Gerlinde Mauerer | Critical Masculinities | Best Researcher Award

Published on by NESIN Awards

Mrs. Gerlinde Mauerer | Critical Masculinities | Best Researcher Award

Senior Scientiest at Universität Wien, Austria

Dr. Gerlinde Mauerer is a highly accomplished academic researcher with over two decades of experience in Gender and Family Studies, Critical Masculinity Studies, and Qualitative Sociology. As a senior scientist at the University of Vienna, she has led numerous impactful, publicly funded research projects, including the FWF-funded “Gender and Family in Motion” study. Her work explores crucial social issues such as parental leave, shared caregiving roles, and constructions of masculinity, contributing to both academic knowledge and policy discussions. She is an active member of prominent international research networks and has a strong record of teaching, mentorship, and thesis supervision. Her research is marked by interdisciplinary depth and a commitment to advancing feminist and empirical sociology. While further visibility through peer-reviewed publications and global conference leadership could enhance her profile, her sustained scholarly excellence, research leadership, and societal impact make her a strong and deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award.

Professional Profile 

Education🎓

Dr. Gerlinde Mauerer is a highly accomplished academic researcher with over two decades of experience in Gender and Family Studies, Critical Masculinity Studies, and Qualitative Sociology. As a senior scientist at the University of Vienna, she has led numerous impactful, publicly funded research projects, including the FWF-funded “Gender and Family in Motion” study. Her work explores crucial social issues such as parental leave, shared caregiving roles, and constructions of masculinity, contributing to both academic knowledge and policy discussions. She is an active member of prominent international research networks and has a strong record of teaching, mentorship, and thesis supervision. Her research is marked by interdisciplinary depth and a commitment to advancing feminist and empirical sociology. While further visibility through peer-reviewed publications and global conference leadership could enhance her profile, her sustained scholarly excellence, research leadership, and societal impact make her a strong and deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award.

Professional Experience📝

Dr. Gerlinde Mauerer has over two decades of professional experience as a researcher, lecturer, and academic leader in sociology. Since 2004, she has served as a senior scientist at the Department of Sociology at the University of Vienna, contributing to numerous national research projects on gender, family, and masculinity. Her career began in 2002 as a freelance researcher and lecturer at the Universities of Vienna and Innsbruck. Between 2004 and 2005, she worked as a scientific staff member at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) in Vienna. She has also held teaching roles at multiple universities of applied sciences across Austria, specializing in sociology, gender studies, ethics, and health care. In addition to her academic instruction, she has co-authored government reports, such as the 6th Austrian Report on Families, and supervised numerous theses. Dr. Mauerer’s professional path reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary teaching, feminist research, and policy-relevant sociological inquiry.

Research Interest🔎

Dr. Gerlinde Mauerer’s research interests center on Gender and Family Studies, with a particular focus on Critical Masculinity Studies and Feminist Theory. Her work explores how gender roles and family dynamics are constructed, negotiated, and transformed within contemporary societies. She is especially interested in parental leave policies, shared caregiving responsibilities, and the shifting identities of fathers and mothers in work-family contexts. Drawing on qualitative sociological methods, she investigates the intersections of gender, labor, and care, often using empirical case studies to illuminate broader social patterns. Her research also extends to health sociology, where she examines how gender influences health practices and institutional frameworks. Dr. Mauerer’s interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, gender studies, and social policy, aiming to produce findings that not only advance academic knowledge but also inform public discourse and policy reform. Her commitment to gender equity and social justice underpins all her scholarly endeavors.

Award and Honor🏆

Dr. Gerlinde Mauerer has received numerous recognitions throughout her academic career, primarily through competitive research grants and prestigious fellowships that underscore the impact of her work in gender and family sociology. She is the principal investigator of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Elise Richter Project “Gender and Family in Motion. Parental Arrangements,” a significant achievement that reflects her standing as a leading scholar in the field. Her research has also been repeatedly funded by the Municipal Science Department of Vienna (Magistrate 7), supporting studies on paternity leave, gender roles, and work-life balance. In 2016, she was awarded a Visiting Fellowship at the University of York, UK, as part of their Gender, Sexuality and Diversities Research Cluster. Furthermore, she has served as a co-author of the 6th Austrian Report on Families, a government-commissioned project, highlighting her contributions to national policy. These honors reflect both academic excellence and real-world impact in her research.

Research Skill🔬

Dr. Gerlinde Mauerer possesses a comprehensive set of research skills grounded in qualitative sociological methodologies, making her a leading expert in the fields of gender and family studies. She is highly proficient in conducting in-depth interviews, thematic content analysis, and case study research, with a strong emphasis on empirical and interpretive approaches. Her ability to design, lead, and manage long-term, multidisciplinary research projects is evidenced by her role as principal investigator in multiple funded studies, including the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project on parental arrangements. Dr. Mauerer is adept at translating complex sociological theories into practical research frameworks, often incorporating feminist perspectives and critical masculinity theories into her analyses. She has a strong track record in publishing, securing grants, and producing policy-relevant outputs. Additionally, her collaborative work with national and international research networks demonstrates her ability to engage in cross-cultural and comparative studies, enriching the academic and societal relevance of her work.

Conclusion💡

Dr. Gerlinde Mauerer stands out as a robust and distinguished candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her long-standing academic contributions, leadership in gender and family research, and dedication to both theoretical and applied sociological inquiry are exemplary. With slight strategic enhancements in global dissemination and publication visibility, she could elevate her already impressive profile to even greater international prominence.

Publications Top Noted✍️

  1. Mauerer, G. (2025). Fatherhood Practices and Shared Parental Leave: Advancing Gender Equity in Parenting. Social Sciences, 14(5), Article 269. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14050269

  2. Mauerer, G. (2025). Hybride Männlichkeiten praxeologisch analysiert: Väter als sorgende Elternteile in der frühen Phase von Elternschaft. Österreichische Zeitschrift für Soziologie. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11614-025-00588-4

  3. Mauerer, G. (2024). Elternkarenz und soziale Nachhaltigkeit. In Nachhaltige Arbeitswelten. Überlegungen zu einer zukunftsfähigen Gestaltung von Arbeit (pp. [pages pending]). ISBN: 978-3-8309-4909-1.

  4. Schmidt, E.-M., Schmidt, A. E., & Mauerer, G. (2024). Austria – Leave Policies Report. In 20th International Review of Leave Policies and Research. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/2frts

  5. Mauerer, G. (2023). Paid Parental Leave in Correlation with Changing Gender Role Attitudes. Social Sciences, 12(9), Article 490. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090490

  6. Mauerer, G. (2023). Wird Geschlecht irgendwann egal? Newspaper article, Published on 2023-10-12.

  7. Mauerer, G. (2023). Conference Material. Conference paper, University of Vienna.

  8. Mauerer, G. (2021). Der Dual Career Mythos – Schlussfolgerungen aus empirischen Forschungen zu Väterkarenz und Elternteilzeitarbeit. In Gleichstellungspolitiken revisited (pp. [pages pending]). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-35846-4_6

  9. Mauerer, G. (2021). Work-Life-Balance und geschlechterspezifische Vorannahmen am Arbeitsplatz: Ergebnisse aus der empirischen Forschung zu Elternkarenzen in Österreich. SWS-Rundschau, April 2021.