Verena Flörchinger is a social science disaster researcher and has been part of the EQuiP project since November 2024. As a research associate at HWR Berlin, she coordinates the project. She studied geography and anthropology at Heidelberg University and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, with a focus on human–environment research. After completing her master’s degree, she increasingly specialised in disaster research. This included DAAD-funded research stays in the high mountain regions of Nepal, where she examined risk perception, reconstruction, and socio-economic transformation processes. She also participated in a transdisciplinary research project on integrated disaster risk management at the Disaster Research Center (Katastrophenforschungsstelle – KFS) at Freie Universität Berlin. Her research interests include political ecology, disaster capitalism, and climate change adaptation.

Malena García Lombardi is an antrhopologist who completed her studies at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. She went on to earn a master’s degree in International Security Management from HWR Berlin. During her studies, she contributed to the projects SeGewPa – Immediate Care after Sexualised Violence and Violence in Close Social Contexts and Police Accountability – Towards International Standards. Since November 2024, she has been working as a research associate in the project EQuiP under the direction of Prof. Dr. Vincenz Leuschner. Her research interests include disaster anthropology, public security, political ecology, and inclusion in disaster risk reduction.

Prof. Dr. Olaf Neumann has been Professor of Methodical Practice in Social Work at Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin (ASH) since 2016. He holds a diploma in social work, a doctorate in community psychology, a qualification in theatre pedagogy, and is a licensed child and adolescent psychotherapist. From 2018 to 2023, he served as Vice-Rector for Research, Cooperation, and Digitalisation at Alice Salomon University. His research focuses on intervention studies in the fields of crisis intervention and support, particularly within social psychiatry and disaster response, as well as organisational and quality development. He is a board member of the Society for Community Psychological Research and Practice (GGFP) and was one of the co-developers of the Berlin Crisis Service. His teaching primarily takes place in the online bachelor’s programme in Social Work (BASA-online).

Laura Aßmann completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at the University of Edinburgh and the Universiteit van Amsterdam. She pursued a master’s degree in social and cultural psychology at the Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, the University of Limerick, and Koç Üniversitesi. Before joining the EQuiP project, she worked as a psychosocial support worker in a youth welfare programme and at a women’s domestic violence shelter. She also was a research associate in the BMBF-funded project PsychoKat – Coping with Psychosocial Conditions in Crises and Disasters. Since November 2024, she has been part of the EQuiP project at ASH. Under the direction of Prof. Dr. [Name], she supports the project’s academic work and is developing a blended learning training programme. Her research interests focus on community psychology, cultural psychology, and adult education.

Peter Waterstraat holds a diploma in social work, a master’s degree in Disaster Management and Risk Governance, and is a certified consultant for psychotraumatology (DeGPT). Trained in emergency pastoral care and post-incident support, he serves as the head of the Coordination Office at the Frankfurt am Main Public Health Department. In this role, he also acts as a PSNV advisor within the city’s crisis management team and is involved in leadership training for PSNV in the state of Hesse. Since 2016, Peter Waterstraat has been the spokesperson for the PSNV Working Group of the German Society for Disaster Medicine (DGKM).

Paul Goesmann studied psychology at the University of Mannheim and the Technical University of Dresden. Since November 2024, he has been working as a research associate at the Frankfurt am Main Public Health Department within the EQuiP project. His research interests include psychosocial emergency care, suicide prevention, and the health and safety of first responders in high-risk environments. In addition to his academic background, he brings practical experience from his work as a paramedic.

Benjamin Schmidt is a sociologist and criminologist. He leads the working group “Innovation, Scientific Networking and Research” in the Department for Public Safety and Order at the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport. This working group is responsible for third-party funding within the department, as well as for research commissions and evaluation initiatives. Within the EQuiP project, he serves as the project lead on behalf of the Senate Department.

Laura Jäkel is a political scientist. As deputy head of the working group “Innovation, Scientific Networking and Research” in the Department of Public Safety and Order at the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport, she coordinates the EQuiP project within the Senate Department.

Jana Hunnius holds a degree in sociology and criminology and works in the working group “Innovation, Scientific Networking, and Research” at the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport. Within the EQuiP project, she is responsible for project management.

Jan Stalder is a political scientist with a background in public administration. He is a member of the working group “Innovation, Scientific Networking, and Research” at the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport, where he contributes to EQuiP among other projects.

Niklas Schneeberger holds a master’s degree in communication design and works in the working group “Innovation, Scientific Networking, and Research” at the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport. His main responsibilities within the EQuiP project include public relations and evaluation.