Susanne Marschall studied German studies, comparative studies, and philosophy in Cologne and Mainz. She held a scholarship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) from 1992 to 1995. In her monographs, papers, essays, and film reviews (Schüren, Fink, edition text+kritik, Königshausen & Neumann, Bertz + Fischer, Böhlau etc.), she covers topics such as film and TV studies, literature, theatre and cultural studies as well as visual culture. She has also appeared as a film expert in several TV and radio interviews (Filmdienst, Deutsche Welle, ARTE, SWR, HR, NDR etc.). She has also shared her expertese on colour in a TED Talk.
In 1995, Dr. Marschall obtained her doctorate with a dissertation on the theme of dance in Frank Wedekind’s Pandora’s Box and Hugo von Hofmannsthal's Elektra. Subsequently, she worked as a research associate, as an assistant professor (C1), and finally as an academic counsellor in the department of film studies and, starting at the end of 2009, in the department for journalism at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz.
In 2003, she received the teaching award of the Senate of the Johannes Gutenberg University for her excellent performance in teaching. In 2005, she completed her post-doctoral research with her monograph „Farbe im Kino“ (Colour in Cinema), which has been published in its second edition. In the same year, she conceptualised and realised the exhibition „Farb-Töne“ (Colour Tones) as part of the Summer of Culture. In addition, she had several teaching engagements, e.g. at the Hamburg Media School, the Universities of Marburg and Vienna (summer 2011) as well as the Filmakademie Ludwigsburg. In 2010, Dr. Marschall received the calls for a W3 professorship in media studies from the Universities of Tübingen and Hamburg. With the acceptance of the professorship in Tübingen, she was also appointed director of the Centre for Media Competence of the University of Tübingen.
While working at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Susanne Marschall was the spokesperson of the Interdisciplinary Media Research Group, founded the University television program CampusTV and conceptualised the university's media house. She was a founding member of the Interdisciplinary Research Group for Neuroscience (in particular as a spokeswoman for the department of Visual Culture) and in the executive committee of the Center for Intercultural Studies. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation Rhineland-Palatinate for Culture, until she accepted her position as a professor in Tübingen,.
In addition, she took part in media practice and media didactics activities; for example, in the conception of numerous school projects as well as the management of the Rhineland-Palatinate promotion of young talents for film and new media. Her commitment to PUSH projects such as the Children's University, the Science Market and most recently the City of Mainz's application for the title City of Science is aimed at opening up and spreading a network of media studies. In 2011 Susanne Marschall curated the exhibition „Spektrale“ as a lighthouse project for the City of Science.
In 2012 the alumni magazine UNICUM BERUF awarded Susanne Marschall the title „Professor of the year“. The media scholar was honoured in the category „Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Studies“. Nationwide, almost 800 university teachers had been nominated for the title by students, colleagues and employers. A jury chaired by Professor Klaus Landfried, the former president of the German Rectors’ Conference, elected the award winners in four academic fields. Susanne Marschall won the competition because of her intensive mentoring of young scholars in career planning, the development and realisation of ambitious practice projects, placements in internships and entry-level positions as well as the advancement of start-ups.
