Studienforum Berlin e.V.









Studienforum Berlin
Faculty and Staff

Studienforum Berlin e.V. has assembled an experienced, open-minded, motivated and dedicated faculty and staff.

Ljubinka Petrovic-Ziemer, Bettina Pohle, Julia Lienke, Gisela Jacobsen, Hanns-D. Jacobsen, Detlef Giese, Margy Gerber
(from left)

The 2010 faculty includes:  

Margy Gerber, Prof. Dr. She studied Germanistik/German at the Universität München, the University of Southern California, Stanford University, Universität Freiburg und Universität Tübingen. She got her Ph.D. at Stanford University (1968) and taught at Wellesley College (1965-1967) and Smith College (1968-1972). From 1974 to 1997, when she retired, she was a Professor, since 1985 a full Professor, of German at Bowling Green State University. Her teaching fields include culture courses on Germany since 1945, East German literature and society, utopian thought and post-Wende German literature. Since 1998, she has been teaching as emeritus faculty member of BGU. She was primary organizer of the annual interdisciplinary New Hampshire Symposium on the German Democratic Republic (1977-1990)/New Hampshire Symposium (1991-2000) and a seven-time Director of Bowling Green's Academic Year Abroad in Salzburg program between 1976 and 1996.

Detlef Giese, Dr. Concert editor at the Berlin State Opera (since 2004). He studied musicology, philosophy and history at the Humboldt Universität Berlin. Doctoral degree in musicology from the Humboldt Universität Berlin (2004). Lecturer and research fellow at Humboldt University (1998-2004). His publications include "Espressivo versus (New) Objectivity. Studies in Aesthetics and History of Musical Interpretation" (2006), "Mahler - Symphonies and orchestral songs, conducted by Daniel Barenboim and Pierre Boulez" (Berlin State Opera 2007) and "Beethoven - Complete Piano Solos, played by Daniel Barenboim" (Berlin State Opera 2005). In addition, he published articles, numerous introductions to symphonic works and operas, texts in CD booklets and book reviews.

Hanns-D. Jacobsen, Prof. Dr. He studied economics at the universities of Köln and Hamburg and the Freie Universität Berlin. Doctoral degree from the Freie Universität Berlin (1975). Habilitation and venia legendi in Political Science at the Otto-Suhr-Institut of the Freie Universität Berlin (1984). Appointment as Professor of International Economics (1988). Managing Director of the Freie Universität Berlin's Research Project "The Eastward Enlargement of the Eurozone - Ezoneplus" (2001-2004). Visiting Fellowships at Harvard University (1978/79, 1991), the Johns Hopkins University (1984), Georgetown University (1984), The Wilson Center (1986), Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1992) and Visiting Professorships at Stanford University (1989/90) and Beijing University (1998). Summer school lecturer for the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (1992) and winter school lecturer for ISODARCO (1999, 2000, 2002). Lecturer at Stanford University Berlin Campus (1987-91) and the Teikyo University Berlin Campus (since 1993). 30 years of teaching experience in international political economy, European integration, East-West relations, economic and political transformation. Research focus on international economic and financial relations. More...

Bettina Pohle, Dr. She studied German literature at the Freie Universität Berlin and at the University of California, Berkeley. Ph.D. degree from the University of California at Berkeley (1994). Graduate Student Instructor, University of Georgia (1986-1987), and at the University of California, Berkeley (1987-1990). Supervisor/Instructor at the City College of San Francisco (1990 & 1993-1994). Editor/Translator at McGraw-Hill Publishing House (1990-1995). Teaching Consultant at the Teaching & Resource Center, University of California at Berkeley, (1990-1994). Assistant Professor at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (1995-1997) and the University of California at Santa Cruz (1996). Further activities include project management (EXPO 2000), summer school teaching for the University of New Mexico (2006) and the direction of the Berliner Zukunftssalon (since 1999). Her publications include "Authentic Material for German Language Instruction" (McGraw-Hill 1995) and "Kunstwerk Frau. Inszenierungen von Weiblichkeit in der Moderne" (Fischer Tb. 1998).

Ljubinka Petrovic-Ziemer, Dr. des. Print- and online editor of the Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management. She studied English and German Literature at the University of Osijek/Croatia and the University of Trier as well as Redbridge College/London. She taught at private schools in Fulda/Germany (1993-1995) as well as translator/instructor for peace studies (1996-1997) and as lecturer (2003-2005) at the Departments of Philosophy and German of the University at Sarajevo. 1998 she was co-founder of "Abraham", an association for inter-religious peace dialogue in Bosnia.

The staff director is:

Gisela Jacobsen, Dipl. paed. and Family Therapist, Lecturer in Educational Science, Freie Universität Berlin, and Managing Director of Studienforum Berlin. She studied educational science at the Freie Universität Berlin, graduation (1979). Almost twenty years of teaching experience on gender problems, drug abuse and minorities in Germany (since 1985) at the Freie Universität Berlin and several transition-focused institutions in the new German states. Research Fellow at "Berlin Forschung" (1981-1983), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Rockville/Maryland (1984), and the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto/California (1990).

The current student coordinator of the Nazareth College/CCIS semester program is Sara Thögersen, a graduate of Goshen College, Indiana/USA. She replaced Julia Lienke who was student coordinator from 2005 to 2008.

Recent lecturers contributing to Studienforum Berlin's programs:

Thorben Albrecht, German Trade Union (DGB), Berlin
Josef van Almsick
, Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
Peter Altmaier, State Secretary, Federal Ministry of the Interior
Bianca Barth, World Future Council, Hamburg
Jochen Bethkenhagen, State Representation of the State of Brandenburg in Berlin
Axel Berg, German Foreign Office, Berlin
Frank Bolz, CDU Headquarters, Environmental and Energy Department
Safter Cinar, Türkischer Bund Berlin
Klaus Deutsch, Deutsche Bank Research
Günther Dick, Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Berlin
Markus Engels, Deputy Director Department of International Relations, SPD Headquarters, Berlin
Irmgard Maria Fellner, Chief of Staff to the Coordinator of German-American Cooperation, Foreign Office, Berlin
Ralf Gebel, CDU Zentrale, Berlin
Hella Gerth, EU Official (ret.)
Ekkehard Griep, German United Nations Association, Berlin
Gerd Harms, State Secretary, The Government of Brandenburg
Horst Heuter, Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB), Department Energy and Environmental Policy, Berlin
Martin Homola, International Climate Protection Initiative, Berlin
Klaus Hüfner, Chairman, UNESCO Germany
Martin Jänicke, Founding Director, Environmental Policy Research Center, Freie Universität Berlin
Barbara John
, former Commissioner for Foreigners of the Berlin Senate 
Dieter Kaschke, Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
Christine Kolmar, Anchor Woman, n-tv, Berlin
David Kramer, Alice Solomon Applied University, Berlin
Reinhard Kudiß, Association of German Industry (BDI), Berlin
Katrin Lompscher, Senator, Environmental Administration, Berlin
Wolfgang Lutterbach, DGB Bundesvorstand
Lutz Metz, Environmental Policy Research Center, Freie Universität Berlin
Werner Niederle, Federal Environmental Agency, Dessau
Reiner Perau, DIHK, Berlin
Günter Pining, Commissioner for Foreigners of the Berlin Senate
Hermann Ott, Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie
Cem Özdemir, Member of the European Parliament
Irene Runge, Head, Jewish Culture Association, Berlin
Franzjosef Schafhausen, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation & Nuclear Safety, Berlin
Konrad M. Scharinger, Foreign Office, Berlin
Carmen Schmitting, SPD Headquarters, Environment, Energy and Cosumer Department
Martin Schölkopf, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Berlin
Helmut Scholz, Head, International Department, Linkspartei
Miranda Schreurs, Director, Environmental Policy Research Center, Freie Universität Berlin
Gesine Schwan, President, Europa Universität "Viadrina", Frankfurt/Oder
Werner Sonne, Chief Reporter, ARD-TV, Berlin
Aigars Stokenbergs, Minister for Regional Development, Latvia
Michael Tolksdorf, Applied University for Economics, Berlin
Karsten Voigt, Coordinator of German-American Cooperation, German Foreign Office, Berlin
Johannes von Thadden,
General Manager of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Berlin
Arkadij Vocish, Rector, Baltic International Academy, Latvia
Wolf Wagner, Applied University, Erfurt
Fabian Wehnert, Association of German Industry (BDI), Berlin
Claudia Wörmann, Association of German Industry (BDI), Berlin

Krzysztof Wojciechowsky, Director, Collegium Polonicum, Slubice/Poland
Johannes Zachhuber, Humboldt University, Theology Faculty


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