Prof. Dr. Jessica Einspänner-Pflock was appointed Professor of Applied Media Science & Digital Journalism at the Faculty of Design Computer Science Media of Hochschule RheinMain (HSRM) on October 01, 2024. After completing a degree in media studies and communication research at the University of Bonn and the New Media and Communications Program at the National University of Singapore, she researched and taught at the University of Bonn from 2009 to 2016. Her academic work focused on social interactions on the internet, (online) journalism, political communication and digital methods. In 2014, she wrote a dissertation title “Privacy on the internet – construction and design strategies for online privacy among young people”. Outside of academia, Jessica Einspänner-Pflock has worked as an editor and presenter in various media companies. After working as an editor at the Press and Information Office of the German Federal Government in 2008, she worked as a freelance social media consultant in politics, organizations and companies from 2009 to 2013. From 2019 to 2024, Professor Jessica Einspänner-Pflock worked in marketing at R+V Allgemeine Versicherung AG in Wiesbaden.

What aspect of your research fascinates you the most?

The fact that my field can be experienced in real-time and can be shaped at the same time. When I started working on media science topics, “Web 2.0” had just been born and new theories emerged, as well as new concerns about privacy and credibility. Then came the ubiquity of mobile media and with it a renewed cultural change in human communication and the way we obtain and process information. And now, with the phenomenon of artificial intelligence, we are at the next milestone in the development of media culture and technology. I am enthusiastic about objectively observing and analyzing how our society is changing with and due to media technology innovations, while at the same time being in the middle of it myself and having a purely subjective fascination for these developments.

What does “good teaching” mean to you?

I believe it is essential to train students to critically question, discuss and think outside the box besides learning the tools of the trade for roles in journalism, the arts or the industrial sector. Good teaching should be a meaningful and comprehensive combination of the various modules and seminars, coupled with sophisticated didactic methods. I myself would like to encourage students to reflect, think for themselves and get involved. I think it is an important task for teachers to regularly motivate and enthuse students, even for theoretical subjects. If students feel well prepared for both their professional and personal future during their studies and still have fond memories of their studies, then we as teachers have done something right.

What did you want to be growing up?

I never really thought about a specific profession. I always had the goal of contributing, shaping and making a difference. Which could mean anything. But maybe that was the way to go. This way, I left a lot of things open and seized any opportunity to learn and discover something new. Always striving to making myself better.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Moving, exercise and nature are my best bets to wind down. I am quite bouncy and have a lot of energy to work off.