Head of Project
Thomas Saalfeld, Convenor of the Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences

Thomas studied Political Science, Modern History and Communication Studies at Munich University and the University of Hull. He received his doctorate from the University of Munich and held research and teaching positions at the Universities of the German Federal Armed Forces Munich, Hull, Dresden, Kent and Bamberg. His visiting professorships include Boğazici University Istanbul, Mannheim University and the Institute d’Études Politiques de Lille. Since 2009 he has been Professor of Political Science at Bamberg University, and since 2010 he has been founding Director of the Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences (BAGSS), which has a very strong emphasis on research methods. He has a particular interest in survival analysis and quantitative text analysis. In 2008, Thomas Saalfeld was elected Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS). Between 2015 and 2016 he served on the Council of the German Political Science Association (DVPW).

Academic Unit

Susanne Rässler, Professor of Statistics and Econometrics

Susanne studied Business Administration, Computer Sciences, and Statistics at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. 1995 she finished her Ph.D. in Statistic as well as her Habilitation (2001) in Statistics and Econometrics there. From April 2004 to August 2007 she was head of the Competence Centre for Empirical Methods of the Institute for Employment Research and head of the Department for Product and Program Analysis of the Federal Employment Agency in Germany. Since September 2007 she holds the Chair of Statistics and Econometrics at Bamberg University where she also is responsible of the methods group of the National Educational Panel Studies. Moreover, she has been and still is member of numerous advisory boards/councils such as the Census Committee or the German Data Forum.

Michael Gebel, Professor of Sociology

Michael graduated both in economics and social sciences and earned his doctoral degree in sociology at the University of Mannheim. He is co-ordinator of the international and interdisciplinary research projects EXCEPT and TEW-CCA. His specific research interests include transitions to adulthood, international comparative research, longitudinal data analysis and modern methods of causal analysis.

Administration Unit

Wolfgang Goldbach, Administrative Coordinator

Wolfgang studied political science at Bamberg University, Paris X / Nanterre. He also worked as a research assistant at the Scottish Parliament. He is at the moment at his post-graduation, working on regional and state nationalism in the United Kingdom.

Helena Qirici, Social Events Student Assistant

Helena is taking part in a double MA program in Political Science at the Universities of Macedonia (Thessaloniki, Greece) and Bamberg. She has work experience in promoting and strengthening civil society in the Western Balkan region, including two internships at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in Kosovo and at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Tirana, Albania.

Athanasia Pliakogianni, Student Assistant

Athanasia studied International and European Studies and Politics and Economics of Eastern and Southeastern Europe at the University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki. She is currently enrolled at the Double Master Program in Political Science at the University of Bamberg. She has worked as an intern for the Greek-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Thessaloniki as well as for various NGOs and Organisations.

Nevin Eroglu, Student Assistant

Nevin is a master's student and taking part in a double MA program in Political Science between the University of Macedonia (Thessaloniki, Greece) and Bamberg. She has worked as an intern for a trade union and supports clubs for intercultural exchange.