Dr. Gregor Wiedemann serves as a Senior Researcher in Computational Social Science at the Leibniz Institute for Media Research (Hans Bredow Institute) since September 2020, co-heading the Media Research Methods Lab (MRML) with Sascha Hölig. His work bridges computer science and social sciences through methodological innovation in empirical media research. Wiedemann holds a doctorate in computer science from Leipzig University (2016), where his dissertation focused on automating discourse analysis using text mining and machine learning. His educational background combines political science and computer science studies at Leipzig University and the University of Miami, followed by postdoctoral work in Language Technology at the University of Hamburg under Prof. Chris Biemann. His research centers on natural language processing and text mining applications for social and media analysis, with significant contributions in hate speech detection, argument mining, and cross-platform misinformation tracking. Recent work demonstrates a strategic shift toward building research infrastructures for sensitive data handling, including the Community Data Trust model for extremism research and the Social Media Observatory open-science platform. His methodology development specifically targets unsupervised information extraction from large document corpora to support investigative journalism and social science inquiry. Wiedemann's publication trends reveal deepening specialization in computational infrastructure development, with 7 of his 11 most recent works (2024-2025) focusing on data trust frameworks, cross-platform methodologies, and AI-driven analysis systems. His projects consistently intersect computational linguistics with pressing social issues including election integrity, climate discourse, and child safety in digital spaces. He has secured major funding through the German Research Foundation (DFG) for the FAME project on argument mining and evaluation, and leads collaborative initiatives including NOTORIOUS (mis- and disinformation tracking) and ComAI (communicative AI impact studies). His work with state media authorities on family influencing content demonstrates applied policy relevance. As co-director of the Media Research Methods Lab, Wiedemann oversees a dynamic team developing cutting-edge computational approaches for media analysis. The lab functions as an interdisciplinary hub connecting computer scientists with social researchers, with current projects spanning TikTok political campaigning analysis, right-wing extremism data infrastructure, and ethical AI applications in public discourse monitoring.
