Scientific Committee

Prof. Arndt Büssing, MD (Head)

University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany

Curriculum vitae

• Professor of Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany
• Member of the Commission C, Federal Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products (BfArM)
• Scientific Assistant, Professorship for Medicine Theory and Complementary Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany

Priorities

• Spirituality, quality of life and coping
• Development of questionnaires for the quality of life research

Prof. Dr. Fereshteh Ahmadi

University of Gävle, Sweden

Curriculum vitae

• Professor of Sociology, Department of Social Work and Psychology, University of Gävle, Sweden

Priorities

• Religious and spiritual coping
• Music and coping

Prof. Dr. Donia Baldacchino

University of Malta, Malta

Curriculum vitae

• Associate Professor, University of Malta, Malta
• Visiting Professor, University of South Wales, Wales
• Adjunct Faculty Member, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA

Priorities

• Religion and spirituality in nursing care
• Spiritual care education of health care professionals

Prof. Dr. theol. Klaus Baumann

University of Freiburg, Germany

Curriculum vitae

• Professor of Caritas Science, Faculty of Theology, University of Freiburg, Germany

Priorities

• Interdisciplinary dialogue theology - human and social sciences
• Caritas theology, history and spirituality

Prof. Arjan Braam, MD

University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Curriculum vitae

• Extraordinary Professor of Psychiatry and Philosophy, University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• Psychiatrist at the Emergency Department of Utrecht, The Netherlands
• Instructor in Psychiatry at Altrecht Mental Health, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Priorities

• Worldviews and public mental health with particular attention for psychiatry
• Religious resources and depression

Prof. Dr. med. Jean-Marc Burgunder

University Hospital Bern, Switzerland

Curriculum vitae

• Visiting Professor of Neurogenetics, Sichuan University of Chengdu and Central South University of Changsha, China
• Adjunct Professor of Neurology, Sun Yat Sen University, Guangzhou, China
• Neurologist and Konsiliar for Neurogenetics, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
• Head of the Swiss Huntington Competence Center in the Foundation Siloah, Gümligen, Switzerland

Priorities

• Experimental neurology, neurogenetics
• Neuroscience and spirituality

Prof. Dr. Mary Rute G. Esperandio

Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, Brazil

Curriculum vitae

• Professor of Theology, Pontifical Catholic University of Parana (PUCPR), Brazil

Priorities

• Integration of spirituality into patient care / health care

Ass. Prof. Dr. Barbara Hanfstingl

University of Klagenfurt, Austria

Curriculum vitae

• Assistant Professor at the Institute for Teaching and School Development, University of Klagenfurt, Austria

Priorities

• Psychology of learning and teaching, connection of implicit and explicit knowledge systems
• Development of resilience

René Hefti, MD

Research Institute for Spirituality and Health RISH, Langenthal, Switzerland

Curriculum vitae

• Head of the Research Institute for Spirituality and Health (RISH), Langenthal, Switzerland
• Lecturer for psychosocial medicine, University of Berne, Switzerland
• Medical Consultant, Clinic SGM, Langenthal, Switzerland

Priorities

• Stress and religious coping in chronic pain
• Doctors' beliefs and medical practice

Prof. Dr. theol. Niels Christian Hvidt

University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

Curriculum vitae

• Associate Professor, Research Unit of Health, Man, and Society, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
• Coordinator for Interdisciplinary Nordic Network for Research in Faith and Health

Priorities

• Impact of values of physicians on motivation, communication, and ethics in diverse cultures
• Religious coping

Dr. phil. Constantin Klein, Dipl.-Psych. Dipl.-Theol.

University of Bielefeld, Germany

Curriculum vitae

• Scientific Assistant at the Faculty of Theology (Chair of Religious Education), University of Bielefeld, Germany

Priorities

• Development and improvement of methods of empirical research on religion
• Religiosity an physical / mental health

Prof. Harold G. Koenig, MD

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

King Abdulazis University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Curriculum vitae

• Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Associate Professor for Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
• Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Adjunct Professor of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, P. R. China

Priorities

• Religion, medicine and health
• Integration of religion and spirituality in health care

Prof. Piotr Krakowiak, PhD

Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland

Curriculum vitae

• Professor of Social Work, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
• Professor of Pastoral Psychology, WSD SAC Oltarzew, Warsaw, Poland
• National Chaplain of Hospices in Poland

Priorities

• Hospice-palliative care, non-medical issues of end-of-life care and bereavement
• Spiritual and pastoral care

Peter La Cour, PhD

Gedhjem, Denmark

Curriculum vitae

• Leader of Knowledge Center for Functional Diseases, Psychiatry Copenhagen, Denmark
• Clinical authorized by Danish Psychological Association and authorized specialist in health psychology by Danish Health Board

Priorities

• Religion and mental health
• Religion and chronic pain

Prof. Kevin L. Ladd, PhD

Indiana University, South Bend, USA

Curriculum vitae

• Professor of Psychology, Indiana University, South Bend, USA

Priorities

• Mental, emotional, and behavioral aspects of prayer / psychology of prayer
• Role of prayer in health care settings

Ass. Prof. Dr. Tatjana Schnell

University of Innsbruck, Austria

Curriculum vitae

• Associate Professor, in charge of Personality and Individual Differences, Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Austria

Priorities

• Personality and differential psychology
• Empirical meaning research

Katarzyna Skrzypinska, PhD

University of Gdansk, Poland

Curriculum vitae

• Post-doctoral Fellow, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Gdansk, Poland

Priorities

• Spirituality, personality and health

Prof. Dr. John Swinton

Kings College, University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Curriculum vitae

• Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care, Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies, King's College, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Priorities

• Spirituality, health and disability / dementia and mental health
• Nursing, ministry and health care chaplaincy