THE MEDEM HEADQUARTERS SAYS “HELLO”
The origins of MEDem can be traced back over a decade. Under the guidance of Project-Leads Hajo G. Boomgaarden and Sylvia Kritzinger, the idea has been refined over time to become what MEDem is today: The European infrastructure for unlocking the true potential of data-driven democracy research. MEDem is poised to enable better, more comprehensive, and highly innovative comparative research on electoral democracies by bringing together and linking data sources on the functioning of democracies and building standards and instruments for data collection and analysis. The MEDem Headquarters-team has been hard at work since spring 2022 driving forward the infrastructure’s advancement.
The Team
Hajo G. Boomgaarden is not only a Professor of Methods in the Social Sciences within the Department of Communication, but also the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Vienna. Meanwhile, Sylvia Kritzinger, head of the Department of Government at the University of Vienna, is also a Professor of Methods in the Social Sciences, with a particular emphasis on electoral research.
The establishment of a research infrastructure demands scientific expertise and research experience, and this is where Jakob-Moritz Eberl and Johanna Willmann come in. Eberl, a senior scientist at the Department of Communication, is contributing his expertise in media and democracy to the development of MEDem, while Johanna Willmann, a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Government brings a wealth of knowledge on political psychology.
Emmanuel Meillan, who has been serving as the project coordinator for MEDem since May 2022, has significant experience in implementing national and European policies. He is in contact with MEDem’s stakeholders, ensuring that important deadlines are met and keeping an eye on the overall timeline for achieving a position on the ESFRI roadmap.
Andrea Stockinger, a Prae-Doc-Researcher with expertise in political communication, is currently responsible for organizing the MEDem Conference scheduled for March 2023. Finally, Nina Ameseder serves as a research assistant and provides support where needed. Her primary responsibilities include managing MEDem’s website and overseeing the infrastructure’s social media communications.
Should the MEDem research infrastructure be able to secure a position on the ESFRI roadmap, it will serve as the main operational hub of the infrastructure. The MEDem Headquarters has political and financial support from the Austrian government.