The project team

Sarah Herrmann M.A.

Project management

Sarah is a cultural scientist. Her love of data and surveys developed during her studies (EUKliD/ minor in sociology) and was reinforced by her work in the methods lab at the House of Competence. With parallel further training as a systemic consultant, she also works as a coach in various contexts.

In the project, she is responsible for public relations as well as for the entire organization.

Prof. Dr. Michael Mäs

Scientific management

michael maes ∂does-not-exist.kit edu

Michael is a professor of sociology and works in the field of computational social science, a young research field in which social science questions are answered using computer science methods. His research deals with complex systems such as social networks on the Internet, which he investigates using formal approaches and quantitative methods of social research.

The central research questions of his work relate to the causes of opinion polarization on the internet and the effects of personalization algorithms, fake news and social bots on public debates and democratic decision-making processes.

Dr. Alexa Maria Kunz

Scientific management

alexa kunz ∂does-not-exist.kit edu

Alexa is a sociologist with roots in general and adult education. Her research is often interdisciplinary and participatory. She deals with issues in the areas of interdisciplinary education, university organization, student lifeworlds and methods of qualitative social research.

She shares the scientific management of the project with Michael. In her research, she asks, among other things, which competencies students need, especially at a technically oriented university like KIT, in order to constructively shape digital democracy and is involved in the development of a competence framework for digital democracy.

Paula Schmied

Layout and content

paula schmied9 ∂does-not-exist.kit edu

Paula is currently studying for a Bachelor's degree in Pedagogy and is responsible for the graphics and homepage as a research assistant.

Daniel Geiser

Support for teaching

daniel geiser9 ∂does-not-exist.kit edu

Daniel is studying geography and philosophy to become a teacher and is also a research assistant. He supports the project in his role as a tutor and in the administration of the Ilias courses.