Professor Hannah Schmid-Petri

Professor Hannah Schmid-Petri is the holder of the Chair of Science Communication at the University of Passau. Furthermore, she is one of the principal investigators of the DFG Research Training Group 2720 "Digital Platform Ecosystems (DPE)". She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation and of the Bavarian Council of Experts in the Bioeconomy. Before her time in Passau, she was a senior assistant at the Institute of Communication and Media Studies at the University of Bern.

"In my research I occupy myself mainly with the public discussion of socially controversial issues such as climate change. What interests me most is which social groups gain influence in debates and influence on political decision-making processes, and how that influence can be explained. One particular focus in my research is on the way the conditions of public communication have been changed by digitalisation."

More on her research

Professor Schmid-Petri focuses on one of the central challenges of our time: the communication of and about scientific and political topics in a new, digitally networked (media) environment. In addition, she researches public debates on various political topics, such as climate change, and tests methods of automated data analysis in her research.

The focus of her research in an overview.

Research Stories

How can science communicate effectively in times of crises and a rise in disinformation? A talk with Hannah Schmid-Petri, Professor of Science Communication, and her colleague Professor Ralf Hohlfeld.

Why should people still read Kant today, who has a knack for juggling not only words, and how does the University of Passau position itself in cybersecurity terms: a 2023 video review.

The Research Training Group "Digital Platform Ecosystems" will be the University’s pivotal hub for leading-edge, international, and interdisciplinary research and advanced academic qualifications around a central phenomenon of the digital economy.

#PassauDPE keynote series: Professor Hannah Schmid-Petri introduces her guest, Professor Philip Leifeld of the University of Essex. He uses new methods of network analysis to visualise the effects of policy networks in public debates on regulation.

The Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence “Integrated Energy Systems” CINES is establishing a research group relating to science communication led by Professor Hannah Schmid-Petri.

In the distinguished keynote series 'Digital Platform Ecosystems (DPE)', internationally outstanding researchers have presented their latest findings.

In the pandemic, younger people are making sacrifices out of solidarity with the older generation. Why doesn't that work the other way round in the climate crisis? Student Janina Körber asked researchers at the University of Passau.

Blocking Trump's Twitter account will not solve the real problem: Hannah Schmid-Petri, Professor of Science Communication, assesses the role of digital media in the current US conflict for the Science Media Center.

Professor Hannah Schmid-Petri is new member of the board of directors of the Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation. In this interview, she talks about digitalisation in public discourse and what challenges it brings with it.