Undergraduate and postgraduate education and work experience

• Since 2000: Professor at the FHNW School of Social Work of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
• 1999: PhD in Pedagogy/Social Education at the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Zurich
• 1992: Dipl. Social Work
• 1991: Licentiate phil. I, Social Work, University of Fribourg
• 1984-1991: Studied social work, sociology, criminal and family law at the University of Fribourg and the Free University of Berlin

Practice activities and responsibilities

• Since 1985/1997: Co-founder and since 1997 president of the Dessaules Foundation, Biel (decentralised residential care groups)
• 1997-2007: President of the Swiss AIDS Federation
• 1995-1997: Member of the Board of the Swiss AIDS Federation
• 1989-1990: Johannesstift Spandau, Berlin: social educator in a residential group for the rehabilitation of young people with disabilities

Main focus

Research and development

• Social scientific HIV research: HIV prevention, HIV protective behaviour and social work offers for people with HIV
• Stigmatisation and discrimination
• Research-based intervention development and innovation in social work
• History of social work

Teaching

• Scientific theory and research methods
• Responsibility in continuing education
• CAS Research in the Social Sciences (cooperation with the University of Zurich)