Prof. Thomas Arslan is a filmmaker and screenwriter serving as a Professor for Narrative Film at the Institute for Time-Based Media of the Berlin University of the Arts since 2007. His work bridges narrative cinema and documentary practices, often exploring themes of migration, urban life, and cultural identity. Research Interests include: Narrative Film German-Turkish Cultural Contexts Social Realism in Cinema Documentary Storytelling Independent Film Production Historical Memory in Visual Media Filmography Trends : Spanning 1993–2013, his works focus on marginalized communities, historical displacement, and personal/family dynamics within urban settings. Selected subfields include German-Turkish Cinema , Social Observation , and Migration Narratives . Affiliation : Institute for Time-Based Media at UdK Berlin.
Robert Schumann University of Music DüsseldorfGermany
Enrique Sánchez Lansch is a Professor of Media Dramaturgy at the Institute for Music and Media at Robert Schumann University of Düsseldorf, appointed in 2018. Born in Gijón, northern Spain, and raised in Cologne, he has established himself as a prominent documentary filmmaker with a strong focus on music-related subjects. His educational background includes studies in music with a focus on singing, Romance languages, philosophy, and German studies. He completed his master's thesis on adaptation of literature into music films. After gaining professional experience in fictional series production, he pursued further studies in film and screenwriting at Columbia University and UCLA. Sánchez Lansch's research and creative interests center on the intersection of music and visual media. His work explores how musical experiences can be effectively translated to film, examining the relationship between sound and image. He has particular expertise in documenting musical institutions, historical contexts of music, and the educational aspects of musical performance. His approach combines rigorous historical research with innovative visual storytelling techniques that respect the integrity of musical performance while creating compelling cinematic narratives. His filmography reveals a consistent focus on music documentaries that bridge cultural and historical contexts. Early works focused on major musical institutions and figures, while more recent projects have expanded to examine the relationship between music and broader social, political, and cultural phenomena. His films consistently demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of both musical content and cinematic storytelling. His notable awards include: German Film Award German Documentary Film Award Bavarian Film Award German Critics' Award German Kinogilde Award Franz Hofer Prize Best Documentary Film at Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Best Documentary Film at SEMINCI Festival de Valladolid Diapason d'Or Emmy nomination for "A Celebration for Gershwin" Sánchez Lansch has served as a mentor to young filmmakers, notably curating and presenting music short films by young talents for the Beethovenfest Bonn from 2006 to 2013. His professional activities extend beyond filmmaking to include teaching at institutions such as the dffb (German Film and Television Academy Berlin) and his current professorship at Robert Schumann University. He is an active member of both the German Film Academy and the European Film Academy, contributing to the broader film community through these organizations. As Professor of Media Dramaturgy, Sánchez Lansch contributes to the academic framework of the Institute for Music and Media, bringing his extensive professional experience to bear on the education of future media creators. His work bridges the gap between academic study and professional practice in the field of music-related visual media.
Hartmut Rosa holds the Professorship of General and Theoretical Sociology at Friedrich Schiller University Jena since 2005. He serves as Director of the Max Weber College in Erfurt and leads multiple DFG-funded research groups including the Collaborative Research Center TRR 294 'Structural Change in Property'. A leading theorist in social acceleration and resonance theory , he combines temporal analysis with democratic theory and critical sociology. Born: August 1965 Current: Director of Max Weber College Key Positions: New School for Social Research affiliation His research spans : Social acceleration across technological, cultural, and experiential dimensions Resonance as alternative to alienation Democratic theory under time pressure Modernity diagnostics Critical theory foundations Recent article themes include: Digital self-tracking motivations (2021) - intersection of big data and temporal ethics Corona crisis as temporal disruption (2020) - rethinking economic priorities Acceleration's impact on democracy (2005-2023) - temporal overload analysis World relations theory (2011-2022) - new materialist approaches Major scientific awards : 2023 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (Germany's highest research honor) 2018 Erich Fromm Prize for Social Psychology 2018 Paul Watzlawick Ring of Honor 2016 Tractatus Prize for Philosophical Essays He leads multiple research projects : SFB TRR 294 Subproject C06 'Making Things Available' DFG Priority Programme on Aesthetic Eigenzeiten Research Group 'Land Grabbing, Acceleration, Activation' VW Foundation project on 'Aporias of Perfection' in acceleration
Irene Albers is a full Professor at Free University of Berlin's Department of Philosophy and Humanities, holding dual appointments at the Peter Szondi Institute for General and Comparative Literature and Institute for Romance Philology since 2004. She chairs both the Examination Board and Doctoral Committee for General and Comparative Literature, serves as Trustee of Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes since 2004/05, and has been Principal Investigator for the Friedrich-Schlegel Graduate School for Literary Studies and Cluster Languages of Emotion since 2007. Her research bridges comparative literature, anthropology, and visual culture with institutional leadership spanning editorial projects and international conferences. Her educational background includes: Born in Bremen (1967) Romance Studies, Philosophy, and German Studies at Universities of Tübingen, Tours, and Konstanz M.A. from University of Konstanz (1993) Ph.D. from University of Konstanz (1999) on literature and photography in Émile Zola, Proust, and Claude Simon Albers' core research examines literary anthropology through colonial/postcolonial lenses, focusing on French literary engagement with Africa, surrealism, and literature-photography intersections. She pioneered studies on Michel Leiris' ethnological poetics and Claude Simon's photographic techniques, extending to historical emotion research (anatomy of affects, body language) and romance novella traditions. Her work consistently challenges Eurocentric literary canons through primitivism critique and heteronomy aesthetics, emphasizing textual restitution and cultural reclamation. Recent publications (2018-2025) reveal a sharp turn toward colonial restitution ethics, particularly in oral literature provenance. Articles increasingly analyze literature as colonial loot, connecting French modernism with African/Caribbean contexts through collaborative projects with anthropologists like Eléonore Devevey. This trajectory builds from earlier surrealist studies to concrete frameworks for decolonizing literary scholarship, spotlighting institutional complicity in cultural appropriation while advancing symmetrized modernity revisions. Scientific awards include: Senior Fellow and Prize Winner of the Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz (2009) Albers supervises master's and doctoral students through dedicated AVL colloquia while securing major research funding as Principal Investigator for Friedrich-Schlegel Graduate School (2007-present) and Cluster Languages of Emotion (2007-2012). Her current DFG-funded project 'Literature as Colonial Loot?' with Andreas Schmid pioneers philological provenance research. Earlier, she contributed to Collaborative Research Center 511 'Literature and Anthropology' (Konstanz, 1999-2002) and DFG-funded conferences on Claude Simon. She leads the DramaNet research project and co-edits the 'machina' series at transcript Verlag since 2010. As board member (2007-2009) and deputy (2008-2012) of Cluster Languages of Emotion, she coordinates Area D 'Cultural Codings of Emotions'. Her Zukunftskolleg fellowship (2012-2013) and Marcel Proust Society collaborations underscore sustained engagement with literary anthropology networks.
Berit Greinke is an Assistant Professor of Wearable Computing at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK) and the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) since 2018, previously serving as a researcher at UdK's Design Research Lab and DFKI (2016-2018). Her academic foundation includes a PhD from Queen Mary University of London (2017), an MA from Central St Martins (2009), and a Diploma from Weissensee Academy of Art Berlin (2007). Her educational trajectory: PhD in Media and Arts Technology, Queen Mary University of London (2017) MA in Design for Textile Futures, Central St Martins College of Art and Design (2009) Diploma in Textile and Surface Design, Berlin Weissensee School of Art (2007) Greinke's research pioneers the convergence of craft, textile design, and digital technology, with core expertise in electronic textiles and smart materials. She investigates metamaterial-based 'metatextiles' for electromagnetic applications and explores transdisciplinary collaboration between designers and scientists, particularly regarding 'negative data' in creative and scientific workflows. Her current UdK work focuses on four interconnected domains: performing materials for expressive textile/fashion design; multi-modal sensing converting visual processes into haptic/audible experiences; micro-to-macro material design spanning nanostructures to final products; and transdisciplinary processes for technology-art-science collaboration. Analysis of her 2020-2025 publications reveals dominant trends in sustainable textile electronics, with emphasis on knitted/folded sensor structures, origami-inspired capacitive shape estimation, and social sustainability in e-textile communities. Her work uniquely bridges fundamental material science (e.g., textile metamaterials) with artistic applications (e.g., interactive orchestra garments) and industrial production challenges. Berit Greinke supervises PhD students including Giorgia Petri. Her junior professorship is co-financed by SAP under a public-private partnership model, supporting projects like WEAR (Wearable technologists engage with artists for responsible innovation) and STELEC (Sustainable Textile Electronics), which emphasize ethical co-design and industry-academia collaboration. She leads research within UdK's Institute for Product and Process Design and collaborates with the Design Research Lab (formerly part of Connected Textiles group), focusing on sustainable industrial production of electronic clothing and transdisciplinary innovation frameworks.
Wolfgang Mayer is a Professor for Performative Practice at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart , teaching collaborative artistic processes. He co-founded the art group Discoteca Flaming Star (DFS) in 1998 with Cristina Gómez Barrio, focusing on performative works that challenge memory and institutional frameworks. 1990–1995: Studied at Academy of Fine Arts Munich 1996–1997: DAAD scholarship at School of Visual Arts NYC 2005–2006: Whitney ISP participant Mayer’s research integrates performative practice , body theory , and collaborative art . His works interrogate memory , feminist narratives , and public space dynamics through sculptures , performances , and experimental music . Recent projects like Momentum:synthesize.r (2024) and Love Any Out of (90 Seconds) End (2023) explore temporal structures and emotional labor . Scientific honors include: 2013 Fundacion Estrenos Grant 2006–2007 Pollock-Krasner Scholarship 1993 Salzburg Summer Academy scholarship He emphasizes non-formalized artistic development through Sound & Body modules, public space interventions , and critical response protocols . Mayer’s DFS collective has shown globally at institutions like The Kitchen , Whitney Museum , and Tate Modern , often collaborating with figures like Rita McBride and Jeremiah Day.
PD Dr. Jens Wolff is a German theologian and researcher at the Faculty of Theology, University of Rostock . His work bridges image theory , cultural hermeneutics , and negative theology , with a focus on Lutheran theology and its intersections with literature and art . Education : Studied at Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle/Wittenberg, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Academic Timeline : 1995–1998 Heidelberg Academy researcher, 1998–2002 assistant at Münster's Faculty, 2003 PhD, 2005 ordained pastor, 2009–2012 DFG project on Sigmund von Birken, 2012–2015 DFG project on Image Theory, 2015 habilitation. Wolff's research explores image and media theory through theological lenses, interrogating figurative knowledge , religious rhetoric , and intercultural hermeneutics . His work connects Baroque literature (e.g., Klopstock, Hamann) with contemporary philological and deconstructive methods , examining tensions between sacralization and secularization . His recent publications analyze the word of God as performative polysemy in Lutheran thought, death and utopia in Stefan Andres' work, and iconic anthropology in Reformation contexts. He co-edited the two-volume Bild und Tod (2016), a foundational text on image-death relations. Awards: Martin-Luther-Preis für den akademischen Nachwuchs (2005) for his dissertation on Metapher und Kreuz . Wolff's advising and collaborative work focus on interdisciplinary image studies , including DFG-funded projects and symposia like the Image and Sound conference (2014). He maintains links to institutions in Bratislava , Frankfurt , and Brazil .
Prof. Dr. Karin Polit is a full professor and head of the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Asia-Orient-Institut, Faculty of Humanities, University of Tübingen. She has been in this position since April 2018 and is actively involved in research, teaching, and academic supervision. Her work is deeply rooted in ethnographic fieldwork in South Asia, particularly India. Education: B.A. in Anthropology, James Cook University, Australia (1998) Magister Artium in Anthropology (2001) Promotion (Ph.D.), University of Heidelberg (2006), topic: 'Ethnographic Reflections on Practices of Gender and Agency among Dalit Women in the Central Himalayas' Habilitation and Venia Legendi in Anthropology, University of Heidelberg (2015) Her research focuses on ritual, performance, gender, caste, medical anthropology, youth culture, and cultural heritage . She explores how global and local inequalities shape education, art, and resistance, with special attention to mental health, reproductive loss, and media in New Delhi and the Himalayas. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates ethnography, film, and sensory studies. The recent publications reflect a strong trend in ritual dynamics, embodiment, heritage politics, and youth agency in South Asia. Her work often examines how tradition and modernity intersect in religious festivals, political contexts, and personal identity. She frequently collaborates with scholars such as Prof. Gabriele Alex and Christiane Brosius. Scientific Awards and Recognitions: Venia Legendi Award, University of Heidelberg (2015) Margarete von Wrangell Fellow, South Asia Institute (2014–2018) Fellow, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Advanced Study, JNU, New Delhi (2012–2013) Baden-Württemberg Certificate for University Didactics (since 2012) Prof. Polit has supervised numerous Master’s and PhD students, including Pallabi Roy and Gaurav Lamichhane, and has led research projects funded by the DFG and international networks like AROGYAM. She has also contributed to academic service through editorial roles and guest professorships at institutions in Germany, India, and the Netherlands. Her audiovisual work, including ethnographic films, enhances public engagement with anthropological knowledge. She leads the department's research on South Asian societies and continues to expand collaborative networks across Europe and South Asia.
Paula Schneider serves as Teacher for Special Tasks at the University of Art and Design Offenbach am Main , heading their book and paper workshop since 2020. She studied Book Art at Burg Giebichenstein Halle (2013-2019) and previously taught at Bezalel Academy (2017-2020). Her work bridges bookbinding , literary experimentation , and archival research through installations, artist books, and public interventions. Education : 2019: Diploma in Book Art, Burg Giebichenstein University of Halle Teaching : 2020–present: Lecturer for special tasks at HfG Offenbach 2017–2020: Annual courses at Bezalel Academy for Arts and Design, Jerusalem Screen printing tutor during studies Her artistic research explores narrative structures , time perception , and memory systems through works like Inner Monologue (2018) and Mio Mnemotop (2021). Recent projects include Night Frost (2024) examining textual accumulation and Cloudburst Working on the Textberg (2024) using mining metaphors for textual analysis. She examines book formats (e.g., leporello, monotypes, screen printing) to interrogate knowledge preservation (Rabaraababaraba, 2015) and urban observation (Praise of the Gate, 2023). Notable exhibitions include Because We Are Young (2021) analyzing GDR industrial history and Between (2019) at Halle/Leipzig Airport, which required mobile audience engagement with audio pieces about airport soundscapes. Her works have been featured in Text3 and Spin n errei tours. Contact: schneider@hfg-offenbach.de | Workshop: +49 69.80059-245 | Office: +49 69.80059-106
University of Music, Drama and Media HanoverGermany
Aaron Cassidy is an American composer and conductor based in Berlin and Hannover. He serves as Professor of Composition and Director of Incontri – Institut für neue Musik at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover. His work emphasizes innovative graphical notations prioritizing physical sound production and non-geometrical rhythm theory. Cassidy’s compositions have been performed globally across 29 countries, with 12 commercial recordings on major labels like Kairos and NEOS. As a conductor, he specializes in contemporary and historical repertoire, leading over 100 world premieres with ensembles such as Ensemble Musikfabrik and ELISION. Notable engagements include the Munich Biennale and Melbourne Recital Centre. His recent research includes a 2025 reflection on non-geometrical rhythm and collaborative Erasmus+ residencies in Klagenfurt. Current projects include works for bassoon, violin-piano duet, and ANAM residency with ELISION in Melbourne (2025). Cassidy’s academic focus bridges compositional theory and performance practice. His research explores notation’s role in shaping musical interpretation, with particular attention to rhythm’s non-metric frameworks. Recent works like Reassessing Non-Geometrical Rhythm (2025) synthesize a decade of theoretical development. His teaching integrates experimental techniques and historical context, fostering innovation in Hannover’s new music institute.
Prof. Dr. Beate Flath serves as Vice President for Teaching, Studies and Quality Management at the University of Paderborn since April 2025, while simultaneously leading the C:POP. Transdisciplinary Research Center for Popular Music Cultures and Creative Economies as Managing Director since June 2023. Her academic appointment is as Professor (W2) for Event Management with a focus on pop music cultures and digital media cultures within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Music at the University of Paderborn. Her educational foundation includes: Diplomstudium (Master's equivalent) in Musicology at Karl-Franzens-University Graz (2000-2005) Doktoratsstudium (PhD) in Musicology at Karl-Franzens-University Graz (2005-2009), specializing in Systematic Musicology with Historical Musicology as secondary focus Dissertation: 'Sound und Image. Eine experimentelle Untersuchung zum Einfluss von Klangqualitäten auf die Wahrnehmung eines Produktimages im Kontext von Fernsehwerbung.' Flath's research program centers on transdisciplinary event research, examining the societal and cultural-political dimensions of event and cultural management. She investigates co-creation and participation processes in digital network media contexts and approaches music business research as music(business)culture research. Her methodology often incorporates innovative approaches like 'Sound Sculpting' to explore sensory experiences and cultural meaning. Her recent work increasingly addresses sustainability challenges in cultural contexts, reflecting her leadership in projects examining sustainable practices in cultural events and venues. Her scholarly output reveals a strong trajectory toward transdisciplinary frameworks that integrate cultural studies, musicology, and sustainability science. She examines the evolving relationship between pop culture, digital media, and event management, with particular attention to how cultural venues can adapt to ecological challenges. The recurring theme across her work is the exploration of how cultural practices intersect with economic structures in popular music contexts, often focusing on participation, accessibility, and sustainable development. Prof. Flath leads significant research initiatives including 'NachhaltigkeitsKulturOWL' (2024-2027), developing innovative sustainability strategies for the cultural event industry in East Westphalia-Lippe, and 'Datenraum Kultur' (2022-2025), focusing on networked cultural platforms. She previously directed the BMBF project 'kulturPreis' (2019-2022), which examined innovative pricing concepts to increase cultural participation. As Managing Director of C:POP, she oversees a transdisciplinary research center dedicated to studying popular music cultures and creative economies. Her leadership extends to university committees including the Commission for Teaching, Studies and Quality Management, and she serves on advisory boards for multiple research projects and academic journals in popular music studies, demonstrating her significant influence in both academic administration and cultural research.
Doris Kolesch is a Professor for Theatre Studies at the Institute for Theatre Studies (WE7), Freie Universität Berlin , since October 2002. She serves as geschäftsführende Direktorin of the Institute since 2019 and is a member of the Akademischer Senat (since 2015). Her academic journey includes habilitation in Theatre Studies and Romance Philology, postdoctoral work at Mainz Graduate College, and leadership roles in academic governance. Education: Magister Artium (1989) in General and Comparative Literature, Romance Studies, and Journalism from Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz and Parisian institutions (École Normale Supérieure, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Sorbonne III/VII), with thesis on Kafka and Pynchon Dr. phil. (1994) on Baudelaire, Adorno, and Barthes with summa cum laude Research Interests span immersive theatre, affective societies, voice aesthetics, gender performances, and intermediality. She leads the project Akustische Störungen (postcolonial/queer sonic interventions) and contributes to the Excellence Cluster 'Temporal Communities' . Her work intersects performance theory with cultural history and emotional dynamics. Scientific Contributions: Co-editor of Routledge Companion to Audiences and the Performing Arts (2022) Principal Investigator in SFB 1512 'Intervenierende Künste' Key roles in DFG-funded projects (e.g., Re-Collecting Theatre Histories , Stimmen als Paradigmen ) Awards and Recognitions include the Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz Prize (1998), Johannes Gutenberg Prize (1994), and appointments to the Junge Akademie (2001) and the Berliner Wissenschaftspreis jury (since 2021). Additional Roles include mentorship in the Berlin ProFiL program, advisory positions for DFG and Thyssen Foundation, and co-editorship of Forum Modernes Theater (since 2006).
Marina Pingler is an Assistant Professor at the American Studies Department of the University of Tübingen, focusing on climate imaginaries in American literature and culture. Her work intersects environmental criticism, speculative fiction, and Indigenous studies, particularly examining marginalized climate futures between 2016 and 2023. She holds a Master of Arts in English and History from the University of Tübingen and SUNY Stony Brook, following her 2020 state examination. Research Focus: Climate fiction (Cli-Fi), Indigenous futurisms, Anthropocene critique, speculative fiction, and 19th-century American literature. Projects: PhD thesis on "Re-Imagining Climate Futures: Alternative Imaginaries in American Literature and Culture"; former Grant Manager for EU COST Action COMPACT on conspiracy theories. Teaching: Seminars on climate imaginaries, indigenous futurisms, and literary analysis, including courses like "Staging the Nation in Early American Drama" and "Postmodern Fiction". Contact: Room 559, Department of English, University of Tübingen. Email: marina.pingler@uni-tuebingen.de
Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and DesignGermany
Saskia Albrecht is a Researcher in Art Education and Art Didactics at the Kunsthochschule Burg Giebichenstein since November 2024. She was born in Romania in 1995 and holds a degree in Art and Spanish for Teaching from both the Burg Giebichenstein Art Academy and the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (2014–2020). She completed her teaching internship at the Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium in Sangerhausen and has been teaching Art and Spanish at the Heinrich-Heine-Gymnasium in Bitterfeld-Wolfen since 2021. Her research interests focus on art education methodologies, design anthropology, and the intersection of cultural practices with pedagogical frameworks. She actively participates in interdisciplinary projects, including collaborations with the new theater Halle and exhibitions exploring future-oriented materials and design. Upcoming engagements include the 'FUTURES – Materials and Design of Tomorrow' exhibition (Nov 2024–Aug 2025) and the 'Jour Fixe' lecture series featuring Prof. Andrew Gilbert on design anthropology. She also contributes to academic governance as a member of the Academic Senate at Burg Giebichenstein. Her curatorial work spans diverse exhibitions, such as the annual BURG student showcases, the 'Sound Installation Dreamworld' during the Long Night of Science, and collaborative events like 'WEAR WE MEET' (jewelry design) and 'Take Off 2025' (fashion). Albrecht’s role includes organizing academic events, guiding student projects, and promoting public engagement through exhibitions. Her work bridges educational theory, artistic practice, and community outreach.
Professor Dr. Johannes Ismaiel-Wendt is a faculty member at the Institute for Music and Musicology , part of the University of Hildesheim ’s School of Cultural Studies & Aesthetic Communication. He earned a doctorate in cultural studies, sociology, and musicology from the University of Bremen (supervised by Prof. Dr. Sabine Bröck and Prof. Dr. Alexander Weheliye) with his dissertation tracks'n'treks. Popular Music and Postcolonial Analysis (2011). Ismaiel-Wendt is a certified educator, known for blending research with live drum machine performances and sound lectures. From 2012 to 2018, he served as Junior Professor for Systematic Musicology and Music Sociology before being appointed University Professor in 2018.
