Department of the Study of Religions

Staff

CORE STAFF

Lukas K. Pokorny

Professor and Chair of the Study of Religions

Lukas K. Pokorny

Head of Department

Room 10, 5th Floor

Email
+43 1 4277 31602

Nickolas P. Roubekas

Asst. Prof. of Theories of Religion

Nickolas P. Roubekas

Deputy Head of Department

Room 11, 5th Floor

Email
+43 1 4277 31604
ORCID

Dirk Schuster

Asst. Professor

Dirk Schuster

Room 9, 5th Floor

Email
+43 1 4277 31603

ADMINISTRATION

Alice Hovannesian

Departmental Coordinator

Room 7, 5th Floor

Email
+43 1 4277 31601

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

Moritz Maurer

Moritz Maurer

FWF-Fellow (2025–2028)

Email
+43 1 4277 31617

Ivana Ryška Vajdová

Ivana Ryška Vajdová

ESPRIT-Fellow (2024–2027)

Email
ORCID

Samuel Thévoz

Samuel Thévoz

FWF-Fellow (2024–2028)

Email
+43 1 4277 31606

TEACHING FELLOWS

Sára Eszter Heidl

Sára Eszter Heidl

Teaching Fellow (2026–2027)

Email

Marleen Thaler

Marleen Thaler

Teaching Fellow (2025–2027)

Email

Human-Friedrich Unterrainer

Human-Friedrich Unterrainer

Professorial Teaching Fellow (2014–2027)

Personal Website

Email

Robert Wurzrainer

Robert Wurzrainer

Teaching Fellow (2024–2027)

Email

Dominic S. Zoehrer

Teaching Fellow (2026–2027)

Email

PROFESSORIAL RESEARCHERS

Ugo Dessì

Ugo Dessì

Professorial Research Fellow (2025–2026)

University of Cape Town, South Africa

Email

Karsten Lehmann

Karsten Lehmann

Professorial Research Fellow (2025–2027)

Personal Website

Email

Robyn Faith Walsh

Robyn Faith Walsh

Professorial Research Fellow (2026–2028)

University of Miami, USA
Personal Website

Email

DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

Fatima Zahra Asllam

Ph.D. Candidate (2026–)

Elise Friestad

Doctoral Assistant (2026–2030)

Cao Nhut Quang HUYNH

Ph.D. Candidate (2022–)

Polina Luzhinskaia

Ph.D. Candidate (2026–)

Pablo A. Martínez

Ph.D. Candidate (2026–)

Trang T. D. Nguyen

Ph.D. Candidate (2024–)

Alena Richards

Ph.D. Candidate (2026–)

Gabriella Voss

Ph.D. Candidate (2018–)

Muhammad Adiz Wasisto

Muhammad Adiz Wasisto

ISAP Fellow (2024–2027)

VISITING SCHOLARS

Ursula Baatz

Ursula Baatz

Research Fellow (2023–2028)

Email

Stephen E. Gregg

Senior Research Fellow (2026–2028)

Barbara Hendrischke

Barbara Hendrischke

Senior Research Fellow (2021–2027)

Email

Tao Thykier Makeeff

Tao Thykier Makeeff

Research Fellow (2024–2026)

Email

Davide Marino

Davide Marino

Research Fellow (2023–2026)

University of Göttingen

Email

Isis Mrugalla-Kalmbacher

Visiting Scholar (2026)

University of Tübingen

Jill Marxer

Jill Marxer

Research Fellow (2026)

University of Zurich
Personal Website

Email

Elli Papazoi

Research Fellow (2026)

Personal Website

Email

ADJUNCT PROFESSORS

Nicole Bauer

Nicole M. Bauer

Adjunct Professor (2026–)

Asst. Professor (post doc) (University of Graz)
Personal Website

Email

Franz Winter

Franz Winter

Adjunct Professor (2010–)

Professor (University of Graz)
Personal Website

Email

EMERITI

Karl Baier

Karl Baier

Associate Professor (2009–2020)

Email

Johann Figl

Johann Figl

Professor (1986–2013)

Email

Birgit Heller

Birgit Heller

Associate Professor (1999–2025)

Email

Hans Gerald Hödl

Hans Gerald Hödl

Associate Professor (2009–2024)

Email

Student Assistants

Johannes Lutz

Intern (2026)

FORMER STAFF AND RESEARCHERS

EHEMALIGE FORSCHENDE UND LEHRENDE

2016–2026

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Contact: Ms. Alice Hovannesian

Email
+43 1 4277 31601