---
title: CV · Falk Uebernickel
url: https://uebernickel.com/cv
author: Falk Uebernickel
description: Curriculum vitae of Falk Uebernickel: positions at the University of St.Gallen, ZHAW and the Hasso Plattner Institute, research, awards and education.
---

# Curriculum vitae

The main stations, in short.

## Positions

- 2026 – present: Professor at ZHAW and co-director of the [Institute of Marketing Management](https://www.zhaw.ch/en/sml/institutes-centres/imm).

- 2016 – present: Professor of Business Administration (Information Management), University of St.Gallen.

- 2024 – 27: Principal investigator with Pattie Maes at the [MIT Media Lab](https://www.media.mit.edu/groups/fluid-interfaces/overview/), Fluid Interfaces group, in the HPI–MIT Designing for Sustainability Program ([MIT profile](https://design.mit.edu/community/people/falk-uebernickel)).

- 2019: Full professor of Design Thinking and Innovation Management, Hasso Plattner Institute, University of Potsdam.

- 2023: Head of the HPI d-school and Professional Development, a unit of more than 60 people.

- 2010 – 16: Assistant Professor of Information Management, University of St.Gallen.

- 2008 – 19: Managing partner of IT Management Partner St. Gallen AG, an HSG spin-off for transformation by design in large organisations.

- 2004 – 05: Business analyst, Deloitte Business Consulting.

## Community

- 2011 – present: President and founding member of SUGAR, a global design thinking network founded with Larry Leifer at Stanford University, with more than 20 universities.

- 2022 – present: Steering committee of the d-school Afrika, University of Cape Town.

## Research

- 2025 – 27: Principal investigator with Pattie Maes, [Fluid Interfaces group, MIT Media Lab](https://www.media.mit.edu/groups/fluid-interfaces/overview/): [*Predicting problematic phone use: contextual and physiological indicators for early detection*](https://mad.mit.edu/projects/predicting-problematic-phone-use), as the basis for adaptive interventions. HPI–MIT Designing for Sustainability Program.

- 2024 – 25: Principal investigator with Pattie Maes, MIT Media Lab: [conversations with an AI-generated future self and healthier food choices](https://design.mit.edu/projects/using-ai-and-immersive-technologies-to-experience-the-future-self-and-support-sustainable-dietary-choices), tested in a randomised controlled trial with 400 participants. HPI–MIT Designing for Sustainability Program.

- 2022 – 24: Research collaboration with the MIT Center for Information Systems Research on digital strategies in incumbent firms.

- 2019 – 22: Three funded projects in the Hasso Plattner Design Thinking Research Program with Larry Leifer, Stanford University: how organisations measure, steer and embed human-centred digital innovation, with research workshops at Stanford and in Potsdam.

- 2010 – 19: Head of the Design Thinking Group at the University of St.Gallen, with partners from banking, insurance and industry.

- 21 completed doctorates under my supervision; my former doctoral students now work at Google, SAP Fioneer, Volkswagen, ZHAW and elsewhere.

- Student start-ups under my supervision include ProGlove (exit 2022) and Vimcar (exit 2023).

## Awards

- 2022: Best Paper, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, for *Loss aversion nudges to improve heating behavior and reduce carbon emissions*.

- 2022: Best Paper in Track, International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS).

- 2004: Best graduate of the year in Information Management, University of Regensburg.

## Education

- 2005 – 08: Doctorate, University of St.Gallen. Advisers: Walter Brenner and Helmut Krcmar.

- 1999 – 04: Studies in Information Management, University of Regensburg.