Meet the New Leadership at the DWIH New York
Dr. Kathrin DiPaola began in her position as Program Manager at the DWIH New York March 1. In a short interview, she tells us about her background, vision and what the DWIH audience can anticipate with her at the helm.
Hi, Kathrin! Tell us a bit about you and where you’re coming from.
My name is Dr. Kathrin DiPaola, and I am very happy and excited to join the amazing DWIH Team in New York as the new Program Manager!
Most of all I am also very grateful to be back home in a city where I have spent many inspiring years—last as an Assistant Professor and Director of Deutsches Haus @ NYU down in the beautiful Washington Mews.
What brought you to the DWIH?
Incidentally, I am not a stranger to the DWIH and the DAAD, as I worked closely with the DAAD NY and many of its partners during my time here and also in Germany, where I held a position as Head of one of the DAAD stipend divisions in Bonn.
So, when the position became vacant, I knew that this is something I would very much like to be part of as I had never fully left academia and am very keen on promoting and shaping the active transfer of knowledge. Luckily, it worked out, and I could not be happier for this incredible opportunity.
What excites you about the DWIH?
I have always been excited about the mission of the DWIH New York to internationalize German research, showcase technology, foster collaboration, support co-creation between startups and enterprises, and actively promote the transfer of knowledge across the Atlantic. The DWIH has built an incredible and successful partner network in a major international hub for innovation and cutting edge research, and I am much looking forward to pushing even more forward-looking ideas and partnerships with the amazing team.
What can the DWIH New York audience expect in the future?
Every year, the DWIHs around the world have a focus theme. This year’s topic is “Society in Transition – Impacts of the Pandemic,” and we will see a number of stellar events and initiatives we are putting together with our partners and friends. One highlight will of course be our annual FUTURE FORUM, which we are hoping to host as a hybrid event in Chicago in October. We have a lot to do, and I am REALLY looking forward to meeting our audience, guests, and partners in person – virtually at first, and then hopefully the good old fashioned analog ways soon! In the meantime, you know where to find us and check in with us regularly!
About Dr. Kathrin DiPaola
Dr. Kathrin DiPaola looks back at an impressive record of academic and industry endeavors and has worked for stellar institutions and companies in Europe and the U.S. She received a PhD from the University of Maryland with a dissertation on postcolonial literature in the South Pacific and a Master’s Degree from Arizona State University on Kafka’s fragment Amerika. Until 2010, she held appointments as Assistant Professor and was the youngest and first female Director of Deutsches Haus at New York University. In 2012, she left academia to pursue a career in mobility consulting, where she was responsible for the intersection between products/technologies in social and cultural processes. Clients included OEMs, city governments, suppliers, urban planners, and more.
In October 2018, she joined Business Sweden, the Swedish Trade and Invest Council, and took on an assignment as Senior Investment Advisor, helping German companies in different sectors to grow and partner with the Swedish innovation ecosystem. Until February 2021 and before joining the DWIH, Dr. DiPaola held the position of Managing Director Germany for the Swedish tech scale-up TechBuddy, with market presence in Sweden, Spain, Israel and Germany.