Dr Christian Suhm appointed Secretary General of HIAS

The long-standing Scientific Director of the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald will focus on strengthening the transfer of science into society at the Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study.
He will take office on 1 January 2025.

Hamburg, 7 November 2024: The promotion of interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity as well as the reflection on science and scientific cultures – these two goals will be at the forefront for Dr Christian Suhm when he takes up his post as Secretary General of the Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study (HIAS) on 1 January. Sonja Gräber-Magocsi, PhD, will then hand over the office to him, which she took over from the previous Secretary General Dr Dorothea Rüland in the summer.

Christian Suhm is enthusiastic about his new role: “It is a great pleasure for me to take on the challenge of the General Secretariat and to dedicate myself to the further development of HIAS in times of rapid global change in science and society. With its member institutions and sponsors, its rich international networks and, above all, its outstanding researchers and artists, the Fellows, there is considerable potential for reflection and discussion: How can constructive interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work in and between the sciences and the arts succeed? How can we open up the dialogue between different international scientific cultures and make it profitable for everyone? How can we communicate our issues to society in such a way that they are received and have an impact?

The HIAS is intended to play an important role in both the national and international context by strengthening the fellows’ networks both among themselves and with Hamburg’s academic and cultural landscape, while at the same time giving the fellows the greatest possible freedom to carry out their research projects. This freedom creates new impulses for science and society – this is the basic idea and practice of the Institutes for Advanced Study and the Wissenschaftskollegs worldwide.

Katharina Fegebank, Second Mayor of Hamburg and Senator for Science, Research, Equality and Districts: ‘In the years since it was founded, HIAS has already become a beacon for Hamburg as a centre of science and research. I am delighted that Dr Suhm, a proven and experienced science manager, will continue this success story from 2025 onwards. I would also like to thank Ms Gräber-Magocsi, PhD, for her outstanding work and commitment over the past few months.’

Born in Wuppertal, Christian Suhm studied philosophy, psychology, classical philology and physics at the University of Münster. After completing his M.A. in philosophy and his pre-degree in physics, he received his Ph.D. in 2003 with a thesis on scientific realism. From 2003 to 2009 he was a research assistant at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Münster. In 2006, he founded the Centre for the Philosophy of Science in Münster, which he directed from 2006 to 2009. In the winter semester of 2008/09, he held a professorship in Theoretical Philosophy at the Justus Liebig University of Giessen. In October 2009, he took up the position of Scientific Director of the Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald.

Christian Suhm would like to bring this experience to Hamburg and promote the exchange between disciplines and cultures in a sustainable and fruitful way at HIAS, which places great emphasis on the diversity of its fellows – with guests from all over the world, from numerous research fields, knowledge cultures and career levels. Especially in times of increasing restrictions and demarcations, also in international academic cooperation, places where academic freedom can be practised are becoming more and more important. The maintenance and further development of stable national and international networks are essential for such centres.

Prof Dr-Ing Andreas Timm-Giel, President of the Hamburg University of Technology and Chairman of the HIAS Board: ‘We are delighted to be able to place the HIAS in the hands of an exceptionally experienced and well-connected science manager. Dr Suhm’s many years of experience in the successful management of the Wissenschaftskolleg Greifswald will give new impetus to our science location’.

About HIAS

The Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study e.V. (HIAS) is a publicly funded, non-profit organisation jointly supported by a total of nine Hamburg research institutions. As a research institute, HIAS offers artists and scientists of all disciplines and career levels (‘Fellows’) a space for research and exchange to carry out projects of their own choice. The fellowships are funded by public academic institutions and private foundations, with core funding provided by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

Press Contact

Tanja Kruse Brandão
tanja.kruse.brandao@hias-hamburg,de
040 – 428 38 – 6795