Here you will find the descriptions of the specialist groups. Full members of EUPONS can participate in our specialist groups.
| Division: Research, Evaluation & Health | Heads: Prof. Dr. Dominika Wach, Dr. Daniel Gfrerer |
| Background and relevance The specialist group operates at the interface of mental health, stress regulation and measurable well-being. In a world of global uncertainties, the focus is on the subjective feeling of security as a basis for health and social cooperation. The research group contributes to research at the intersection of positive psychology and quantification of health economic effects through evidence-based, human-centered research and at the same time investigates new digital possibilities for the personalized promotion of well-being. | Research and key topics The specialist group uses a multi-method approach with the following core projects: Health (Lighthouse 1): Evaluation of interventions to promote well-being, employability and economic resilience. Leadership (Lighthouse 2): Investigating positive leadership to strengthen innovation and organizational resilience. Basic psychological surveys: Systematic assessment of well-being, stress regulation and resources based on the PERMA model. Digital Health & AI: Development of a “digital avatar” as a personalized “well-being GPS”. By integrating psychological data, bio-signals and individual progress data, the aim is to generate personalized recommendations for positive psychology interventions. Effect research: Investigation of the effects using subjective, objective and biological measurement methods. |
| Neuroscientific perspective Safety is defined as an autonomous regulatory state and physiological stability. The research focuses on: Biomarkers & bio-signals: Use of transportable EEG systems to record neurobiological correlates of stress reduction and well-being Mediator analyses: Investigation of biopsychological mechanisms of action to stabilize health. | Contribution to EUPONS The REH Division acts as a bridge between research, clinical practice and social application: Transfer: Generation of scientific evidence for politics, healthcare systems and organizations. Infrastructure: Use of clinical connections (e.g. HealthCampus) for exploratory studies and pilot projects. Innovation: Connectivity to new European research initiatives in the field of digital health, virtual worlds and personalized prevention systems. HealthCampus) for exploratory studies and pilot projects. Innovation: EUPONS’ ability to connect to new European research initiatives in the areas of digital health, virtual worlds and personalized prevention systems. Synergy: Networking stress research, attachment theory and social neuroscience. |
| Division: Mental Safety, Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth | Heads: Markus Goetz, Michael Munzel |
| Background and relevance The connection between post-traumatic growth, stress regulation and the subjective feeling of safety is of increasing scientific and social importance. Social threats, dangers and emergencies put the issue of safety at the center of our work. The concept of safety is being discussed as the key to a better understanding of learning, social interaction and mental health. | Research and key topics Security growth is the common denominator of our team. As there is currently no general theory of various safety processes in a neuroscientific context, we will examine both the multi-layered concept of safety and the understanding of safety at different levels. We will also examine the connection between stress regulation and mental safety in the context of neurodivergence and traumatic stress experiences. |
| Neuroscientific perspective Mental safety – understood as the absence of threat, as an autonomous state of regulation, as the linchpin of predictability of the environment and as physiological stability – is a promising concept. Increasing security combines stress research, attachment theory, emotion regulation and the neuroscience of social experience. | Contribution to EUPONS Security growth and security development go beyond resilience as a mere adaptive capacity and open up new possibilities for better cooperation and learning. Psychological security that takes neurodivergence into account and promotes cooperative security growth strengthens mental health in all areas of society. |
| Specialist group: Positive Education | Heads: Mirta Boesch and Bertram Strolz Kerstin Lulei (Junior Researcher) |
| Background and relevance Education is a key issue for the development of a society. Understanding how schools and education should function so that they represent a resource rather than a risk for children and young people is at the heart of research into “positive education”. Neurobiological backgrounds of human development and their scientific evidence open up opportunities for an urgently needed and sustainably effective transformation process towards a humanistically oriented education system and thus towards a humanistically oriented society. | Research and key topics Well-being and flourishing in an educational context require a systemic approach. The “Positive Education” group aims to combine the relevant conditions for positive education, underpin them with neuroscience and make them systemically implementable in an evidence-based way at all levels of education. |
| Neuroscientific perspective The combination of psychological theories and models tailored to education, such as SDT (Self Determination Theory), PERMA, character strengths, salutogenesis, attachment, development, etc., will be researched from a neuroscientific perspective and provide new insights. | Contribution to EUPONS The findings from the “Positive Education” group will contribute to a bigger picture by working with other EUPONS specialist areas to develop contributions on socio-politically relevant topics (health, leadership, politics, etc.) |
| Expert group: Positive Leadership | Heads: Sandra Collomb, Prof. Dr. Markus Ramming |
| Background and relevance The management of companies and organizations is undergoing enormous change. It is becoming increasingly clear that neither people nor companies can be managed successfully with the simple management models of the last century. In order to become efficient and excellent, we need psychological and neuroscientific findings and methods as well as a completely new attitude and a new understanding of leadership and organization. | Research and key topics What positive factors contribute to successful change and transformation? What are the best positive interventions with the highest impact on wellbeing and performance? |
| Neuroscientific perspective Anxiety and psychological safety Need orientation and motivation Relationships, imprinting, empathy and hormonal control Meaning and satisfaction Brain health and corporate health Personal development, mastery and excellence Decisions and cognitive biases Mindfulness and focus | Contribution to EUPONS We want to help people and companies flourish. That employees can realize their potential at work, have meaningful work, experience great relationships and a positive atmosphere and create excellent results and products. We want employee wellbeing and profitability to go hand in hand and the interdependence to be clearly recognized. |
| Specialist group: Digital Transformation | Head: Prof. Dr. Ernst Althaus |
| Background and relevance The digital transformation is omnipresent in today’s world. The resulting challenges can only be mastered through a competent approach and critical scrutiny of the technologies. | Research and thematic priorities One aim of the working group is to support EUPONS projects by providing and adapting digital technologies. Artificial intelligence, particularly with regard to fairness, privacy and ethical aspects, is an important area of research here. We also want to use our AI expertise to recognize emotions and in education. |
| Neuroscientific perspective We want to explore the question of how digital technologies can be used sensibly in a neuroscientific context. | Contribution to EUPONS In addition to the risks that arise from the use of digital technologies, they offer a great opportunity to obtain scientifically relevant data and to disseminate new findings in various ways. These opportunities must be seized. |
| Specialist group: Communication & Public Engagement | Head: Caprice Innauer |
| Background and relevance The Communication & Public Engagement specialist group is concerned with the comprehensible, scientifically sound and socially relevant communication of positive neuroscience topics. The aim is to make research visible, build bridges between science and the public and promote social dialog. | Research and key topics The specialist group supports and communicates content from the various EUPONS specialist areas. The focus is on science communication, media relations, social media, public engagement and the target group-oriented preparation of complex content for different social contexts. |
| Neuroscientific perspective The specialist group takes into account findings on how people absorb, process and emotionally categorize information. Content is designed in such a way that it can be communicated in an understandable, accessible and effective way without losing its scientific quality. | Contribution to EUPONS Communication & Public Engagement sees itself as a communicative link between research, practice and society. The specialist group helps to make scientific findings visible, raise public awareness of EUPONS topics and strengthen interdisciplinary exchange with the outside world. |
Staff unit and legal advice
| Staff Unit Science Controlling & Consulting | Head: Doris Cornils |
| Background and relevance Development of measures to safeguard and guarantee “good scientific practice” (GwP) and excellent research. | Research and key topics The staff unit is not a specialist group. It is located at the Executive Board for the purpose of jointly developing and ensuring the scientific excellence of EUPONS. |
| Neuroscientific perspective These are taken into account in the development of scientific standards. | Contribution to EUPONS: see above |
| Legal advice, internal Internal support from EUPONS | Head: Dr. Jo Aschenbrenner |