I am holding a diploma degree (Dipl. Päd.) in educational science, a PhD (Dr. phil.) and the venia legendi "Educational Science" (habil.) and work as a professor for ecosocial work and care at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and as a certified diversity trainer. Previously, I was a professor for migration and inclusion research at the University of Klagenfurt and a professor ad interim for social pedagogy at the University of Trier, a research associate at the Institute of Education at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and a scholarship holder and doctoral candidate at the Research Center of Social and Cultural Studies Mainz (SOCUM).
I am one of the editors of the book series "Einführung in die Soziale Arbeit" (Introduction to Social Work) published by Schneider Verlag Hohengehren and member of the editorial team of the journal "Sozialmagazin. Die Zeitschrift für Soziale Arbeit" published by Beltz Juventa. Until 2018, I was a co-editor of the international journal "Transnational Social Work - A Social Work Journal" published by Routledge.
Furthermore I am reviewer for scientific journals and publishing houses (such as Forum Qualitative Social Research FQS, Zeitschrift für Migrationsforschung, Press INALCO, Papers of Social Pedagogy, The Annual Review of Social Work and Social Pedagogy in Austria, Zeitschrift für Diversitäts-forschung und -management, VS Books, Springer Social Work, transcript publisher, Bozen-Bolzano University Press, Routledge Books, Bloomsbury Books, Palgrave Macmillan), member of international advisory boards ("Springer Series in Social Work and Social Change" and "Springer Briefs in Social Work and Social Change"), member of the Scientific Committee of the UNESCO Chair "Global Citizenship Education - Culture of Diversity and Peace". Together with Anett Schmitz I am coordinating the working group "Forced Migration, Agency and Vulnerability" in the German Network for Forced Migration Studies.
In university administration I am active as a member of appeals and curriculum committees and have gained experiences as a deputy equal opportunity representative, mid-level representative, member of the steering commitee for the Diversity Audit, member of curriculum committees and as an examiner in doctoral and habilitation procedures. At the University of Klagenfurt I am a member of the doctoral program "Education and Transformation".
My research and teaching focuses on ecosocial and green social work, climate crisis and disaster research, inclusion, solidarity & diversity in postmigration society and inter- and transnational social work. In my current research, I am concerned with social work as disaster relief and with solidary engagement and inclusion 'from below' in urban space (solidarity cities).
I am a Young Science Ambassador at the Agency for Education and Internationalization (OeAD) in Austria. The program supports cooperation between science and schools and enables pupils to interact with scientists. I like to publish research results in scientific journals as well as in public media. In summer 2021, I was invited to speak at the World Refugee Day in Klagenfurt (link to a radio report by Radio Agora). In 2020, I collaborated with Minor, Projektkontor für Bildung und Forschung gemeinnützige GmbH in Berlin, to actively support the participatory research project "Women's Science - Situations, Needs and Visions of Refugee Women", which was funded by the Robert Bosch Foundation.
Since May 2015, I have been active as a diversity & inclusion trainer and like to commit to an exchange between science, practice and civil society. Currently, I am cooperating with the association Kärnten andas, the Persian music group Solband, multi media artist and cultural worker Barbara Ambrusch-Rapp, and the rapper Mighty M. aka Himmeldach around the topic of solidarity.
Practical experiences in working with girls and women, in migration work, as a trainer in adult education and schools, as well as national and international volunteer activities with UNICEF, in a Community Group on Integration in Saarburg, and with Caritas in Trier.