Elizabeth Prommer

Elizabeth Prommer serves as Rector of the University of Rostock since April 2023, on leave from her position as Professor of Communication and Media Studies and Director of the Institute for Media Research, which she held from 2011 to 2023. Previous academic appointments include professorships at the University of Vienna and Konrad Wolf University of Film and Television in Potsdam/Babelsberg, along with visiting positions at Berlin University of the Arts and University of Hamburg.

Her academic background features:

• Doctorate (Dr. phil.) from University of Leipzig (1998) with thesis "Cinema Visits in the Life Course: A Historical and Media-Biographical Study"
• Habilitation from University of Leipzig (2011)
• Research Associate at University of Television and Film Munich (1993-1998)
• B.A. studies at Occidental College, Los Angeles (1985-1986)

Prommer's research examines the interplay between media consumption and societal structures, with specialized focus on audiovisual media reception across life stages. Her empirical studies analyze cinema attendance patterns, television viewing habits, and digital media convergence through historical and biographical frameworks. Current investigations explore how streaming services and day-and-date releases reshape traditional cinema experiences.

Key publications include "Media Use in Converging Media Environments," "Cinema Attendance in the Life Course," and the 2012 monograph "Television Taste, Lifestyle, and Comedy – An Action-Theoretical Analysis." Her work integrates audience studies with cultural theory to address evolving media landscapes.

No specific scientific awards were documented in the source materials.

As academic advisor, she mentors through the Gertrude Joch Robinson Program for female researchers and consults for media industry clients including Constantin Film and Senator Film via her founded research firm 'Prommer Media Consulting.' Her grant-related work includes EU-funded cinema audience development initiatives and cultural project evaluations for Potsdam's municipal government.

Prommer co-founded and directed the nonprofit 'Extavium Potsdam,' operating a hands-on science museum for children, demonstrating her commitment to practical science communication beyond traditional academic boundaries.