"Das Junge ZiF"
Spokespersons
Paulina Gennermann (University of Marburg, Department of Modern History)
Karolin Wetjen (University of Göttingen, Seminar for Medieval and Modern History)
Call for Applications
Next Call for Applications: Spring 2025 (PDF, in German)
"Das Junge ZiF"
Postdoc Network
"Das Junge ZiF" is ZiF's own postdoc network dating back to 2002. Outstanding early career researchers are given a platform to practise and advance interdisciplinary discourse. The fellows meet at ZiF three times a year to discuss a self-chosen subject and exchange ideas about their individual research interests. In addition, the Fellows can organise interdisciplinary workshops. The Fellowships have a duration of four years and are awarded after an open application procedure.
Benefits of the Fellowship
Interdisciplinary Exchange
The Fellows are obligated to take part in the meetings of the postdoc network. They are carried out three times a year at ZiF.
Costs of travel and accommodation are covered by ZiF.
Workshops
The Fellows get the opportunity to propose and carry out an interdisciplinary workshop at ZiF. ZiF will organise the event and will cover costs of accomodation and travel up to 15.000 euros.
Research Stay
Fellows who are not members of Bielefeld University get the chance to conduct a 4 weeks research stay at ZiF. The stay can be split into shorter stays, depending on our accomodation capacities. Costs of Travel and Accommodation are covered by ZiF.
Members
- Current Fellows
Benjamin Angerer
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Bielefeld University, Centre for Teaching and Learning (ZLL)
Areas of Research:
- Human Problem Solving
- Analogies and Metaphors
- Conceptual and Representational Change
- Qualitative Methods in Cognitive Science
- Philosophy of Science
Leonie Bossert
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer University of Vienna, Philosophy of Media and Technology
Areas of Research:
- Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
- Normativity of Sustainability, including Sustainable AI
- Environmental and Animal Ethics
- Mircobial Ethics
- Human-Technology-Relations
- Conservation Ethics
Torbjørn Cunis
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer University of Stuttgart, Institute for Flight Mechanics and Control
Areas of Research:
- Automation of Vehicles and Aircraft
- Optimization in Control Engineering
- Reliability and Convergence of Optimization Algorithms
- Analysis of Hybrid Systems
- Mathematical Systems Theory
Saskia Fischer
Leibniz University of Hanover, German Studies Department
Areas of Research:
- Literature, Ritual and Religion
- Camp and Holocaust Literature
- Jewish Literature
- Guilt, Forgiveness, and Moral Repair in Literature and Philosophy
- Performativity and Rhythm in Theater and Drama
Carolin Gebauer
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer University of Wuppertal, Department of English and American Studies
Areas of Research:
- English Literature and Culture, in particular the twenty-first Century Novel
- Representations of Migration and Mobility across Media
- Cultural Practices of Storytelling
- Postclassical Narratology (in particular Cognitive, Rhetorical, and Cultural Narratology) and Interdisciplinary Narrative Research
Paulina Gennermann
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer University of Marburg, Department of Modern History
Areas of Research:
- History of Science, especially History of Chemistry
- History of the Flavor and Fragrance Industry in the 20th Century
- Perception of Natural and Non-Natural Substances in a Historical Context
- History of the Chemical Industry
- History of Medicine
- History of Psychopharmacology in the 20th Century
- Science in Global and Colonial Perspectives
Philipp Golka
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Economic Sociology Research Area
Areas of Research:
- Financial Markets
- Wealth and Inequality
- Political Economy
- Economic Sociology
Maximilian Heimstädt
Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
Areas of Research:
- Organizational Theory, Science & Technology Studies (STS)
- Experts and Expertise
- Predictive Analytics
- Transparency and Accountability
- Open Science
- Science Communication
Michael Homberg
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam
Areas of Research:
- 19th to 21st Centuries Media and Cultural History
- History of the Digital Age
- History and Theory of Globalization
- History of Human Rights, Humanitarianism and Development
- Metropolitan Modernity
Janin Jäger
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Department of Mathematics
Areas of Research:
- Numerical Mathematics
- Approximation Theory
- Radial Basis Functions and Kernel Methods
- Approximation on Spheres and Manifolds
- Applications to Medical Data Science and Imaging
David Keller
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Sigmund Freud University Berlin | Center ÜBERLEBEN, Specialist Center for Traumatized Refugees and Survivors of Severe Violence
Areas of Research:
- Transcultural Mental Health
- History, Theory, and Ethics of Psychology and Psychotherapy
- Medical Humanities and Health Humanities
Michael Klenk
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management
Areas of Research:
- Moral Psychology
- Epistemology
- Moral Philosophy
- esp. Theory and Ethics of Manipulation
Alexander Koch
Université Paris Cité, Institut de Recherche en Informatique Fondamentale (IRIF)
Areas of Research:
- Cryptography and IT Security
- Cryptography for the Social Good
- Cryptography and the AI Control Problem
- Cryptography and Philosophy
- Philosophy of Effective Altruism
Nicole Ludwig
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Areas of Research:
- Machine Learning, esp. Time Series Prediction
- Uncertainty Quantification
- Decision Making under Uncertainty
- Sustainable Energy Systems
- Climate Change Impacts on Energy Systems
Benjamin Paaßen
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Areas of Research:
- Machine Learning, esp. Distance-Based Learning and Recursive Neural Networks
- Intelligent Tutoring Systems
- Stereotypes in Video Game Culture
Julio Paulos
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Areas of Research:
- Urban Studies
- Planning Theory
- Science and Technology Studies (STS)
- Material Semiotics
- Empirical Philosophy
Rima-Maria Rahal
Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Behavioral Law und Economics Group, Bonn
Areas of Research:
- Cognitive and Affective Processes Underlying Social and Moral Decision Making
Benjamin Schäfer
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics (IAI)
Areas of Research:
- Data Science
- Stochastic Analysis and Modeling
- Statistical Physics
- Network Dynamics
- Energy System Modeling
- Sustainability and Environmental Issues (esp. Air and Water Quality)
Melina Schleef
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Bielefeld University, Department of Business Administration and Economics
Areas of Research:
- Digital Transformation
- Artificial Intelligence
- Smart Products and Services
- Sustainability
- Cooperation Between Established Companies and Start-Ups
- Legal Framework Conditions in Innovation Management
Matthias Täufer
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France
Areas of Research:
- Mathematics, esp. Harmonic Analysis
- Operator Theory
- Spectral Theory
- Partial Differential Equations and Their Applications in Control Theory and Mathematical Quantum Mechanics
Karolin Wetjen
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer University of Göttingen, Seminar for Medieval and Modern History
Areas of Research:
- Modern and Contemporary History, esp. Climate History
- History of Knowledge
- Colonial History
- History of Religion
Jan Wohland
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science
Areas of Research:
- Renewable Energies & Energy System Transformation
- Impacts of Climate Variability and Climate Change (esp. the Electricity System)
- Redispatch & Weather; Uncertainties & Contradictions in Climatic Reanalyses of the 20th Century
Valerij Zisman
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law
Areas of Research:
- Philosophy of Law
- Normative Ethics
- Moral Psychology
Nadine Zwiener-Collins
Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Institute of Political Science
Areas of Research:
- Politics and Gender
- Quantitative Research Methods and Critical Data Literacy
- Social and Political Inequalities
- Political Participation and Attitudes
- Political Representation
Former Fellows
- 2019
- 2016
- Jan Christoph Bublitz (Law)
- Philipp Erbentraut (Politics)
- Christa Finkenwirth (Anthropology)
- Thomas Fischer (Economics)
- Hanjo Hamann (Law)
- Marie Louise Herzfeld-Schild (Music)
- Matthias Hoesch (Philosophy)
- Valérie Kobi (Art)
- Florian Muhle (Sociology)
- Simone M. Müller (History)
- Norbert Paulo (Philosophy)
- Joachim Wündisch (Philosophy)
- 2014
- Elmar Behrmann (Biology)
- Thiemo Breyer (Philosophy)
- Mareike Fischer (Mathematics)
- Roman Gibhardt (Literary Studies)
- Marcus Hartner (Literary Studies)
- Adrian Hermann (Religious Studies)
- Melanie Krüger (Psychology)
- Ingmar Lippert (Science and Technology Studies)
- Vanessa Lux (Psychology)
- Dana Mahr (Science and Technology Studies
- Anita von Poser (Ethnology)
- Daniel Ruprecht (Mathematics)
- Matthias Schaffrick (Literary Studies)
- Tanja Skambraks (History)
- Cordula Vesper (Psychology)
- 2011
- Beat Bächi (History)
- Peter Cserne (Law)
- Olga Galanova (Social Science)
- Heike Greschke (Sociology)
- Malte Griesse (Easteuropean History)
- Susanne Hakenbeck (Archaeology)
- Anja P. Jakobi (Political Science)
- Monika Krause (Sociology)
- Sigrid Kusch (Environmental Science)
- Lars Kuchinke (Experimental Psychology)
- Cornelis Menke (Philosophy of Science)
- Klaus Nathaus (History)
- Johannes Paha (Economics)
- Karola Pitsch (Linguistics)
- Jörn Reinhardt (Law)
- Kai Marcel Sicks (German Language and Literary Studies)
- 2009
- 2006
- Christian Fiebach (Psychology)
- Alexander C. T. Geppert (History)
- Christian Greiffenhagen (Sociology)
- Thilo Gross (Ecology)
- Michael Guggenheim (Sociology)
- Matthias Richter (Medical Sociology)
- Mark Schrödter (Social Pedagogy)
- Xiaobing Wang-Riese (Cultural Anthropology)
- Matthias Weigelt (Sports Science)
- Karin Weis (Psychology)
- 2005
- Daniela Bailer-Jones (Philosophy)
- Matthias Brand (Physiological Psychology)
- Thomas J. Bürvenich (Physics)
- Peter Giesl (Mathematics)
- Kay Hamacher (Physics)
- Silke Kipper (Animal Behaviour)
- Timo Kirschstein (Medical and Health Sciences)
- Nicole C. Krämer (Personality and Social Psychology)
- Frank Peter (Culture and Social Anthropology)
- Thomas Weitin (German Language and Literature Studies)
- 2004
- 2002
- Artemis Alexiadou (Language and Literature)
- Nihat Ay (Mathematics)
- François Balloux (Biology and Environmental Research)
- Johann Bizer (Law)
- Herbert Dawid (Economics)
- Brigitte Haar (Law)
- Elke Kaiser (History)
- Carmen Kaminsky (Sociology)
- Günther Knoblich (Psychology)
- Nikola Kompa (Philosophy)
- Stephan Lessenich (Sociology)
- Susanne Lütz (Political Science)
- Annette Rompel (Biology and Environmental Research)
- Petra Schwille (Chemistry)
- Christina von Hodenberg (History)
How to Become a Fellow
- We offer
- a 4-year membership in the renowned ZiF postdoc network
- 3 meetings a year to discuss jointly selected topics, disciplinary questions and to share academic experiences
- organisation of an interdisciplinary workshop (upon application), max. funding amount 15.000,- €
- research stay at ZiF for up to 4 weeks
- Application Requirements