Sonja Fritzsche

Sonja Fritzsche serves as Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Administration and Professor of German Studies in the College of Arts and Letters at Michigan State University. Since January 1, 2024, she has overseen academic affairs, Integrative Studies in the Arts & Humanities, the Humanities Pre-Law and Interdisciplinary Humanities degree programs, and the Excel Network in the College. Her administrative leadership extends to supporting non-tenure stream faculty development and leading the College's efforts to improve conditions for academic specialists, which earned the 2024 Delphi Award from the USC Pullias Center of Higher Education.

Dr. Fritzsche earned her Ph.D. in Germanic Studies from the University of Minnesota, an M.A. in Modern European History from UCLA, and her B.A. from Indiana University. Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship that bridges German studies with critical theory and cultural analysis.

Her research spans German and Central/Eastern European literary history and film, with particular focus on utopian/dystopian studies and comparative science fiction of the Cold War era. A significant portion of her current work falls under critical health humanities, specifically examining comparative German/US autism and disability studies through projects like 'Ableist Fragility' and Chronic Stress in a Non-Autistic Parent Memoir from Germany. She has dedicated her career to expanding awareness of science fiction beyond Anglo-American contexts and supporting scholars working on non-English SF/Futurisms.

Dr. Fritzsche's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory toward institutional transformation and academic equity. While her early work focused on East German science fiction literature and film, her more recent scholarship centers on academic leadership models, particularly the Charting Pathways to Intellectual Leadership (CPIL) initiative she co-developed. This evolution demonstrates her commitment to addressing systemic issues in higher education while maintaining her expertise in German cultural studies.

• 2024 Delphi Award from USC Pullias Center for Higher Education
• Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program Fellow (2017-2018)
• Big Ten Academic Alliance Department Executive Officer Fellow (2016)
• Fulbright grant recipient
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) grant recipient

As co-PI on the $2.5 million Big Ten Academic Alliance Less Commonly Taught and Indigenous Languages Partnership grant funded by the Mellon Foundation (2019-2025), Dr. Fritzsche has championed language education equity, particularly focusing on Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwe instruction in Great Lakes communities. Her mentorship extends through leadership roles including President of the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages (2015), Vice President of the Science Fiction Research Association (2019-2021), and service on the Steering Committee of the Coalition of Women in German (2023-2025). She founded and co-edits the World Science Fiction Studies book series with Peter Lang Oxford.

Dr. Fritzsche co-created the Charting Pathways to Intellectual Leadership (CPIL) initiative and the Inclusive Pedagogy Fellows Toolkit, both designed to recognize and reward diverse academic work beyond traditional metrics. Her leadership in the Culture of Care initiative and the development of MSU's Arts & Humanities Health and Well-being major demonstrates her commitment to holistic academic environments that prioritize well-being alongside intellectual growth.