I am a researcher in science education and plant ecology. My science education work focuses on ecological education, plant awareness and perception, and the use of AI-supported learning environments in higher education teaching. I am especially interested in how ecological phenomena can be understood across levels of organisations - from molecules to ecosystems. Moreover, I embrace all the opportunities that AI brings to teaching and learning while being cautious about potential pitfalls of the technology. In plant ecology, I am interested in plant-environment interactions, especially how cold and drought impact plant physiology. I am fascinated about the global treeline phenomenon which has still not been explained on a mechanistic basis.

Together with my colleague and friend Christian Schmidt, I co-authored a textbook Chemistry for Biologists, first published in November 2014 and now available in its second edition. The book introduces chemistry from the ground up, helping biology students in their early semesters build a solid and intuitive understanding of chemical principles and processes relevant to life sciences. Our goal was to create an accessible, step-by-step guide that makes chemistry clear and engaging for everyone entering the field of biology.

Schmidt C, Dietrich L (2022). Chemie im Biologiestudium: Von Grund auf verständlich erklärt. Second Edition. Springer Spektrum.

Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-662-63416-5