nexus combines practice and research
nexus designs and moderates participative processes: from complex citizen participation projects to multi-stakeholder formats. We design decision-making processes, focusing on transparent communication, active cooperation and sustainable consensus. nexus investigates how active citizenship and the participation of different actors can change social development. Therefore we realize application-oriented and practical research projects. nexus advises actors from politics and administration, develops concepts and strategies and evaluates processes and programmes. We optimise civil society infrastructures and services through individual solutions. Comprehensive needs analyses are the base for this. nexus works inter- and transdisciplinarily, locally, nationally and internationally on the topics of democracy and participation, sustainability, regional development, digitalization and health.
The nexus Institute is based in the Green Garage on the EUREF campus in Berlin-Schöneberg – a place where companies, start-ups and research institutions work together to find solutions for a sustainable future. Nestled between an urban industrial backdrop and green open spaces, nexus offers flexible spaces for participatory processes and diverse discourse. For special events, the garden hall of the historic Villa Morgenroth (built in 1911) at the Botanical Garden is also available.
Our Team
Management
Jacob Birkenhäger
Director, Head of Unit Civil Society
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 05
mobile: +49 (0)1577 2165066
jacob.birkenhaeger@nexusinstitut.de
Prof. Dr. Christiane Dienel
Director
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664-12
christiane.dienel@nexusinstitut.de
Prof. Dr. Hans-Liudger Dienel
Director
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
dienel@nexusinstitut.de
Tzvetina Arsova Netzelmann
Head of Unit Health and Society
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 02
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585372
arsova-netzelmann@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Daniel Guagnin
Head of Unit Nets and Society
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 17
mobile: +49 (0)176 41741536
guagnin@nexusinstitut.de
Sabine Schröder
Head of Unit Infrastructure and Society
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 30
schroeder@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Birgit Böhm
Head of Academy for Participative Methods
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 08
mobile: +49 (0)160 7634979
boehm@nexusinstitut.de
Research Associates
Claudio Altenhain
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 01
mobile: +49 (0)30 31805463
altenhain@nexusinstitut.de
Nicolas Bach
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 03
bach@nexusinstitut.de
Tobias Biehle
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
biehle@nexusinstitut.de
Eike Biermann
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 04
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585373
biermann@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Thomas Blanchet
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 06
mobile: +49 (0)176 40155253
blanchet@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Christine von Blanckenburg
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 34
mobile: +49 (0)30 31805467
blanckenburg@nexusinstitut.de
Wiebke Blum
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 07
mobile: +49 (0)176 41637852
blum@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Claudia Bosch
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 09
mobile: +49 (0)176 40137967
bosch@nexusinstitut.de
Matthias Bottel
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 10
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585367
bottel@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Carina Brumme
Research Associate
Tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 11
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585365
brumme@nexusinstitut.de
Ansgar Düben
Research Associate
Tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 13
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585366
dueben@nexusinstitut.de
Gesa Feldhusen
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 15
mobile: +49 (0)176 41637761
feldhusen@nexusinstitut.de
Katharina Fender
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 15
fender@nexusinstitut.de
Lena Frey
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 16
frey@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Arnd Hofmeister
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 19
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585360
hofmeister@nexusinstitut.de
Maria Jacob
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 20
jacob@nexusinstitut.de
Justine Kenzler
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 22
mobile: +49 (0)176 42987959
kenzler@nexusinstitut.de
Dr. Filipe Mello Rose
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 24
mello.rose@nexusinstitut.de
Ina Metzner
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 25
mobile: +49 (0)176 41637793
metzner@nexusinstitut.de
Philipp Offermann
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 26
mobile: +49 (0)176 41637817
offermann@nexusinstitut.de
Erik Ooms
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 27
mobile:+49 (0)155 60525362
ooms@nexusinstitut.de
Max Raucamp
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 28
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585364
raucamp@nexusinstitut.de
Volkan Sayman
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 29
mobile:+49 (0)155 60585363
sayman@nexusinstitut.de
Felix Schürhoff
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 31
mobile: +49 (0)155 60585368
schuerhoff@nexusinstitut.de
Carlo Thomsen
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 33
mobile: +49 (0)176 41626128
thomsen@nexusinstitut.de
Uta Zetek
Research Associate
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 35
mobile: +49 (0)176 41868272
zetek@nexusinstitut.de
Administration, Communication, Event Management
Antonios Hazim
Project Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
hazim@nexusinstitut.de
Antje Heera
Communication and Events
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 18
heera@nexusinstitut.de
Daniel Jurischka
Project Administration and Controlling
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 21
jurischka@nexusinstitut.de
Christian Kusch
Project Administration and Controlling
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 23
kusch@nexusinstitut.de
Lutta Saifulina
Office Management, Accounting and Staff
Tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
saifulina@nexusinstitut.de
Sandrine Steinhoff
Graphics, Communication and Events
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 32
steinhoff@nexusinstitut.de
Student Assistants, Volunteers
Alexandra Augustin
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
alexandra.augustin@nexusinstitut.de
Carolin Basaric
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
carolin.basaric@nexusinstitut.de
Oğulay Kapçak
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
ogulay.kapcak@nexusinstitut.de
Rabanus Metz
Participant in the Federal Ecological Volunteer Service
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
rabanus.metz@nexusinstitut.de
Nicola Rudow
Participant in the Federal Ecological Volunteer Service
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
nicola.rudow@nexusinstitut.de
Paul Schlichting
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
schlichting@nexusinstitut.de
Diellza Shala
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
shala@nexusinstitut.de
Luana Thor
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
thor@nexusinstitut.de
Ayla Tiefenbach
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
tiefenbach@nexusinstitut.de
Amy Winkler
Student Assistant
tel.: +49 (0)30 4220 664 00
winkler@nexusinstitut.de
Scientific Advisory Board
Elke Benning-Rohnke
Board member of FidAR / shareholder of the management consultancy Benning Company
Prof. Dr. Brigitte Geißel
Professor of Political Science at Goethe University Frankfurt, Head of the “Democratic Innovations” research centre
Prof. Dr. Norbert Kersting
Lehrstuhl für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft- Kommunal- und Regionalpolitik der Universität Münster
Claudine Nierth
Spokeswoman for the Federal Executive Board of Mehr Demokratie e. V.
Vigdis Nipperdey
Former Chairwoman of the University Council of the Technical University of Munich
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Ronald Pohoryles
(Chair from 10/2016-10/2023) ICCR Foundation non-profit private foundation
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ortwin Renn
Chair, former Scientific Director at the Institute for Transformative Sustainability Research (IASS) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Technische Universität Berlin
Dr. Nikolas Vortmeyer
Self-employed management consultant
Prof. Dr. Heike Walk
Chair for Transformation Governance at Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development
Former members of the Scientific Advisory Board
Sts a.D. Clemens Appel Prof. Dr. Meinolf Dierkes (Vorsitz 2004-2011) Prof. Dr. Dr. Heiner Legewie Prof. Dr. Heinrich Mäding (Vorsitz 2011-2016) Min. a.D. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Steger
Client
Partner
INNOVATION: The European Journal of Social Science Research
Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research is a social science journal on innovation, change and transformation of organisations, institutions and societies. It combines analytical and descriptive approaches with an attempt to discuss solutions, visions, roadmaps as well as threat scenarios and dystopias. This combination of hermeneutic analysis and application of deconstruction and construction are the cornerstones of the journal, which is open to all social and cultural sciences. Since 2017, the nexus Institute has been publishing the renowned English-language scientific journal Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research together with the European Association for the Advancement of the Social Sciences and the publishing house Routledge – Taylor Francis Group.
Planning cells database (Citizens Juries)
Planning cells are a form of citizen’s participation that was developed by Prof. Peter Dienel in the 1970s at the research centre for citizen’s participation at the University of Wuppertal. A similar concept is the idea of the Citizen’s Jury, which was designed in the 1970s by Ned Crosby at the Jefferson Centre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both procedures are based on a random selection of participants and are therefore part of the „Mini-public“-formats of participation, representing citizens. This database was created by the nexus institute, which is run by Prof. Hans-Liudger Dienel, the son of Prof. Peter Dienel who developed the German version of the Citizen’s Jury, called a Planning cell (Planungszelle). The database aims to allow anyone interested to gain easier access to information about Citizens Juries conducted so far.