Open to opportunities

Kathrin Leitner

@kathrinleitner

Message

Cultural anthropologist and data scientist driving AI-enabled educational innovation.

Switzerland

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek roles that let me lead interdisciplinary teams to implement AI-driven educational products and curriculum innovation, prioritize ethical, human-centered solutions, and enable measurable impact at institutional scale.

I am a cultural anthropologist (PhD) and data scientist (MSc) who combines socio-technical research, human-centered design, and advanced data skills to drive digital transformation in higher education and sustainable development. I have led university-wide initiatives — from product ownership of a student portal for 25,000+ users to piloting Copilot agents and scaling AI literacy for thousands of staff — while managing interdisciplinary XR and curriculum innovation projects.

My background includes five+ years of applied research and project leadership across socio-technical innovation, AI ethics, and sustainable development, with hands-on expertise in NLP, Python, R, participatory co-design, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. I deliver pragmatic, research-informed solutions that balance user needs, technical feasibility, and institutional strategy to create measurable educational and societal impact.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Educational Innovation Expert

Current

Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Aug 2024 - Present (1 year 6 months)

Drive university-wide educational transformation at the intersection of AI and emerging technology; own the Student Portal product roadmap for 25,000+ users, lead GenAI Skills Hub redesign for 3,500+ staff, and launch XR and Copilot Agent pilots to scale AI literacy and immersive learning impact.

Product Ownership AI Literacy XR Project Management Stakeholder Management Roadmapping Pilot Cross Functional Collaboration

Research Associate

Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts

Aug 2019 - Jul 2024 (4 years 11 months)

Conducted applied socio-technical research and taught bachelor-level courses while delivering 20+ R&D projects on sustainable development and digitalization, producing actionable insights for public, private, and NGO partners.

Qualitative Research Quantitative Analysis Human Centered Design AI Ethics Data Visualization Stakeholder Engagement

Business Consultant

MondayCoffee

Feb 2021 - Dec 2023 (2 years 10 months)

Led adaptation and implementation of a collaboration and intranet platform for a Microsoft Gold partner, analyzing business requirements and delivering project plans, milestones, and stakeholder coordination.

Business Analysis Project Management Stakeholder Management Requirements Gathering Implementation Jira Confluence

Assistant CEO

Choclo - Sparkling Happiness

Feb 2013 - Oct 2015 (2 years 8 months)

Managed strategic and operational activities for Switzerland's first organic chocolate lemonade, conducting market research, key account engagement, and supporting launch and sales strategies.

Strategic Planning Key Account Management Market Research Sales Strategy Product Launch Customer Acquisition

Project Worker

The Global Player

Jul 2004 - Mar 2008 (3 years 8 months)

Co-produced and distributed a magazine supporting dignity, justice, and democracy for migrant communities, managing editorial content, events, fundraising, and financial administration.

Project Management Fundraising Community Outreach Financial administration

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts

Master of Science, Applied Information and Data Science

2021 - 2023

Activities and societies: Master thesis on enterprise knowledge management with LLM-based recommender systems; coursework and projects in NLP, RAG, and data visualization.

Completed MSc in Applied Information and Data Science specializing in NLP, large language models, and enterprise knowledge management.

FernUniversität in Hagen

MSc Interdisciplinary Distance Studies of Environmental Sciences (module completion), Environmental Sciences

2016 - 2016

Activities and societies: Completed Module 01: Operational Sustainability Management and Module 02: Market-oriented Sustainability Management.

Completed modules in operational sustainability management and market-oriented sustainability management as part of interdisciplinary distance studies.

University of Vienna

Doctor of Philosophy, Cultural and Social Anthropology

2008 - 2015

Activities and societies: Conducted comparative research on mental action models; secured research grants; fieldwork in Southeast Asia; authored doctoral thesis.

Completed doctoral research in cultural and social anthropology with a focus on sustainable development, resilience, and cross-cultural comparative studies.

University of Vienna

Master of Arts, Cultural and Social Anthropology

2002 - 2007

Activities and societies: Wrote master's thesis in collaboration with BOKU; fieldwork in Lao PDR; participation in international development projects.

Completed master's studies in cultural and social anthropology with emphasis on cultural economy, ecology, gender, and development.