Speaker and Steering Committee

The ViDSS is governed by a speaker and a steering committee comprising representatives of all research fields present at the Faculty of Social Sciences as well as two student representatives.

The Steering Committee members serve as contact persons between the Doctoral School, the Faculty’s departments and the Student Representatives in Social Sciences. The Steering Committee meets twice per semester and takes decisions on the profile and organisational development of the Doctoral School. The members discuss activities for doctoral candidates and supervisors, make spending decisions, select visiting scholars and advise the Speaker on the teaching programme and the milestones of the doctoral programme.

As Director of Studies of the doctoral programme in Social Sciences, the speaker of the ViDSS is appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences every two years. The Speaker nominates three persons as deputy speakers of the ViDSS and deputy directors of studies.

The Speaker and the Deputy Speakers of the ViDSS represent their departments in the SC. The Speaker appoints the other SC members on the basis of the suggestions submitted by the Faculty’s departments and the Student Representatives in the Social Sciences. One member of the committee from the group of supervisors is nominated as ombudsperson, one as coordinator of mobility programmes and one as advisor on research ethics. The members of the Steering Committee are supported by the Coordinator of the ViDSS.

October 2022–September 2024

Sophie Lecheler

Director of Studies (responsible for the following research fields: communication)

Speaker of the ViDSS

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Communication)

Emma Dowling

Deputy Director of Studies (responsible for the following research fields: sociology, demography, nursing science and science and technology studies)

Deputy Speaker of the ViDSS

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Sociology)

Thomas Meyer

Deputy Director of Studies (responsible for the following research fields: political science)

Deputy Speaker of the ViDSS

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Political Science)

Cornelia Staritz

Deputy Director of Studies (responsible for the following research fields: development studies and social and cultural anthropology)

Deputy Speaker of the ViDSS

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Development Studies)

Eva Beaujouan

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Demography)

Ayse Caglar

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Social and Cultural Anthropology)

Coordinator of Mobility Programmes

Sarah Davies

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Science and Technology Studies)

Katharina Heimerl

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Nursing Science)

Fabio Wolkenstein

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Political Science)

Ombudsperson

Tatjana Boczy

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Student Representative)

Lucia Mair

Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Student Representative)

Tatjana Thelen

Substitute Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Representative for Social and Cultural Anthropology)

Catherine Raya Polishchuk

Substitute Member of the ViDSS Steering Committee (Student Representative)