Marita Jacob

Professor Marita Jacob is a faculty member in Sociology at the University of Cologne, affiliated with the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences. She serves as Vice-Dean for Academic Career and chairs the ethics committee at GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences in Mannheim. Additionally, she is a jury member for the Fritz Thyssen Prize for social science essays.

• PhD student, Max Planck Institute for Human Development (2000–2003)
• Senior Researcher, IAB Research Department 'Education, the Labour Market, Life Courses' (2003–2005)
• Assistant Professor for Methods of Empirical Social Research, University of Mannheim (2005–2011)
• Professor of Sociology, University of Cologne (since 2011)

Her research focuses on social stratification and inequality in the life course, particularly examining educational inequalities, labour market participation, and family dynamics. These interdisciplinary themes intersect sociology, economics, and social sciences.

Scientific Awards:

• Otto Hahn Medal of the Max Planck Society (2004) for outstanding achievements by young scientists

Current leadership roles include Vice-Dean Academic Career at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, chair of GESIS's ethics committee, and jury chair for the Fritz Thyssen Prize. Her career spans prestigious institutions like the Max Planck Institute, IAB, University of Mannheim, and University of Cologne.