Since 1998 tenured professor for Mediated Communication and Media Effects at the faculty for social- and behavioural science at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
Studies of Philosophy und Sociolgy at the University Marburg (1973) aswell as Sociolgy and Biology at the University Bielefeld (1975-1983). Diploma (1980) and Doctorate (1986); academic assistent at the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster (1987-1993) and Habilitation (1993).
Project director at Duisburger Rhein-Ruhr-Institute for social science and political counselling e.V. (RISP) (1994-1996). Awarded with the prize of the Schader-Foundation for social science in practical relevance (1995). Substitute professorship at the University Augsburg (1996), TU Ilmenau (1996-1998) and FSU Jena (1998).
Vocation for the C4-Professorship Applied Media Studies at the TU Ilmenau 1997 (rejected). Vocation for the tenured professorship for Mediated Communication and Media Effects at the FSU Jena (1998). Further vocation for the tenured professorship for Communication science at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (2004 rejected).
Project director in the DFG-research group Discrimination and Tolerance in Intergroup Relations (2002-2008), in the DSFpProject Menace on the medien agenda (2008-2010) and in the DFG-SPP 1409 Science and the Public (2009-2016).
Vocation in the commission for risk research und -perception of the federal institute of risk assessment (BfR) (2010-2013, 2014-2017, 2018-2021)and for the Council for Migration (RfM) (2012). Member of the assembly of the thuringian state media authority (TLM) (2004 -2007, 2015-2019);
Member in the academic societies ICA, PCST, DGS, DGPuK und ECREA.
Surveyor for the DFG, BMBF and EU, for international professional journals, scientific organisations and foundations.