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Andreas B. KilcherView profile

Professor

• Literary Studies
• Cultural Studies
• Jewish Cultural History
• +4 more

Andreas B. Kilcher is a Full Professor of Literature and Cultural Studies at the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (D-GESS) at ETH Zurich since June 2008. He serves as Deputy Head of the Department and holds multiple leadership positions including Head of the Doctoral Committee of the D-GESS and Director of Studies at MAGPW since 2018. Born in Basel in 1963, Kilcher studied German, history, and philosophy in Basel and Munich. He completed his doctorate at the University of Basel after fellowships at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He habilitated at the University of Münster and served as a professor at the University of Tübingen before joining ETH Zurich. His academic credentials include visiting professorships at Hebrew University (2009), Princeton University (2011), and Stanford University (2014). Professor Kilcher's research focuses on Literary and Cultural Studies , with specialized expertise in Jewish literary and cultural history , Kabbalah and esoteric research , and the history of knowledge . His work bridges literary analysis with cultural, religious, and intellectual history, exploring intersections between Jewish thought and broader European intellectual traditions. His recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on German-Jewish intellectual history, examining figures like Thomas Mann, Walter Benjamin, Joseph Roth, and Sigmund Freud through literary criticism, religious philosophy, and cultural analysis. His work often explores relationships between science and literature, religious thought and modernity, and textual criticism and intellectual resistance. President of the Board of Trustees of the Thomas Mann Archive (ETH) President of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE) Representative on the Board of Trustees of the Language Center (ETH/UZH) Director of the Center for the History of Knowledge 2014-2016 (ETH/UZH) Member of the Society for European-Jewish Literary Research He teaches courses including 'Science and Fiction,' 'Theories of Wit: From Rhetoric to Psychoanalysis,' and advanced colloquia in literary studies, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach connecting literature with philosophy, psychology, and cultural history.

Andreas KilcherView profile

Professor

• History of German-Jewish Literature and Culture
• Literary and Cultural Studies
• Kabbalah and Esoteric Studies
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Andreas Kilcher is a Full Professor of Literature and Cultural Studies at ETH Zurich’s Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences. He serves as Deputy Head of the Department and holds leadership roles in academic initiatives such as Director of the Center for History and Knowledge (2014–2016), President of the Thomas Mann Archive, and President of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE). His research focuses on German-Jewish literature, Kabbalah, and esoteric studies, with a particular interest in modern German authors like Kafka, Thomas Mann, and Walter Benjamin. Education: Kilcher studied German Literature, History, and Philosophy in Basel and Munich, earned his PhD at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1993), and habilitated at the University of Münster (2002). He held academic positions at the Universities of Basel, Münster, and Tübingen before joining ETH Zurich in 2008. Research Interests: His work bridges literary analysis with cultural and religious studies, examining themes such as esotericism in modern German literature, Jewish philosophical traditions, and the intersection of politics and narrative. Recent publications explore Thomas Mann’s engagement with Einstein’s theories, Kafka’s creative process, and Joseph Roth’s religious perspectives. Professional Activities: Kilcher actively contributes to academic governance, including roles in ETH’s Doctoral Committee (D-GESS) and the Language Center board. He also publishes in prominent journals like Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and collaborates internationally, evidenced by his edited volumes on Jewish religious philosophy and Kafka’s drawings. Labs/Teams: Leads the ETH’s interdisciplinary research initiatives, particularly in German-Jewish cultural history and literary esotericism, supported by his directorship of historical archives and scholarly societies.

• German Studies
• History
• Joseph Roth Studies
• +6 more

Kati Tonkin is an active Associate Professor of German Studies and History in the Discipline of European Languages and Cultures at The University of Western Australia's School of Humanities. She holds a PhD in German and European Studies from UWA and studied previously in Germany and Austria. Her academic leadership includes serving as Associate Chair of the Academic Board and Chair of the Board of Studies (Society and Culture). Her educational background includes significant study in Germany and Austria, culminating in a PhD from UWA. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2020), demonstrating her commitment to teaching excellence. Tonkin's research spans two primary domains: literary studies focused on Jewish Austrian writer Joseph Roth and pedagogical innovation centered on flipped and online learning. Her work on Roth examines themes of Habsburg identity, Jewish experience, and cultural memory in interwar Austrian literature. In educational research, she explores cognitive load management, adaptive learning platforms, and student engagement in language education. She co-founded a university-wide Community of Practice dedicated to active learning and the flipped classroom in 2019. Her publication record shows a clear evolution from literary scholarship on Joseph Roth and Austrian-Jewish writers toward increasingly innovative educational research. While her early work focused on Austrian literature and cultural history, her more recent publications emphasize educational technology, flipped classroom methodologies, and intercultural learning. This trajectory reflects her dual expertise in German studies and educational innovation. AAUT Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2023) UWA Award for Excellence in Teaching (2022) School of Humanities Excellence in Teaching Award (2021) Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2020) UWA Guild's Student Choice Award (2019) Tonkin actively supervises students, currently mentoring four PhD candidates working on European history and literature topics. Her grant history demonstrates sustained research support, including a World Universities Network Grant (2020) on University Students in the Time of Corona, Centre for Education Futures Grant (2016), UWA Teaching Fellowship (2012), and multiple early career research awards. She has coordinated the Bachelor of Modern Languages and Minor in German programs, and serves as Academic Coordinator for the Stuttgart Exchange Program. As an educational innovator, Tonkin has piloted adaptive e-learning platforms like Smart Sparrow and Cadmus assessment platform. Her community engagement extends beyond campus through her service as Chair of the School Board at North Perth Primary School (2014-2019) and as Community Representative on Mount Lawley Senior High School's Board (2020-2023).

• Polymer Chemistry
• Smart Polymers
• Biological Interfaces
• +3 more

Peter Roth is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Organic/Polymer Chemistry at the University of Surrey's School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, part of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. He also serves as the School's Postgraduate Research Director. Education: Roth earned his Dipl.-Chem. and Dr. rer. nat. in Chemistry, studying at the University of Mainz (Germany), the University of Massachusetts (USA), and Seoul National University (South Korea). His PhD (2009) focused on RAFT polymer end-group modification under Prof. Rudolf Zentel and Prof. Patrick Theato. He holds a pre-diploma in Psychology from Mainz University. Research Interests: His group specializes in designing smart polymers and nanomaterials. Key areas include: Polymer Chemistry: Controlled radical polymerization (RAFT, metal-catalyzed methods), multicomponent reactions, and click-type chemistries. Smart Polymers: Multi-responsive materials, UCST/UCST behavior, CO₂-responsive polymers, and metal ion-sensitive systems. Biological Interfaces: Protein bio-conjugation, non-toxic polymers, and antifouling materials. Nanoparticle Synthesis: Stimulus-triggered self-assembly, polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA), and degradable nanomaterials. Labs & Facilities: His research is conducted in the Joseph Kenyon Laboratory, equipped with advanced facilities for polymer synthesis and characterization, including GPC, DLS, NMR, and spectroscopy tools. Awards: Received the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) in 2012.

• Computational Soft Matter
• Density Functional Theory
• Statistical Physics
• +5 more

Professor Martin Oettel holds a faculty position at the University of Tübingen within the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, where he leads the Computational Nanoscience research group at the Institute of Applied Physics. His academic address is at Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Since 2013, he has co-organized the annual Density Functional Days workshops alongside Joseph Brader (University of Fribourg) and Roland Roth (University of Tübingen), establishing an important forum for researchers in classical density functional theory. Professor Oettel's research focuses on computational soft matter physics , with particular expertise in density functional theory applications to colloidal systems, thin film growth, and phase transitions. His work spans both fundamental theoretical developments and applied materials science problems, especially in organic electronics and nanoscale systems. Key areas include the study of hard sphere systems, monolayers of anisotropic particles on substrates, phase diagrams for complex colloidal mixtures, and the development of dynamic density functional theory approaches. His research often involves sophisticated computational modeling combined with close collaboration with experimental groups, such as Prof. Frank Schreiber's experimental group at Tübingen. His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to the field since 2006, with recent work (2016-2018) focusing on thin film growth with anisotropic particles, monolayer systems of hard rods, phase transitions in colloidal mixtures, and advanced diffusion phenomena in confined systems. The research shows a clear trajectory from fundamental theoretical developments toward applications in materials science and nanotechnology. Professor Oettel actively supervises doctoral students, as evidenced by the 2023 job posting for a PhD position in modeling thin film growth within a DAAD-CAPES project involving collaboration with Prof. Frank Schreiber (Tübingen) and Prof. Fabio Reis (Federal Fluminense University, Brazil). This position required work on both simulations and dynamic density functional theory, with an extended research stay in Brazil. He maintains the Computational Soft Matter and Nano-Science Chair (Lehrstuhl für Computational Soft Matter and Nano-Science) at the University of Tübingen, where his research group investigates the physics of soft condensed matter systems through computational approaches. The group's work bridges theoretical physics with practical applications in materials science, particularly in organic electronics and nanoscale systems.

• German Philosophy
• Phenomenology
• German Literature
• +16 more

Dr. Jeanne Riou is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor in German at the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, University College Dublin. She has been teaching German language, literature, and cultural theory since 1998, with a strong interdisciplinary approach that integrates philosophy, intellectual history, and literary studies. Her academic affiliations and research are centered at UCD, where she actively contributes to postgraduate supervision and curriculum development. BA, German and Modern English Literature, Trinity College Dublin PhD in German, Trinity College Dublin Doctor in Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin Her research focuses on German philosophy—especially phenomenology and thinkers like Husserl, Merleau-Ponty, and Plessner—and its intersections with literature, aesthetics, and cultural theory. She explores themes such as imagination, relationality, crisis, and subjectivity across the Enlightenment, Romantic, and Modernist periods. Her work often examines how literary and philosophical discourses mediate experience and interpret cultural change. Her recent publications reveal a consistent engagement with continental philosophy and cultural critique, particularly in phenomenological explorations of embodiment and intersubjectivity, as well as critical analyses of ressentiment and political discourse. These works reflect a deep commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship and ethical reflection in turbulent times. Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers DAAD Postgraduate Scholarship A.J. Leventhal Travelling Scholarship Trinity College Postgraduate Scholarship Dr. Riou is actively involved in postgraduate supervision and has served on numerous academic committees, including the DAAD Scholarship Selection Committee and the NUI Subject Specialist Reviewer panel. She has also contributed to public intellectual life through radio engagements and conference organization. She currently leads research projects on theories of crisis and the intellectual history of Antijudaism in German thought. She has played a key role in organizing international conferences, such as the 2002 'Networks. Aesthetics and Technologies of Networking:1800. 1900. 2000' conference co-hosted with Trinity College Dublin and Humboldt University, Berlin. Her leadership in professional associations, including the Alexander von Humboldt Association of Ireland, underscores her active role in the academic community.

Angela RothView profile

Professor

• Service Innovation
• Organizational Competencies in Service Innovation
• Service Systems in Digital Contexts
• +3 more

Prof. Angela Roth is a Professor at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, leading the Chair of Information Systems I – Innovation and Value Creation. She co-chairs the department and directs the Open Service Lab (OSL). Her research focuses on service innovation, digital service systems, organizational competencies, and the future of work, with a strong emphasis on interactive value creation and living lab methodologies. She collaborates closely with industry partners and non-university research institutes, driving projects in servitization, service systems engineering, and workspace innovation. Prof. Roth previously led the Decision Support Systems department at Fraunhofer IIS-SCS and holds a habilitation and dissertation in logistics. Her teaching includes innovation strategies for digital transformation, service systems, and interactive service innovation. Her work explores stakeholder integration in service innovation, AI-driven service design, and workspace change dynamics. The Open Service Lab (OSL) serves as a platform for co-creation with customers and industry, exemplified by projects like JOSEPHS®. She also investigates the role of data in business model innovation and the societal implications of automation in service sectors.

Michael HofmannView profile

Professor

• Poetry
• Literary Translation
• German Literature
• +3 more

Michael Hofmann is a Professor and Director of the MFA@FLA program at the University of Florida. He specializes in poetry, literary translation, and German literature, with notable works including translations of Franz Kafka and Joseph Roth. His publications include Selected Poems (2009), One Lark, One Horse (2018), and the 2020 Clarendon Lectures Messing About in Boats . He contributes reviews and essays to prestigious journals such as the London Review of Books and New York Times Book Review , and his critical works include Behind the Lines and Where Have You Been? . Hofmann teaches creative writing and offers courses in Creative Non-Fiction. Awarded the Clarendon Lectures in 2020, his research spans German literary heritage, translation methodologies, and contemporary poetry. He oversees the MFA@FLA program, fostering creative writing education.

Kata GellenView profile

Associate Professor

• German Literary Modernism
• German-Jewish Studies
• Postwar Austrian Literature and Cinema
• +7 more

Kata Gellen is an Associate Professor of German Studies and Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Duke University, affiliated with Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University (2010). Her research focuses on German literary modernism, German-Jewish studies, postwar Austrian literature and cinema, film studies, sound studies, and trauma theory. She authored Kafka and Noise: The Discovery of Cinematic Sound in Literary Modernism (2019) and has published extensively on figures like Kafka, Musil, Rilke, and Canetti. Her teaching spans interdisciplinary courses such as Mapping Jewish Modernism and Germany Confronts Nazism and the Holocaust , reflecting her expertise in cultural memory and modernist aesthetics. She has been featured in news articles like An Exhibit Charts the Landscape of Jewish Modernism (2024) and German Studies Department Offers Vibrant Learning Experience (2023). Her academic leadership includes directing the Center for Jewish Studies since 2025, alongside her role in German Studies since 2020. Gellen’s work interrogates intersections of sound, space, and trauma in modernist texts and films. Recent publications analyze Kafka’s exploration of motion, Kolmar’s portrayal of maternal trauma, and Rilke’s ethical imagination. She collaborates with institutions like Cambridge University Press and Brandeis University, maintaining active external scholarly relationships.

László V. SzabóView profile

Associate Professor

• Modern German Literature
• 19th Century German Culture
• Intercultural Studies
• +3 more

Dr. László V. Szabó is an Associate Professor in the Department of German Language and Literature at J. Selye University's Faculty of Education. He holds a habilitation in Literary Studies from the University of Pécs (2016) and a PhD from Eötvös Loránd University Budapest (2005). His academic career includes roles at the University of Pannonia (1997–2018) and J. Selye University (2018–present). He specializes in modern German literature, intercultural studies, and the reception of German philosophy in Hungary, with a focus on authors like Hermann Hesse, Rudolf Pannwitz, and Samuel Ferjenčík. Key research projects include Interkulturalität bei Rudolf Pannwitz (2007–2011) and Literárnohistorické spracovanie Ferjenčík (2018–2018). He has been awarded scholarships from DAAD, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the Weimarer Klassik Foundation. His work bridges literary analysis with cultural and historical contexts, emphasizing transnational and intercultural dimensions. He has contributed over 28 publications, including monographs and peer-reviewed articles on topics like German literary hermeneutics and digital pedagogy. His academic leadership roles include vice-presidency in the Veszprém Branch of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and coordination of Erasmus mobility programs.

• Austrian literature and culture
• Literature and war
• Literature and science
• +5 more

Birthe Hoffmann is an Associate Professor at the Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies , University of Copenhagen , where she has worked since 2001. Her research focuses on Austrian literature and culture , literature and war , literature and science , and cultural/national identity . She specializes in 20th-century Germanic literature, particularly works by Robert Musil, Franz Kafka, and Franz Grillparzer. Ph.D. in German literature (University of Copenhagen, 1997) Cand.phil. in Comparative Literature (University of Copenhagen, 1993) Language courses in German/French (Zürich, 1984-85) High School (Vestjysk Gymnasium, Tarm, 1981-84) Hoffmann's research bridges literature and trauma studies , exploring war's impact on cultural narratives, and examines intersections with scientific discourse through figures like Goethe, Musil, and Stifter. Her work on reception theory and phenomenology informs analyses of intertextuality and modernist epistemology. Her publications highlight trends in Austrian modernist literature , war narrative studies , and literature-science interplay . Notable themes include Heimat (cultural home), identity reconstruction , and Austro-Germanic intellectual history . DAAD scholarship (1989-90) Ph.D. counselor for Jessica Ortner and Anastasia Gremm As a counselor at Gyldendal (since 1992) and Literary Editor in Chief for Text & Kontext (since 2004), she has shaped academic discourse on Germanic literature. Her international research stays at Humboldt-Universität and New York University underscore her transnational approach.

Ulrike SteierwaldView profile

Professor

• German Literature
• Cultural Studies
• History of Science
• +7 more

Prof. Dr. Ulrike Steierwald holds the Professorship for German Literature at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, affiliated with the Institute of History and Literary Cultures. Her research spans Literature Studies Cultural Studies History Linguistic Imagery Refugee and Trauma Studies Digital Humanities Recent activities include co-organizing the international conference Den Himmel zeichnen (2023) and delivering keynote speeches on library paradoxes (2018). Her publications focus on German contemporary literature Interdisciplinary methodologies Historical trauma representation Cultural memory She has received recognition for her 2016 Laudatio on Felicitas Hoppe's honorary doctorate. Steierwald actively organizes academic events like the Tagung 'fest–flüssig–plasmatisch–flüchtig' (2021) and contributes to editorial work as editor of the BibSpider series.

Alessandra SCHININÀView profile

Professor

• German Literature
• Austrian Literature
• Exile Literature
• +9 more

Alessandra Schininà is a Full Professor of German Literature at the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Catania, where she has been a central academic figure since 1996. She is based at the Ragusa campus and has held significant leadership roles, including President of the L12 Degree Course in Linguistic and Intercultural Mediation and Departmental Coordinator for Internationalization and Erasmus since 2011. She has been actively involved in national and international research projects, particularly PRIN initiatives, and maintains strong academic ties with Austria. Her research centers on modern and contemporary German-language literature, with a focus on Austrian literature and Exilliteratur. She has published extensively on authors such as Jura Soyfer, Franz Grillparzer, Elfriede Jelinek, Erich Fried, and Rose Ausländer. Her work explores themes of exile, identity, memory, migration, bureaucracy, and intercultural dialogue. She has also contributed to ecocritical perspectives in literature and the cultural significance of the Mediterranean in German-language writing. Her recent publications and conference presentations (2021–2025) show a consistent thematic trajectory: examining contemporary German literature in a Euromediterranean context, analyzing political and ethical dimensions in drama, and engaging with exile narratives and cultural memory. She frequently contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues, especially in the fields of memory studies, political literature, and transnational literary exchange. Bruno Kreisky Prize for the Political Book (2004) – for co-curating the volume Das Verbindende der Kulturen Schininà has supervised numerous degree theses and mentors young scholars. She has participated in and led major research grants, including FIR 2014 and PRIN 2008 and 2022. She is a key organizer of international academic events, such as the Hybläer Studientage der Germanistik and various conferences on Kafka, Soyfer, and Austrian literature. She is also co-editor of the Galatea book series and serves on the editorial boards of TRANS (A-list), LEA , and Elements . She is actively involved in international academic networks, including the Jura Soyfer Society (Vice President) and the INST in Vienna (Advisory Board). She has coordinated Erasmus exchange agreements with universities in Austria, Germany, and Slovakia, reinforcing her role as a bridge between Italian and German-speaking academic communities.

Elena Gómez SánchezView profile

Researcher

• Conservation Science
• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry
• +3 more

Dr. Elena Gómez Sánchez is a conservation scientist at the German Mining Museum in Bochum, Germany, where she leads the Research Division's Department of Materials and Conservation Sciences. She specializes in the analysis of organic materials in cultural and historical artifacts, with a focus on polymer materials, spectroscopic and chromatographic methods, and preventive conservation strategies. Current role: Deputy Head of Research Division, Department of Materials and Conservation Sciences (since 2015) Previous roles: Scientific Associate at Rathgen-Forschungslabor (2009-2015), Fellow at Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España (2008) Her research explores degradation processes of organic materials in museum objects, particularly modern and historical plastics, and investigates the reversibility of conservation measures. She has contributed to projects analyzing artworks by Dieter Roth, Joseph Beuys, Bogomir Ecker, and Gaetano Pesce, as well as pioneering work on magnetic tape preservation. Recent publications highlight her expertise in spectroscopic analysis of plastics, VOC monitoring for decay assessment, and integrated solutions for preserving endangered magnetic tapes and cylinders. Her work bridges chemistry, heritage science, and digital preservation methodologies. Scientific awards: Heinrich Winkelmann fellowship, Institute of Cultural Heritage fellowship Professional memberships: International Institute for Conservation (GE-IIC), European Society of Tar Makers, ICOM, Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker

Christoph GrubeView profile

Researcher

• Comparative Literature
• German Literature
• Literary Canonization
• +5 more

PD Dr. Christoph Grube is a Researcher and academic staff member at the Professorship for Modern German and Comparative Literature within the Faculty of Philosophy at Chemnitz University of Technology . He specializes in literary canonization processes, reception studies, and intertextual structures, with a focus on German and comparative literature. Current affiliation: Professorship for Modern German and Comparative Literature, TU Chemnitz Research Interests revolve around: Literary canon formation and deconstruction Intercultural reception and mediation Chronotopos and spatial narratology Modernist and classical literary interplay Digital humanities and annotated editions Symbolism and poetic typologies Selected Publications include a monograph on the Happy Ending (2025), contributions to Kulturelle Mittlerschaft (2016), and analyses of book trailers as commercialized art forms. His recent Stefan Heym's Ahasver digital edition (2025) exemplifies his work in historical-critical editing. Academic Career highlights: Habilitation (2019) on Das Happy End with teaching authorization in Modern German Literature PhD (2013, Summa cum laude ) on canonization mechanisms DFG project collaboration (2010–2013) and research associate roles in Augsburg and Erlangen-Nürnberg