Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast

Graduate studies in biology and philosophy at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; fellow of the DFG Postgraduate Research Training Programme “Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities“ and research assistant at the IZEW in Tübingen, PhD in 1998 (published in 1999: „Die Evolution und der Naturschutz“); Postdoctoral research scholar at the Max-Planck-Institute for the History of Science in Berlin (1998-2001) and Feodor Lynen Fellow of the Humboldt Foundation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2002); Scientific coordinator of the IZEW since May 2002. Since 1997, teaching activities at the Departments of Biology, Philosophy, Forestry, Geosciences and Agronomics at the Universities of Tübingen and Freiburg and Hohenheim as well as at Freie Universität and Humboldt Universität in Berlin; 2007-2013 Deputy spokesperson of the DFG Postgraduate Research Training Programme 889 “Bioethics – On the Self-Design of Human Beings by Use of Biotechniques“. Completion of the habilitation procedure in January 2010, venia legendi for ethics, theory and history of the sciences and humanities. Interim professor at the Institute for the History of Medicine, Sciences and Technology at Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena in the winter semester 2010/2011. Since 2011, Deputy director of the Board for Sustainable Development of the University of Tübingen, put in charge by the prorector. Appointment as adjunct professor at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen in May 2012. Since December 2012, spokesperson of the Strategic Board of Research Platform 4 "Education - Society - Norms - Ethical reflection" of the University of Tübingen in the context of the Federal Excellence Initiative. Since December 2014, executive director of the IZEW (together with Regina Ammicht Quinn). Since April 2016 Professor of Ethics, Theory and History of Biosciences at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, and at the IZEW. Also since 2016 spokesperson for the thematic area of sustainability, protection and management of natural resources, Platform 3 Environmental Systems (Excellence Strategy)