Christiane Scheffler

Prof. Dr. Christiane Scheffler is a faculty member at the University of Potsdam, affiliated with the Institute of Biochemistry and Biology and the Animal Ecology Group. Her research specializes in Human Biology, focusing on anthropometry, human growth, and the socio-ecological factors influencing physical development. She was appointed as a supernumerary (extraordinary) professor in 2025 and completed her habilitation in 2017, marking her as an established academic leader.

Her research interests include the classification of stunting, growth and development in children and adolescents, the impact of ecological and social factors on body measurements, applied ergonomics, menarchal age, and social influences on body height. She has extensively studied how social environments and migration affect human growth patterns, challenging conventional views on stunting and nutritional interventions.

Her recent publications (2023–2025) center on human growth analysis, stunting debates, anthropometric studies in migrants, and statistical methods for growth data. A recurring theme across her work is the interplay between social context, psychological factors, and biological development, particularly in children.

Prof. Scheffler is actively involved in academic service, including editorial roles and participation in international research networks such as the Aschauer Soiree. She collaborates with institutions like the University of Zurich, University Hospital Freiburg, and Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel. She is also a reviewer for journals such as Annals of Human Biology, Acta Paediatrica, and American Journal of Human Biology.

She has contributed to the development of new journals like Human Biology and Public Health and has been involved in educational initiatives such as the International Students Summer School on Human Growth. Her professional memberships include the European Association of Anthropology (EAA), where she served as Vice-President (2020–2022), and the Society for the Studies of Human Biology (SSHB).

She advises on anthropometry standards at the German Institute for Standardization and is a scientific member of the prevention portal kindergesundheit24.de. She has no listed formal advisees in the provided text, but her leadership in research groups and summer schools suggests significant mentorship activity. She is not described as part-time and remains an active, non-retired academic.