PhD Graduates
Welcome to the successfully completed PhDs of the DH Lab at the University of Basel! Here, we proudly showcase our graduates and their impressive projects. Each of these works signifies the successful conclusion of an exciting research journey, which we are delighted to honor here.
Projects
The project Bernoulli-Euler Online (BEOL) integrates the two edition projects Basler Edition der Bernoulli-Briefwechsel (BEBB) and Leonhardi Euleri Opera Omnia (LEOO) into one digital platform available on the web. The Beta release of the platform is now Online: beol.dasch.swiss. The dissertation was successfully completed in 2020.
Prof. Dr. Lukas Rosenthaler, Prof. Dr. Robert Iliffe (University of Oxford) and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Lauer
This study is part of a larger European network, namely ELIT (The Empirical Study of Literature training Network). In this context, Cristina is an early-stage researcher investigating the effects that reading fiction has our lives in terms on the so called “sense of possibility”. The aim of her doctoral dissertation is twofold: identifying what kinds of self-modifying feelings are elicited by text-based fictional worlds, and examining how individual differences influence the way readers respond to the theme of counterfactuality in fiction.
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Lauer (University of Basel), Prof. Anne Mangen (University of Stavanger), Dr. Moniek Kuijpers (University of Basel)
Successfully defended in November 2024, this doctoral thesis explores how digital technologies and web standards, known as Linked Open Usable Data (LOUD), improve accessibility to cultural heritage collections. It focuses on standards like the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) Presentation API 3.0, Linked Art, and the W3C Web Annotation Data Model to support the description and dissemination of heritage resources.
Grounded in Latour's Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the research investigates the socio-technical infrastructures shaping these standards. The research, part of the SNSF-funded Participatory Knowledge Practices in Analogue and Digital Image Archives (PIA) project, combines empirical studies of IIIF and Linked Art communities with an analysis of Yale University’s LUX platform. Findings highlight LOUD’s potential to enhance discoverability and collaboration while addressing challenges like data consistency and sustainability.
Prof. Dr. Peter Fornaro, Prof. Dr. Walter Leimgruber, Dr. Robert Sanderson (Yale University)
Digital games are one of the most influential media genre of the 21st century. They create awareness for historical topics that are rarely covered in regular history class. With Discovery Tour, the studio Ubisoft has recently presented a game series specifically designed for educational purposes.
The study focuses on the empirical analysis of the effect of engagement with representations of the past. Is the historical content best conveyed by the digital game or can greater learning effects be observed with traditional media? The project aims to provide exemplary insights into a potential future of digital games in historical education.
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Lauer (formerly Basel, now Mainz), Prof. Dr. Marko Demantowsky (formerly Basel/Muttenz, now Vienna)
Shuran Yang successfully completed her dissertation «The power of immersive technologies: a sociopsychological analysis of the relationship between immersive environments, storytelling, sentiment, and the impact on user experience» in September 2023. In 2012, she became a Lecturer at the Tibetan University of Nationalities, specializing in documentary and creative multimedia research and teaching. In 2021, Shuran co-founded Maisten Technology Co Ltd, which provides augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technical support and solutions to commercial clients and research institutions. Her project experiences have made her emphasize the importance of immersive storytelling and user experience (UX) in immersive environments (such as AR, VR, and Metaverse). At the Digital Humanities Lab, her research focused on the UX of immersive environments in cultural spaces.
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Lauer, Prof. Dr. Berenike Herrmann