Anne-Katrin Holfelder

Prof. Dr. Anne-Katrin Holfelder holds the Professorship for Educational Science with a focus on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg's Faculty of Human Sciences. Her appointment began in March 2024, following roles including consultant at the Heinrich Böll Foundation and postdoctoral research at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam.

Education: She earned her doctorate (summa cum laude) in Educational Sciences from the University of Hamburg, supported by a doctoral scholarship from the German Federal Environmental Foundation. Her interdisciplinary background includes studies in Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Educational Sciences (First State Examination), and Medicine (First State Examination). International engagements include teaching in Iceland (Fossvogsskóli Reykjavík) and Zambia (Masuku High School).

Research Focus: Her work centers on five interconnected priorities:

• Youth research and generational perspectives on sustainability
• Professionalization of educators in ESD contexts
• Futures literacy and temporal dimensions in education
• Scientific literacy for sustainability transitions
• Reconstructive social research methodologies

She examines how implicit knowledge shapes sustainability engagement and policy implementation.

Publication Trends: Her recent articles analyze tensions in sustainability education practice, youth climate activism, and epistemological foundations of ESD. Methodologically, she employs qualitative and reconstructive approaches to explore educator development, student orientations, and socio-ecological transformations across institutional contexts.