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Sustainable Products & Material Flows

Dr. Mercedes Küffner

Deputy Head of Division / Senior Researcher

Special Expertise

  • Key topic: Information and communication technologies (ICT) and digitalization
  • Excellent communication skills and intercultural competence acquired through my experience as a digital ambassador for GIZ in Ghana & project coordinator for the European University Alliance EPICUR.
  • Selection of trainings, courses & further education: Design thinking - solving complex tasks and requirements in a creative and structured way, consulting roles, dealing with diversity, inclusion in a prejudice-conscious manner (diversity, equity, inclusion), resilience, successful leadership

Key Projects

Professional Training and Career

  • Since July 2024 Deputy Head of the Products & Material Flows Division | Senior Researcher at the Öko-Institut e.V.in Freiburg. Responsible for personnel and organizational development
  • 2022 – 2023 PROJECT MANAGEMENT EPICUR (European Partnership for Innovative Campus Unifying Regions) Research - University of Freiburg, Department of Overall Planning Strategy and University Development - Science Communication and Strategy Division - funded by 'EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation program'.
    • Lead of work package WP1: Development of a joint research and innovation agenda. Support for scientists in the early stages of their career to carry out joint research projects within the Alliance - EPICradles (60%).
  • 2021 Developmental worker - 'digital ambassador' / consultant / changemaker for GIZ in Ghana. Area: ICT and digitalization
    • Teaching digital skills to disadvantaged groups, communities and civil society organizations and improving access to and use of relevant digital technologies.
  • 2020 – 2021 Teaching load for the seminar "Female vs. Male Brain? How Neuroscience approaches Sex/Gender", University of Freiburg, Gender Studies in MINT, Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering.
    • Evaluation: 1.8
  • 2018 MENTOR for the project 'Make Your School' - WISSENSCHAFT IM DIALOG gGmbH - Sponsor: Klaus Tschirra Foundation
    • Supervision of two- to three-day hackdays and STEM projects at schools - nationwide, consisting of hardware and software modules such as programming microcontrollers, soldering sensors, documentation and presentation of prototypes after three days.
  • 2017 – 2020 POSTDOC - University of Freiburg, Gender Studies in MINT, Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering.
    • Data restructuring and visualization of qualitative and quantitative data sets from fMRI and surveys with mixed-methods design in R
    • Seminar "Gender & Technology". Evaluation 2020: 1.9
  • 2014 – 2016 SAP application support - University of Freiburg, Central Procurement.
    • First-level support for the implementation of SAP in the university's enterprise resource planning system.
    • Browser and software tests with input into the Solution Manager for the implementation of change requests.
    • Konzeption eines Schulungssystems, E-Learning-Modulen und Handbuch.
    • Conception of a training system, e-learning modules and manual.
  • 2008 – 2013 Doctorate - Dr. rer. nat. - Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Center for Neurosciences, University of Freiburg.
  • 2002 – 2006 Degree in Biology - Biophysics and Molecular Biology at the Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg.
    • Diploma thesis at FiLab: Establishment of a method to genetically modify individual neurons expressing the genes irreCrst or kirre.
  • 2000 Research stay at United States Department of Agriculture / Hawaii Agricultural Research Center
    • Studies on virus resistance in sugarcane plants; manipulation at the cellular and molecular biological level.
  • 1998 – 2002 Study and Pre-diploma in Biology – University of Bayreuth

Language Skills

  • Mother tongue German
  • English C1
  • French B1
  • Spanish A2

Contact

Dr. Mercedes Küffner

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