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About

Heike Wiesner is a researcher whose work sits at the dynamic intersection of educational technology, gender equity, and robotics-based learning. She is best known for her sustained contributions to the "Roberta — Girls Conquer Robotics" initiative, a landmark program launched by the Fraunhofer Institute designed to spark girls' interest in science, mathematics, and technology at a time when dropout rates in engineering disciplines exceeded 50% and female participation remained critically low. Wiesner's research investigates how robotics and digital media can serve as powerful didactical tools, not merely as passive instruments but as active agents capable of transforming learning environments. Drawing on Actor-Network Theory, she has examined how technology itself carries agency within educational settings, a perspective that distinguishes her theoretical contributions from conventional approaches to ICT in education. Her work spans both primary and higher education contexts, offering empirical grounding through rigorous scientific evaluation of gender-inclusive pedagogical programs. With her most-cited paper accumulating 20 citations and several others establishing consistent scholarly engagement, Wiesner has helped lay the conceptual foundation for gender-sensitive approaches to STEM education, making her scholarship an important resource for educators and policymakers seeking to broaden participation in technical fields.