Dr. Andreas Schwarz
Head of iRisCS-Com – International Risk, Crisis, and Science Communication Research Group
+49 3677 69 4694
The International Risk, Crisis, and Science Communication Research Group (iRisCS-Com) at the Institute of Media and Communication Science at the Ilmenau University of Technology is involved in research, teaching, consulting and further education in the fields of crisis, risk, science and technology communication. iRisCS-Com and the Ilmenau University of Technology are among the most productive research centers for risk and crisis communication in Germany (see Scopus analysis).
With its work, iRisCS-Com not only aims to further develop research and teaching, but also to make a social contribution to the sustainable protection of civil society against risks and crises and to promote the perception of science as a core component of democratic and free societies.
The research group was founded in 2002 by Martin Löffelholz and has been jointly headed by Andreas Schwarz and Martin Löffelholz since 2006. In 2025, the research group was reorganized under the title iRisCS-Com and from then on headed by Andreas Schwarz. Martin Löffelholz and other international scientists and experts are associated members or organized in the Advisory Board of iRisCS-Com.
We research the structural, content-related and social dimensions of risk, crisis and science communication. We examine various threats such as natural disasters, pandemics, wars, climate change and organizational crises. Emerging technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, autonomous mobility) and innovative fields of science (e.g. astrobiology) are researched in the context of science communication.
The International Risk, Crisis, and Science Communication Research Group (iRisCS-Com) is headed by PD Dr. Andreas Schwarz. The team currently includes Elisabeth U. Wagner-Olfermann, other external PhD students and numerous associated members - scientists and experts - from other institutions. Melanie Waltinger supports the team as an assistant.
