I am Dinah
I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. At the moment I am investigating the history of neurophysiological research into vision and Attempts to translate this knowledge to technological applications of ‚Vision‘. (Achtung!—There might be cat content!)
What I Do
My research focuses on the historical transformation of scientific experiments and observation techniques, analyzing their change in response to shifting material, epistemic, and practical conditions. I place a special emphasis on information Technologies, Infrastructures and their underlying processes.
Committed to advancing the field, I actively work to ensure its long-term sustainability by fostering collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups, particularly supporting students and early-career researchers:
Postdoctoral Research
In the DFG Project „Artificial Vision at Work“ at the Deutsches Museum München I investigate the history of neurophysiology, communications engineering, cybernetics and AI. The focus lies on the permeation of research by information theories and information technologies, and the accompanying transformation of both the study and the understanding of vision in organisms. The shaping of vision on various levels (from scientific concepts to the practical conduct of seeing in specific fields of work) i examine in relation to attempts to automate sight.
Comic on the ‚Digital Transformation‘
I am leading the project to create a contemporary historical comic about the Brandenburg an der Havel steelworks. The project involves the artist Aike Arndt and the historians Johannes Kleinmann and Michael Homberg. We are funded by the Leibniz Lab „Disruptions and Transformations„. Together with contemporary witnesses we are creating a comic that weaves the memories of those involved into a broader historical context.
Information about the release in spring 2027 will follow!
Doctorat En Histoire: History of Image Processing and Pattern Recognition
2020-2024, I conducted research on the history of image processing and Pattern Recognition in the „IGGI“ project (PI: Rudolf Seising) at the Deutsches Museum. I defended my dissertation on the history and epistemology of image processing and pattern recognition in the FRG between 1950 and 1980 at the C²DH of the University of Luxembourg in December 2024. Using case studies in particle physics, communications engineering, and computer science, I focused on the material, social and epistemic conditions under which these technologies and Practices emerged, changed and solidified to some extent.
Academic Self-Government
After representing the early career researchers, I am currently on the program committee of the German Society for the History of Technology (gtg) and delegate in the National Committee of the FRG for the International Union for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IUHPST), Division of History of Science and Technology (DHST).
Together with the gtg I’ve organized quite a few early career events. Helen Ahner and I also launched the online writing week in cooperation with gtg and INSIST.
