Maren Schuster

Maren Schuster is a Lecturer and academic coordinator at the Department of Media and Communication Studies within the Faculty of Philosophy II at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU). Since 2013, she has led the Master's Program in Multimedia and Authorship, focusing on digital journalism and interdisciplinary research. Her work emphasizes applying digital methods to explore contemporary societal issues through media practices, with a particular interest in representation, diversity, and media transformation.

She holds degrees in German, Psychology, Comparative Arts (University of Leipzig), and Multimedia and Authorship (MLU). Her research spans digital journalism, media format development, and digital cultures. She has coordinated Erasmus+ student exchanges and promotes gender equality within her faculty.

Research Highlights:

• Interdisciplinary projects with anthropology, law, and medicine departments
• Focus on data-driven journalism, disinformation, and media ethics
• Initiated partnerships with academia, cultural institutions, and media outlets

Grants and Projects:

• Secured €260,000 for the Multimedia and Authorship program (2013–2017)
• Project collaborations with organizations like Umgeodat GmbH and the Federal Cultural Foundation
• Developed innovative media projects such as Urban Climate Halle and Diagnose: Unsichtbar

Awards:

• Recipient of the DJV Young Journalists Award (2016)
• 1st Place in VDMA Hackdays Ideas Competition (2017)

Teaching and Outreach:

She has taught at HTWK Leipzig, FAM, and Merseburg University of Applied Sciences. Her courses integrate practical media projects, such as the Digital Talks series and workshops on algorithmic governance. She also coordinates student exchanges through Erasmus+.