New in the team

Department of Psychology | Postdoctoral Fellow, Children’s Psychology Centre

Dr. Enrica Donolato is a postdoctoral fellow at the Children’s Psychology Centre – Department of Psychology, where her research focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders, including Specific Learning Disorders, ADHD, and Autism.

Dr. Donolato holds a PhD in Psychological Science from the University of Padova, Italy, as well as a postgraduate degree in Psychopathology and Learning Disabilities. Her doctoral thesis examined the relationship between academic anxiety (specifically test and math anxiety) and students’ ego-resiliency in supporting academic achievement among primary and middle school students. Her recent work has investigated contextual factors in math anxiety and math performance, as well as psychological well-being and reading motivation in children with dyslexia.

Dr. Donolato conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oslo for over five years, during which she developed strong expertise in conducting meta-analyses and systematic reviews on clinical and developmental topics. Her research has addressed the comorbidity of neurodevelopmental disorders, their co-occurrence with internalizing and externalizing problems, and the effectiveness of interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. She is also engaged in synthesis research examining how individual and contextual factors support children’s development in reading, language, and mathematical skills.

What I find particularly inspiring about SFU is the opportunity to bridge research and clinical practice to support children’s development and improve clinical practices. The integration of high-quality research with hands-on clinical work fosters a dynamic environment in which empirical evidence informs psychological assessment and intervention. I am especially motivated by the opportunity to mentor and train psychology students, helping them apply evidence-based knowledge in real-world clinical settings. SFU’s commitment to advancing high-quality standards in psychology and psychotherapy makes it an especially exciting and forward-thinking academic environment.

Psychologist at the Psychological Outpatient Clinic of the Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna

Mirna Hodzic holds a degree in clinical psychology and public mental health from the university’s international program. Before working in the outpatient clinic, she was active in peer leadership for over ten years and was involved in various NGOs.

What fascinates me most about SFU is the international atmosphere where people from all over the world come together. They participate in dynamic, cutting-edge programs that give them the skills and self-efficacy to pursue their goals. The university’s clear commitment to a faculty of recognized experts at the highest professional level is a particularly motivating aspect – because they set an example that successful and meaningful contributions are not only expected, but also achievable.

PSY | Research Assistant

Bernhard Plé studied educational science, psychology, history and sociology and completed his habilitation in sociology. Before his time at SFU, he obtained a teaching qualification for teaching philosophy, education and psychology at German-speaking grammar schools in South Tyrol. He has worked as a university professor in sociology (Trento, Bayreuth), in political science (Erlangen-Nuremberg) and as a university of applied sciences professor of social work. At FH JOANNEUM, he led the interdisciplinary R&D project “ÖKOTOPIA” to evaluate urban development projects from a sustainability perspective. Since 2012, he has also been a member of the scientific management team at Arge Bildungsmanagement Wien, where he is responsible for the social science components of the part-time Master’s courses in counseling and management sciences.

JUS | Student Assistant for Public Law and European Law

Luzhen Gong is studying law at the University of Vienna and is a student assistant to Prof Dr Konrad Lachmayer at the Institute for Public Law and European Law. He supports him in his lectures. His activities also include contributing to the development of internal legal data and researching current legal developments.
He has deepened his legal expertise by participating in renowned summer schools, including European Law at the London School of Economics (LSE) and International Law and International Humanitarian Law at the University of Geneva.
In addition to his legal work, he is passionate about basketball.

He particularly appreciates the personal and close academic environment at SFU, where everyone knows each other and the subject matter is taught intensively.

PSY | Research Assistant

Laura Bomm is a research associate at the SFU Vienna and part of the interdisciplinary research cluster Sustainability. In her role, she supports the administration and coordination of the research cluster and actively contributes to the development and realisation of research projects. Her tasks also include working on research proposals as well as researching and analysing empirical data, which makes an important contribution to the further development of sustainable solutions.

Laura Bomm holds a BSc in Forest and Nature Conservation and an MSc in Communication, Health, and Life Sciences from Wageningen University (Netherlands). She is currently in the final phase of her dissertation at the PLENTY Plastics Research Platform at the University of Vienna, in which she is intensively analysing the role of plastics in society. Her research focuses on the interactions between technical innovation and its impact on the environment and everyday life. Her expertise encompasses both theoretical and practical perspectives, particularly in the areas of environmental communication and sustainability.

What Laura Bomm particularly enjoys about SFU Vienna is the interdisciplinary collaboration and the opportunity to work on forward-looking research topics. The SFU offers a space in which scientific theory and practice-orientated research merge. She is particularly motivated by the open and creative working atmosphere, which enables her to develop new ideas and research approaches.

SFU | Assistant to the Rectorate

Sophie has been working as a Rector’s Assistant at SFU since January 2025. In this role, she supports the Rector and the University in organisational and administrative matters.
Her professional background is in political communication. She is currently training to become a psychotherapist and is studying Psychotherapy Basics at the University of Vienna. Her hobbies include anything to do with psychotherapy, reading and hiking.

What I particularly like about SFU is the motivated team and the varied projects that I can help to organise. The interdisciplinary orientation and the close connection between research and practice are also aspects that I particularly appreciate at SFU.

Helena Schaffer, MSc., is currently working as a leave replacement in human-animal research, focussing on topics such as zoophilia and pet influencers in social media. She also teaches at the Faculty of Psychology. At the same time, she works at the university’s psychological outpatient clinic as part of her postgraduate training as a clinical psychologist. She completed her Master’s degree in “Clinical Psychological Diagnostics & Intervention” at SFU Vienna in November 2024. During her master’s degree, she completed a compulsory internship at the Kepler University Clinic Neuromed Campus in Linz, where she worked in the fields of addiction disorders, child and adolescent psychology and neuropsychology. She also worked as a research assistant at the SFU’s Child Psychology Centre during her Master’s degree. She was already employed at BBRZ MED during her bachelor’s degree, where she screened patients during initial telephone consultations.

What particularly inspires me about SFU is the appreciation with which it treats everyone. Whether students, employees or patients – the interaction is always respectful and at eye level. I am delighted with the close collaboration and the strong team spirit that can be felt among colleagues at the university’s outpatient psychology department. I also appreciate the close networking between practice and research.

PSY | Research Assistant (Praedoc) at the Faculty of Psychology

Candasch Acar studied psychology at the University of Vienna, specialising in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Already at the beginning of his studies he gained valuable experience in clinical and university contexts as a psychological assistant and research assistant before he became Lab Manager in the Department of Cognitive Science at the Central European University. He is currently working as a predoctoral researcher in the HEALTH Lab at the Faculty of Psychology under DDr Gudrun Salamon. Fascinated by issues related to health and illness, he is now focussing on how to maintain and strengthen the general state of health on an individual and societal level. His interests extend beyond psychology to include disciplines such as biology and sociology.

What particularly impresses me about SFU is the successful combination of theory and practice, excellent teaching and application relevant to everyday life, Viennese charm and international flair. It also impresses with its pleasant working atmosphere and co-operative and friendly colleagues.

MED | Research Assistant/ Study Coordinator/ Study Nurse

Nicole^Kreibich studied human genetics at the University of Vienna and has been working as a research assistant/study nurse/study coordinator for more than 17 years.
She is currently conducting research in the team research group of Prof. Dr Zoufaly in the field of infectiology, tropical medicine and global health.

The SFU enables specialised work and at the same time offers close networking between science and research.

MED | Employee at the Medical Simulation Centre

Barbara Pirker studied medicine in Vienna and subsequently specialised in medical teaching. She has extensive experience in teaching and was actively involved in the development and supervision of examination formats for practical skills in the field of medical didactics. In addition to simulation training in medical teaching, she is particularly interested in narrative medicine and medical comics. She contributes to exhibitions and textbooks on these topics.

I particularly appreciate the innovative simulation training at SFU, which is given a special place in the curriculum. I find it impressive how the state-of-the-art equipment and the extensive range of exercises offer students the opportunity to optimally prepare themselves for the diverse demands of their profession.

PTW | Assistant to the Dean’s Office

Sascha Giebelhausen has been working as Assistant to the Dean of Psychotherapy Science at SFU since December 2024. In this role, he is responsible for personnel agendas, budget management and coordinating the locations where SFU’s programmes are run.

He holds a degree in International Business Administration with a specialisation in China (MSc) and Early Modern History (MA) from the University of Vienna. Through his work in leading positions in sales and in the management of a customer service team in the energy industry, he was able to gain extensive experience, which he now brings to his work at SFU.

At SFU, I particularly appreciate the openness and the free working environment, which leaves room for new ideas and independent work. The opportunity to realise new and practice-oriented solutions in an academic and international environment particularly motivates me. In my free time, I am passionate about travelling and have recently returned from a trip around the world to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. I also enjoy cooking and am always looking forward to making new culinary discoveries.

TW | Research Coordinator of the Psychotherapeutic Outpatient Clinic for Adults

Jana Bernroitner studied philosophy at the University of Vienna and psychotherapy science at the Sigmund Freud Private University in Vienna. For the past two years, she has been leading the research project “De-delusions in psychotherapy” as part of the team. She discovered her great passion for science during her studies and can now pursue it as a research coordinator at the psychotherapeutic outpatient clinic for adults at Sigmund Freud University in Vienna.

At SFU, I appreciate the combination of research, practice and teaching, as well as the international network, especially the outpatient clinics at different locations.

PSY | Clinical psychologist in training at the Child Psychology Centre

Elisa Renner successfully completed her Master’s degree in Psychology at SFU in September 2024 and now works at the Child Psychology Centre as a clinical psychologist in training. In addition, she has already gained experience in child protection and family law expert witness work through internships and part-time jobs.

What I like about the SFU is that there are numerous external lecturers on the programme who offer the opportunity to delve deeper into certain areas of psychology. The degree programme is characterised by its practical relevance, which I personally enjoyed very much. The work at the child psychology centre is very enjoyable, as there is a very competent and empathetic team behind it, which always focuses on the children and makes every effort to respond to their needs in the best possible way and promote their positive development. The internal exchange in particular, which is very important at the child psychology centre, is very instructive and aims to view and support each child holistically.

PTW | Employee for the Vice Dean’s Office Research and PURE Administrator

Laura Steinbauer completed a teaching degree in English and Romance Studies at the University of Vienna. She also worked for several years at the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), where she gained insights into the Austrian research and funding landscape, first as a receptionist and later in a specialised department. Since November 2024, she has been supporting the Vice Dean’s Office for Research at PTW and is involved in the implementation project for the PURE research management system.

What inspires me about SFU is that diversity is noticeable on several levels: be it through the networking of numerous scientific disciplines or through the multilingualism and transculturality that go hand in hand with the Europe-wide locations. This creates space for openness, mobility and personal development, both for students and staff.