Dr Elisabeth Simbuerger

Curriculum Vitae
DR ELISABETH ANNA SIMBUERGER
Department of Sociology, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, CoventryCV4 7AL, UK
E-mail: E.A.Simbuerger@warwick.ac.uk (as of 1st January 2009: e.a.simbuerger@gmail.com)
web: http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ep/pg/live/elisabethsimbuerger

CURRENT POSITION
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Sociology, Reinvention Centre for
Undergraduate Research, University of Warwick, July 2009-December 2009; joint staff-students
research project between the University of Warwick and King’s College London, critically
evaluating the development of particular graduate capabilities in research intensive higher
education institutions (funded by HEFCE, Higher Education Funding Council for England)
• Seminar tutor for ‘Sociology of Education’ Convenor: Dr. Cath Lambert, Department of
Sociology, University of Warwick; October 2009-June 2010.

EDUCATION
• PhD Sociology, University of Warwick, Department of Sociology; Start Date: 29th September
2005; Viva Voce: 6th March 2009; Thesis title: ‘Against and Beyond – For Sociology. A Study on
the Self-understanding of Sociologists in England’. Examined by Professor John Holmwood
(University of Birmingham) and Dr Carol Wolkowitz (University of Warwick); Supervised by
Prof. Steve Fuller (Sociology, Warwick) and Prof. Tony Elger (Sociology, Warwick)
• MA in Comparative Labour Studies, University of Warwick, Department of Sociology 2004-
2005; ‘The Academic Labour Process and Knowledge Production in the Social Sciences – an
exploratory study of young post-doc researchers in England’, supervised by Prof. Tony Elger
• Magistra rer. soc. oec Sociology (equivalent to BA and MA Sociology) (with distinction),
University of Vienna, Department of Sociology, 1995-2001; MA-thesis ‘Science communication
problems in environmental mediation procedures’, supervised by Prof. Ulrike Felt, Department of
Social Studies of Science
• University of Bielefeld, Faculty of Sociology, Erasmus year, 1998-1999

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
• Early Career Fellow, Institute of Advanced Study (IAS), University of Warwick, March –
August 2009
• Researcher for ‘Reinventing Spaces’; funded by the Reinvention Centre for Undergraduate
Research, Principal investigator: Dr. Cath Lambert; September 2008 – June 2009
• Research Assistant for the Evaluation of the ESRC-Research Programme ‘Science in
Society’, Principal investigator: Prof. Steve Fuller, September 2008 – February 2009
• Sessional Teacher, University of Warwick, Department of Sociology and Warwick Business
School; 2006 – 2009
• Researcher at the Reinvention Centre for Undergraduate Research, University of Warwick,
(as part of the Reinvention Centre PhD-scholarship September 2005 – December 2008); research
and evaluation of university development measures, departmental research on the development of
sociological identity, collaborative student-staff production of a documentary film ‘Students at
Work – Learning to Labour in Higher Education’ , conceptualisation and production of an
interactive exhibition on sociologists’ relationship to the discipline, teaching and research -
‘Sociologists Talking’
Dr Elisabeth Simbuerger

• Researcher, SORA – Institute for Social Research and Analysis, Vienna, Austria, 2001 –
2004; Duties: writing research proposals for grants (trade unions, political parties, ministries, EU).
designing and carrying out applied social research projects and evaluations in work employment
studies, focusing on disadvantaged groups in the labour market (as a project leader or jointly in a
team); qualitative (focus groups, interviews) and quantitative methods (design, conduction and
analysis of surveys)
• Contract researcher, Abif – Analyse, Beratung, Interdisziplinaere Forschung (analysis,
consulting and interdisciplinary research), Vienna, Austria, 2000 – 2001; Duties: assistance in
research grant proposals, assistance in research design, carrying qualitative (focus groups and
interviews) and quantitative research (questionnaires and multi-variate data analysis); assistance
in writing research reports
AWARDS (Selection)
• Early Career Fellowship, Institute of Advanced Study (IAS), University of Warwick, 2009
• PhD scholarship, Reinvention Centre for Undergraduate Research, University of Warwick, 2005-
2008
• Johann Boehm support grant, Austrian Trade Union Federation (OEGB), 2004-2005
• State funding, Republic of Austria, 1995-2001
• Julius-Raab support scholarship, Julias-Raab foundation, Austria, 1995-2001
• Austrian Chamber of Labour scholarship, 2000
• Winner of a 2nd Prize of the German Students’ Award for ‘Alternative risks of prenatal
diagnostics’ 1999
Erasmus scholarship, Republic of Austria, 1998-1999
• Award for Academic Excellence, University of Vienna, Faculty for Social and Economic
Sciences, 1997

TEACHING
• Seminar tutor for ‘Sociology of Education’ Convenor: Dr Cath Lambert, Department of
Sociology, University of Warwick; October 2009-June 2010.
• Guest lecturer for ‘Sociology of Education’ Convenor: Dr Cath Lambert, Department of
Sociology, University of Warwick; October 2009-June 2010.
• Seminar tutor for ‘Critical Issues in Law and Management’ Convenor: Grier Palmer.
Warwick Business School, University of Warwick. September 2008-June 2009.
• Seminar tutor for ‘Sociology of Knowledge, Science and Intellectuals’ Convenor: Prof. Steve
Fuller. Department of Sociology, University of Warwick. September 2007-June 2008.
• Guest lectures for ‘Sociology of Knowledge, Science and Intellectuals’, Department of
Sociology, University of Warwick, 2007.
• Seminar teaching and lecturing for ‘Life in Scientific Communities’, SOQUA, Vienna,
(SOQUA is a 1.5 year long seminar series for postgraduates from the social sciences and
humanities and aims to provide further training in the Social Sciences (funded by the Austrian
Ministry for Science and Education)), June 2007.
• Seminar tutor for ‘Sociology of Crime and Deviance’, Convenor: Prof. Mike Neary. University
of Warwick, Department of Sociology. September 2006-June 2007.
• Facilitating First Year Induction days for Sociology students, University of Warwick, 2005-
2008.
• Organisation of a research ethics workshop for students funded by the Reinvention Centre
for Undergraduate Research, University of Warwick. May 2006.
Dr Elisabeth Simbuerger

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS (Selection)

‘What is left of critique? British sociologists’ selective practice of a key principle’, presented at
the BSA Theory Group Conference 2009 ‘Have we ever been ‘post’? The critiques of sociological
knowledge’, University of Warwick, September 17th and 18th 2009.
‘Selective interpretations of the social in social theory or ‘I wished those theorists had looked
beyond Britain’, presented at the 9th European Sociological Association Conference ‘European
Society or European Societies?’, Lisbon, September 2nd – 5th 2009.
‘Collaborative Creations and Communications: Three Case Studies’, presented together with
Cath Lambert, Caroline Gibson, Laura Home, Katy Pilcher and Marcus Nyman at the conference
‘Learning and Teaching / Learning Through Enquiry Alliance’, University of Reading, July 14th
and 15th 2009.
‘Students at work. The research and production of a documentary film’, presented together with
Cath Lambert, Chernise Neo, Marcus Nyman and Katy Pilcher at the SRHE Student Experience
Network, University of Central Lancashire, June 9th 2009.
‘Teaching in Public’, presented together with Cath Lambert and Mike Neary at the Conference
‘The University of Utopia: Radicalising Higher Education’, Centre for Educational Research and
Development, University of Lincoln, June 4th 2009.
‘Disciplining the discipline – sociology’s complicity in constraining its most analytical voices’,
presented at the Annual Conference of the British Sociological Association ‘Social Worlds,
Natural Worlds’, University of Warwick, March 28th – 30th 2008.
• ‘Studying sociologists – don’t we have anything else to do? On the utility of reflexivity for
sociology’, presented at the ‘Studying the Social Sciences and Humanities’ workshop, Academy
of Science, Prague, December 11th – 13th 2007.
• ‘Towards a new understanding of teaching as an integral part of sociological work and identity’
presented at the Higher Education Academy (C-SAP) conference ‘Teaching in Public – The
Future of Higher Education. Can the social sciences articulate a vision of University teaching that
is grounded in their own progressive intellectual traditions?’, Marriott Hotel Cardiff, November
21st – 23rd 2007.
• ‘Keine Soziologie ohne Nachbarn’ oder ‚Wir haben doch immer schon zusammen gewohnt,
oder?’, presented at the Conference of the Austrian Sociological Association ‚Neighbourhood
relations’, University of Graz, September 25th – 27th 2007
• ‘The Student as Consumer’ vs. ‘The Student as Producer’ narrative: exclusive representations of
students’ lives?’, presented at the `Student as Producer: Reinventing the Undergraduate
Curriculum, conference hosted by the Reinvention Centre at the University of Warwick,
September 20th – 21st 2007
• ‘Reinventing academic practice’, presented together with Cath Lambert at the SRHE (Social
Research into Higher Education) Annual Conference ‘Beyond Boundaries – New Horizons for
Research into Higher Education’, Brighton, December 12th – 14th 2006
• ‘Passports please! Is there such a thing as sociological identity?’, presented at the
interdisciplinary postgraduate conference ‘Identities’, Univ. of Warwick, December 2nd 2006
• ‘The Academic Labour Process and Knowledge Production in the Social Sciences – an
exploratory study of young post-doc researchers in England’, presented at the Postgraduate and
Newer Researchers Conference ‘New Perspectives on Research into Higher Education’, Society
for Research into Higher Education (SRHE), University of Edinburgh, December 12th 2005
• ‘Arbeit in den Sozialwissenschaften – eine Annaeherung ueber Labour Process Theory’, at the
Conference of the Austrian Sociological Association (OEGS), ‘Den Stillstand bewegen. Praxis der
Soziologie’, University of Vienna, 22nd – 23rd September 2005
Dr Elisabeth Simbuerger

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESSCOVERAGE (Selection)

• Simbuerger, E. (forthcoming) ‘Critique and Sociology: Towards a New Understanding of
Teaching as an Integral Part of Sociological Work’. ‘Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences’,
available at http://www.eliss.org.uk/
• Simbuerger, E. (forthcoming) Review of ‘Social Theory at Work’ edited by Marek Korczynski,
Randy Hodson and Paul Edwards in ‘Sociology’.
• ‘Sociologists failing to practise what they preach’, Times Higher Education Supplement, 3rd April
2008.
• Simbuerger, E. (2008) Review of ‘Sociologists in a Global Age. Biographical Perspectives’ edited
by Deflem M. in ‘European Societies’. 10 (3): 517-520.
• Simbuerger, E. (2007) Review of ‘Audiences and Publics: When Cultural Engagement Matters for
the Public Sphere’ edited by Sonia Livingstone in ‘Media, Culture and Society’. 29 (5): 845-846.
• Simbuerger, E. 2005. ‘Soziologie heute: Prekaere Arbeit, wenig Widerstand’. in Science.orf.at;
Online. Available from : http://science.orf.at/science/news/140766
• Enzenhofer, E.; Muralter, D.; Rapa, Silvija; Simbuerger, E.; Steiner, K. (2004). Erwerbsrealitaet
von aelteren ArbeitnehmerInnen: Chancen und Barrieren. Wien: AMS Report 39,
Arbeitsmarktservice Oesterreich.
• Egger, A.; Simbuerger, E.; Steiner, K. (2003). ‘Berufsorientierung im Fokus aktiver
Arbeitsmarktpolitik’. Wien: AMS Report 37, Arbeitsmarktservice Oesterreich.
• Simbuerger, E. and Steiner, K. (2002). ‘Back to the Roots. Von der Wiederentdeckung
kaufmännischen Denkens nach der New Economy’, in: Eichmann, H.; Kaupa, I.; Steiner, K. (eds.)
Game over? Neue Selbständigkeit und New Economy nach dem Hype. Wien: Falter Verlag, Reihe
Soziale Innovation und Neue Soziologie: p. 247-259.

RESEARCH EXHIBITIONS AND FILMS

• ‘Sociologists Talking’ –an interactive, site-specific exhibition on sociologists’ relationship to the
discipline, teaching and research; jointly conceptualised and produced with Cath Lambert; sound-
exhibits based on qualitative interviews Elisabeth Simbuerger had carried out with sociologists
from a Russell Group university; Sound exhibits and online-exhibition documentation:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/sociology/rsw/undergrad/cetl/filmspublications/sociologiststalking/
o Warwick Social Science Festival, Department of Sociology, June 15th to 17th June 2009
o Annual Conference of the British Sociological Association, University of Warwick,
Teaching Grid, as part of an interactive symposium on 'Teaching and Learning In and For
a Complex World', March 28th – 30th and on 22nd April 2008.
• ‘Students at Work: Learning to Labour in Higher Education’ - collaborative student-staff
production of a documentary film; researched and filmed by a team of undergraduate and
postgraduate students and administrative and academic staff who were all based within the
Sociology Department at the University of Warwick. March 2006-March 2009; free download at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/sociology/rsw/undergrad/cetl/filmspublications/studentsatwork/

SEMINAR AND CONFERENCE ORGANISATION

• Organiser of the British Sociological Association Theory Group Conference together with
Rodrigo Cordero Vega, 17th and 18th September 2009, ‘Have We Ever Been ‘Post’? The
Critiques of Sociological Knowledge’, University of Warwick;
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/bsatheorygroupconference
• Organiser of a workshop for PhD students and postdocs at the University of Warwick, Institute of
Advanced Study (IAS), ‘Thinking beyond Academia: Alternative Ways of Communicating your
Research’, May 27th 2009
Dr Elisabeth Simbuerger

• Co-organiser of the Graduate Student Seminar Series for the Centre for the Study of Women and
Gender, University of Warwick, 2007-2008

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
• Early Career Summer School in Social and Political Thought, ‘Theory for a Global Age:
Postcolonial and Cosmopolitan Perspectives’, Milburn House, University of Warwick, July 6th –
10th 2009.
• 'Live Sociology' - Workshop Series 2008, practising social research with new media (funded by
the ESRC); Convenor: Prof. Les Back, Goldsmiths College, University of London, 2008
• Professional Development series (‘Rhetoric’, ‘Presentation Techniques’, ‘Academic writing’,
‘Writing grant applications’, ‘Publishing’ etc.), University of Warwick, Graduate School, 2005-
2008
• Participation in Professional Development series, Dept of Sociology, Warwick, 2005-2006; 2004-
2005; 2003-2004
• Courses on Qualitative Methods and Quantitative Methods in Social Research, University of
Warwick, Department of Sociology, 2004-2005
• Grounded Theory Course, ZUMA, Mannheim, 2003
• Extensive training in quantitative methods (
• Univariate and multivariate data analysis (SPSS); University of Vienna, Department of
Sociology, 1995-2001
• Event History Analysis; University of Bielefeld, Faculty of Sociology, 1998-1999
• Training in qualitative methods (focus groups, qualitative interviews, ethnography), University of
Vienna, Department of Sociology, 1995-2001

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP & ACTIVITIES

• Member of the Austrian Sociological Associaton (OEGS)
• Member of the British Sociological Association (BSA)
• Member of the European Sociological Association (ESA)
• Member of the Centre for Social Theory, University of Warwick
• Member of the Centre for Comparative Labour Studies, University of Warwick
• Member of the Centre for the Study of Women and Gender, University of Warwick

LANGUAGES
• English excellent oral and written skills
• German mother tongue
• Spanish very good oral skills, intermediate written skills
• French intermediate oral and written skills