Biography

My main research interests and specialisation lie in the fields of European Law and Labour Law (particularly European, national, and comparative labour law). However, I have also worked on a number of research projects since 2006 which cover a wide range of topics from citizenship and international law to commercial and public law. I am one of the country experts (Germany) on the project ‘Access to citizenship in Europe’ run by a consortium of five European universities.
I currently hold a Max Weber Postdoctoral Fellowship at the European University Institute where I am working on expanding my doctoral thesis by examining how trade unions have responded to the challenges of EU enlargement in 2004 and 2007 in Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden and the UK. I will begin a lectureship in Law at the University of Stirling in August 2011 where I will continue my research.
I received a Ph.D in Law from the University of Edinburgh in 2011. My Ph.D thesis which was carried out under the supervision of Professor Jo Shaw and Professor Douglas Brodie, compares the responses of German and British trade unions to the challenges posed by the recent enlargements of the European Union. My thesis was awarded the ETUC-Brian Bercusson Award by the European Trade Union Confederation in 2011.
Prior to this I completed an LL.B. (Hons) in Law and French at the University of Edinburgh in 2006 and an LL.M. in Human Rights at the University of London (SOAS) in 2007.