers and companies needing manpower. That’s true, but to my ears, it’s also incredibly reductionist. We’re in the midst of one of the world's biggest crises - a climate that’s about to go up in flames - and right now is our chance to stop things from getting worse. My scientific publications can’t do much on their own, but I can influence the next generation of engineers through my teaching. They are the ones who will have to transfer the research into the real world and generate changes in society. As a group, they will have the opportunity to use technology to make an impact, and that is why the task of educating these students has become a bit of a calling for me. It's certainly something that I’ll put a lot of effort into and make a priority.”

Each year, the Aarhus University Anniversary Foundation Teaching Prize recognises outstanding and ground-breaking teaching at Aarhus University. The prize is accompanied by a DKK 60,000 cash award.