Research and Teaching Rationale

They often say research is "self search". That was definitely the case in my career development and it is one of the biggest surprises in my life that I ended up as a university professor in the U.S.

I was raised as a Hungarian immigrant in Austria – not speaking a word of German, when I first arrived in the new country, aged six. My parents have left Hungary right after the communist rule ended in hope for a better future “in the West”. I have battled with exclusion and mobbing at school, as I was part of a marginalized group of foreigners, with very low socioeconomic status and even lower societal standing.

Due to the mental health issues of my father, my parents divorced and my mother moved back to Hungary to her parents with me and my sister, as she had no chance of securing a job due to a lack of German language skills. I was looking forward to the move back then – as I thought that in my home country I would finally be accepted by my peers. To my biggest surprise, there I was perceived as a foreigner yet again, as I was not accommodated to the recently post-communist Hungarian school system, which was very different from that of a “western country”, like Austria.

Although from a U.S. perspective these seem to be minor changes, in Europe there are significant differences in culture (and school systems) between countries. Back then, aged twelve, I started to realize the complexities of social inclusion and exclusion, along with the challenges arising from being raised by a single mother. Despite this, I believed that if I would just work hard enough, I could make it, although nobody really believed I would. I was set back 2 years in 8th grade and being older than my peers, most teachers looked at me like a failure. But this time around, I also found some allies and was able to develop friendships. So, nevertheless - with the help of my friends and role-models - I persisted. And, in my final year at high school, I applied to the University of Zurich, Switzerland - and got accepted to study psychology. A dream of mine came true!

Arriving in Zurich, alone in yet another new country, I had to work manifold odd jobs to be able to cover my living expenses. I was often jealous of my peers, who - being supported by (what I perceived to be) “wealthy” Swiss parents - could focus all their time to just study, while I would show up in class tired and exhausted, if I was able to show up at all. I thought of how much more chances they would have to succeed; how much easier their lives must be. But later on, after graduating, suddenly I saw that I had various job offers (as I had years of work experience and had built a career besides my studies) and was succeeding professionally, while many of them struggled to find or keep a job.

I also realized that I had learned so many things, such as time management, juggling different responsibilities, and being efficient and effective, that the others in my cohort never had the opportunity to learn. So, in hindsight, I am truly grateful for all my experiences as they helped me become more resilient and empathetic, and made me who I am today.

Back in my undergraduate years, I started intensively researching social identity to find answers to all my experiences. This has shaped my career and has provided the motivation for the development of my research identity. Hence, the topic of social support and inclusion is something that I take very seriously, in my everyday life, as well as in my teaching. I strive to create an environment where unique perspectives and experiences are respected and valued, ensuring that everyone feels supported and included. This commitment shapes how I approach my work, aiming to empower others while promoting understanding and collaboration.

One thing that I have learned is that there are manifold skills that seemingly disadvantaged people develop during their lives and which they can utilize in today’s world to succeed.

In my research, I explore these skills and traits. My mission is to help disadvantaged people find, foster, and develop those skills and my work allows me to do exactly that, for which I am truly grateful.