New in the team

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.

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.

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.

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.