Céline Gressel

Co-laborative research and innovation

Céline Gressel is an ethicist and sociologist of technology. She studied sociology, psychology, and education in Tübingen. As a research assistant on the PRETINA project, she is currently investigating the ethical and social aspects of using eye tracking in video games. A key focus of this work is the development of a theoretically and qualitatively grounded concept of privacy in the context of gaming. Furthermore, she explores the ethical and social aspects of collaborative research from both theoretical and practical perspectives.

Areas of Expertise

Sociology of Technology
Science and Technology Studies
Eye Tracking
Privacy/Data Protection
Virtual Realities
ELSI/Integrated Research/Co-laborative Research/Embedding Ethics (Integration of social science aspects into technology development)
Consequences and prerequisites of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research
Qualitative methods in empirical social research, particularly Grounded Theory
Ethics in the Sciences

Selected Lectures and workshops

26.09.2025: Talk: “Embedding Ethics - Werkstattbericht einer interdisziplinären VR-Game-Entwicklung”, (“Embedding Ethics - Report on an interdisciplinary VR game development”) at the XII Conference on Practical Philosophy, Passau, Germany.
20.08. - 24.08.2025: Operation of the PRETINA exhibition stand at GAMESCOM 2025, Cologne.
28.05.2025: Input presentation at the PrEHics Workshop, Tokyo: “Privacy in eye tracking in gaming - beyond informed consent”.
28.05.2025: Together with: Theresa Krampe, Murat Karaboga, Michael Raschke, Aljoscha Schörnig, Christian Geminn and Andreas Bulling: Organization of the: "5th International Workshop on Privacy and Ethics in Eye Tracking (PrEThics)", ETRA 2025, Tokyo, Japan.
07.06.2024: Input presentation at the PrEHics Workshop, Glasgow: "Introduction to the impact of the human and world view on technology".
07.06.2024: Together with: Susanne Hindennach, Mayar Elfares, Murat Karaboga, Michael Raschke and Andreas Bulling: 4th International Workshop on Privacy and Ethics in Eye Tracking (PrEThics), ETRA 2024, Glasglow.
30.05.2023: Presentation: "Socio-ethical aspects of privacy in eye tracking". At the PrEHics Workshop, Tübingen.
30.05.2023: Together with Mayar Elfares, Murat Karaboga, Helmut Lurtz, Rebekah Overdorf, Michael Raschke and Andreas Bulling: Organization of the: "3rd International Workshop on Privacy and Ethics in Eye Tracking (PrEThics)" in conjunction with ACM ETRA 2023. Tübingen
15.03.2023: Together with: Julie Mewes, Baldeep Kaur, Paula Helm: Panel: "Circulations of STS research(ers) and good academic research practice and working conditions". At STS-hub. Aachen. Further Information
28.02. - 01.03.2023: Together with the Cluster Integrierte Forschung: "Digitalisierte Lebenswelten und Integrierte Forschung". International Conference.Technoseum, Mannheim.
17.01.2023: Together with Mone Spindler, Jacqueline Bellon and Michaela Shields (Wissenschaftsladen, Bonn): "Living the work of Integration" International twin-workshop. Tuesday, 17th January 2023, Bonn and Phoenix, Arizona.
17.11.2022: Together with Maria Pawelec: Keynote: „Ethical implications of immersive technologies and deepfakes in art and culture“. At the conference: "Immersive Technologies in Art and Culture" of the Goethe Institute, 14-18 November 2022 in Tashkent/Uzbekistan. Lecture online. Slides.
16.08.2022: "The Usage of Extended Reality Technologies in the Contexts of a healthy Life and their Impact on Well-being." At GWP.2022 (The Fourth International Conference of the German Society for Philosophy of Science). Berlin
12.07.2022: Together with Mone Spindler and Jacqueline Bellon: Workshop: "Zur Genese integrativer Technikentwicklungsprojekte" (On the Genesis of Integrative Technology Development Projects). A collaborative intervention of the project ESTER, exploring the phase of project development. Tübingen
09.06.2022: Presentations: "Introduction to thical aspects of pervasive eye tracking" and "Key ethical dimensions of "Privacy in Eye-Tracking". At ACM ETRA 2022. Online.
09.06.2022: Together with Inken Hagestedt, Michael Raschke, Rebekah Overdorf and Andreas Bulling: Organisation of: "2nd International Workshop on Privacy and Ethics in Eye Tracking (PrEThics)" at ACM ETRA 2022. Online.
27.05.2021: "Social Aspects of Privacy in Eye-Tracking", talk at ACM ETRA 2021.Online.
27.05.2021: Together with Andreas Bulling, Michael Raschke and Inken Hagenstedt: Organizer of the "1st International Workshop on Privacy and Ethics in Eye Tracking (PrEThics)" at ACM ETRA 2021. Online.
03.12.2020: "Privacy in VR/AR - Wie öffnen ELSI (Ethical, Legal, Social Implications) einen Raum von Möglichkeiten für VR und Eye-Tracking?" (Privacy in VR/AR - How do ELSI (Ethical, Legal, Social Implications) open a space of possibilities for VR and eye tracking?), Lecture in the context of the workshop "Privacy in VR/AR" (Céline Gressel and Michael Raschke) at BMBF congress „Interaktive Systeme in virtuellen und realen Räumen –Innovative Technologien für ein gesundes Leben“ (Interactive systems in virtual and real spaces -Innovative technologies for a healthy life), online in TriCAT Spaces. Video of the recording on request.
03.12.2020: "Gestalterische Optionen bei der Erstellung von Avataren - Sozialwissenschaftliche Aspekte des Avatardesigns" (Design Options in Avatar Creation - Social Science Aspects of Avatar Design), Lecture in the context of the workshop "Avatare - Gestalterische Optionen" (Avatars- Design Options) (Timo Stampa and Christoph Vogel) at BMBF congress „Interaktive Systeme in virtuellen und realen Räumen –Innovative Technologien für ein gesundes Leben“ (Interactive systems in virtual and real spaces -Innovative technologies for a healthy life), online in TriCAT Spaces.
02.12.2020: "Evaluationen in Zeiten von CORONA" ( Evaluations in times of Corona), Virtual talk show at BMBF congress „Interaktive Systeme in virtuellen und realen Räumen –Innovative Technologien für ein gesundes Leben“ (Interactive systems in virtual and real spaces -Innovative technologies for a healthy life), online in TriCAT Spaces.
03.03.2020: "Arbeiten mit der Grounded Theory" (Working wtih Grounded Theory). Workshop to convey methods of qualitative social research. LMU Munich.
25.11.2019: Postersession: "ELSI-Aspekte in die Technikentwicklung integrieren" (How to integrate ELSI-Aspects into technology development). Second Symposium "Integrierte Forschung" of the network "Integrierte Forschung" in Leipzig.
05.02.2019: Aus der Praxis. Sechs Bausteine für Integrierte Technikentwicklung. Workshop: Integrierte Technikentwicklung: Ethische, rechtliche, soziale und ökonomische Aspekte einbeziehen (with Mone Spindler, Alexander Orlowski, Sven Wydra und Sebastian Runschke).
(Out of practice. Six building blocks for integrated technology development. Workshop: Integrated Technology Development: Include Ethical, Legal, Social and Economic Aspects) IHK Reutlingen

Publications

together with Susanne Hindennach, Mayar Elfares, Andreas Bulling (2026). REFLECTing SPERET: Measuring and Promoting Ethics and Privacy Reflexivity in Eye-Tracking Research. arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.18965.
(2025): Ethik der Virtualität – Zur moralischen Bewertung von Handlungen in virtuellen Realitäten. In: Noller, J., Reinhardt, K. (eds) Handbuch Philosophie der Digitalität. J.B. Metzler, Berlin, Heidelberg.
together with Becker, Alexa; Bellon, Jacqueline; Berger, Arne; Djeffal, Christian; Haupt, Benedikt; Müller, Verena; Pentzold, Christian; Spindler, Mone (2025): Bitte intervenieren Sie! Kollaborative Interventionen zur Stärkung des Einbezugs ethischer, rechtlicher und sozialer Aspekte in Technikentwicklungsprojekte. Impulspapier aus dem Cluster Integrierte Forschung. Tübingen: IZEW, Materialien zur Ethik in den Wissenschaften, Band 27.http://hdl.handle.net/10900/172056
together with Mone Spindler: "Interdisziplinarität im Forschungsgarten - Vom Pflanzen und Mähen in integrativen Technikentwicklungsprojekten". In: Brand, C., Ammicht-Quinn, R., & Meisch, S. (2023). Ich lehne mich jetzt mal ganz konkret aus dem Fenster:[…]. Eine Festschrift zu Ehren von Thomas Potthast. Tübingen Libary Publishing, p. 327-336. http://hdl.handle.net/10900/142489.
together with Rebekah Overdorf, Inken Hagenstedt, Murat Karaboga, Helmut Lurtz, Michael Raschke and Andreas Bulling (2023): "Privacy-Aware Eye Tracking: Challenges and Future Directions,". In IEEE Pervasive Computing, vol. 22, no. 1, p. 95-102, 1 Jan.-March 2023. DOI: 10.1109/MPRV.2022.3228660.
(2022): "Warum wir über Anwender*innen sprechen sollten - Eine kritische soziologische Perspektive auf den Nutzer*innenbegriff" In: BedenkZeiten – Ein Ethik-Blog.
with Alexander Orlowski (2019): Integrierte Technikentwicklung. In: TATuP Zeitschrift für Technikfolgenabschätzung in Theorie und Praxis, (Integrated Technology Development. In: TATuP Journal for Technology Assessment in Theory and Practice) v. 28, n. 2, p. 71-72, 8 July 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14512/tatup.28.2.s71
Gressel, Céline (2017): Die medizinische Re-Konstruktion von Körpern im Zusammenspiel mit der Technik der klinischen Endoskopie. (The medical re-construction of bodies in interaction with the technique of clinical endoscopy.) In: Brand Cordula /Heesen Jessica/Kröber Birgit/Müller Uta/Potthast Thomas (Ed.): Ethik in den Kulturen, Kulturen in der Ethik. Eine Festschrift für Regina Ammicht Quinn. (Ethics in Cultures, Cultures in Ethics. A Festschrift for Regina Ammicht Quinn.) Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto, p. 257-264.

Career

Since 09/2024	Research Associate at the IZEW Project PRETINA (Privacy-preserving and legally compliant eye tracking in our digitalized daily lives)
12/2023 to 08/2024	Research Associate at the IZEW Project ANKER (Anchor objects, interdisciplinary technology development, AI, integration of ethics)
04/2021 to 08/2024	Research Associate at the IZEW Project ESTER (Ethical and Social Aspects of Integrated Research)
From 12/2018 to 01/2023	Research Associate at the IZEW Project HIVE-Lab (Social, ethical and legal aspects of mixed reality in the context of health technologies)
From 03/2016 to 03/2019	Research Associate at the IZEW Project INTEGRAM (Integrated research: A critical analysis and practical dissemination for the research area "Human-technology interaction" )
From 10/2015 to 03/2016	Research assistant at the IZEW Project INTEGRAM (Integrated research: A critical analysis and practical dissemination for the research area "Human-technology interaction")
From 05/2008 to 07/2009	Student assistant (tutor) at the sociological institute of the University of Tübingen for the lectures Statistics I and II.
From 06/2011 to 12/2012 and from 03/2014 to 12/2014	Research Assistant at the IZEW. Among others in the projects KRETA (Körperscanner: Reflexion der Ethik auf Technik und Anwendungskontexte), MuViT (Interdisziplinäre Analysen zur Mustererkennung und Video Tracking) and MATERIA (Menschen im Alter und Technik).

Studies

2015	Completion 10/2015 Magister Artium Sociologie Margister work: "Distributed investigation in the field of tension between knowledge and uncertainty. A technical sociological analysis of interactions and interactivities in clinical endoscopy of the digestive tract". (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Jörg Strübing, graded: very good).
	Master's degree in sociology (main discipline), educational science and psychology at the Eberhard Karls University Tübingen.