Ph.D. Thesis: Lilith Diringer – Decisive Seconds
2026-04-13 At first glance, the arts and science seem to have little in common. Through her research, the 26-year-old is investigating how people react in high-risk situations. For her innovative approach and her commitment to higher education, the doctoral candidate has been awarded one of six coveted fellowships in the Future Scouts program run by the Stifterverband and the Reinhard Frank Foundation.
Lilith Diringer loves the circus. There, she stands on the shoulders of others: she forms the top of a human pyramid. It’s not without risk—for example, if someone loses their balance or their strength starts to fade. “I’m interested in how people make decisions as a team in high-risk situations,” she explains. Everyone has to react immediately: Stay put? Run away? Or catch them? Who is in the right position for which task? Often, there are only milliseconds to spare.
She is examining these dynamics ethnographically for her dissertation: through interviews, video analyses, and observations directly during training or performances at the circus and with cheerleaders. Lilith Diringer is supervised by organizational researcher Prof. Dr. Boukje Cnossen. “I was looking for the right place for my dissertation and found it at Leuphana. The university’s interdisciplinary approach and profile are a particularly good fit for my research,” explains Lilith Diringer.
The doctoral candidate is originally from Baden-Württemberg and has always had a broad range of interests: even as a student, she was deeply involved in environmental and educational projects, participated in competitions such as “Jugend forscht” or the Federal Environmental Competition, and won several prizes. After graduating from high school, she first worked for six months in China as an English teacher, followed by internships, including one at the German Aerospace Center.
She studied the interdisciplinary bachelor’s program “International Relations” at TU Dresden. Immediately afterward, she moved to the U.S.: At the University of Denver, she studied public policy. She received support from several prestigious scholarships, including those from the German National Academic Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service.
She never gave up her love for the circus. Her practical experience as a performer also shapes her research. “When you’re part of such teams yourself, you understand the dynamics in a completely different way,” she says. Especially in contemporary circus—a form without animal acts, but with a focus on storytelling and ensemble work—collaboration is crucial. “But my research findings are just as relevant for emergency medical services, fire departments, and other people in high-risk situations,” explains Lilith Diringer.
Alongside her doctoral studies, the doctoral candidate is involved in university development. As a so-called “Future Scout,” she works with the Stifterverband to integrate research more closely into innovative teaching formats and to conduct interdisciplinary research.
The Future Scouts program supports early-career researchers who develop innovative ideas for higher education by analyzing international trends and deriving practical solutions. As a Future Scout, she works on the topic of “Spaces for Change” and develops approaches for how universities can strengthen diversity, cohesion, and psychological safety to improve their capacity for innovation and their societal impact.