Prof. Dr. Stephanie Steinmetz

My research centers around several themes:

In relation to intersecting inequalities in education and the labor market, I am currently the PI of the European Research Council (ERC) approved project ‘PROFEM’(2024-2029), and a Co-PI of the HORIZON Europe project EQUALSTRENGTH (2023-2026) both focusing on the integration of (female) immigrants and their experiences of discrimination in host societies, employing experimental methods.

Furthermore, part of my research also focuses on wellbeing. In this context, I am the Co-PI of the Swiss SNF-project CovidGen, which focuses on the consequences of the COVID measures on youth wellbeing in Switzerland, as well as of ‘The empty office’ project, which explores the relationship between teleworking, social networks and well-being.

In a recent short-term collaborative project, moreover, we explore the impact of generative AI on employment vulnerability of workers in the music industry through the collection of novel data in the Netherlands.

In addition, I am Secretary General of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), which collects comparative survey data in 45 countries worldwide. Moreover, I am also the PI of the Swiss Generation and Gender Programme (GGP), which will collected - for the first time - the GGS in Switzerland in 2026.

Below you can learn more about my current projects!

PROFEM

Is an ERC-consolidator project which investigates how gender and migration background intersect to shape labour market inequalities across countries and over time. It examines segregation patterns, the role of education, wage impacts, company practices, and institutional impact. By advancing theoretical and empirical understanding of these dynamics, it will provide crucial insights to inform more effective and inclusive policies in European labour markets.

More information coming soon!

GENFAM

GenFam is the first comprehensive project to systematically examine key societal challenges related to the unchanging gender relations in paid and unpaid work, increasing family diversity and declining fertility in Switzerland.

More information coming soon!

GenAI

In the project Fair Remuneration in Times of Generative AI: A Reality Check for the Dutch Music Sector, explainable AI, sociological research, and legal expertise converge to develop policy recommendations for compensating Dutch artists and rights-holders. The project considers the technical capabilities of generative AI, the perspectives of artists and rights-holders, and the evolving EU regulatory landscape.

More information here!

Equalstrength

Focusing on ethnic, racial, and religious minorities, EqualStrength analyzes how cumulative discrimination, outgroup prejudice, and hate crimes operate across multiple life domains to reproduce inequality over generations. Led by a consortium of ten European research institutions, this Horizon Europe-funded project takes a cross-setting, intersectional approach, using innovative and targeted methods - including field experiments, large-scale survey data, meso-level policy analysis, and direct engagement with affected communities - to better understand and address these forms of discrimination.

More information here!

COVIDGEN

CovidGen examines wellbeing of young people and the response of the policy field to support their wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is funded by the SNFS (NRP80 “Covid-19 in Society”) and involves researchers from FORS, the University of Lausanne and the University of Neuchâtel. It is also collaborates closely with several policy partners.

More information here!

TEO

TEO aims to understand how the expansion of remote work since the pandemic has transformed social relationships at work and beyond, and how these changes affect worker well-being and attachment to the workplace. Led by the University of Geneva it collects quantitative and qualitative data on teleworkers’ personal networks and well-being in four countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland) to also inform future labor and social policies.

More information here!

Data collections and survey methodology

I also have a strong interest in survey methodology and data collection. In this context, I am involved in several large-scale, cross-national data collection efforts, with a focus on continuously improving both representativeness and measurement quality.

ISSP

The ISSP is a cross-national collaboration programme conducting annual surveys on diverse topics relevant to social sciences. Established in 1984 by its founding members Australia, Germany, Great Britain and the US, the ISSP has since included members covering various cultures around the globe. Its institutional members, each of them representing one nation, consist of academic organizations, universities, or survey agencies. Since its foundation, over one million respondents have participated in the surveys of the ISSP. All collected data and documentation is available free of charge.

GGP

Coming soon

Beyond the binary

In this line of research I examine together with colleagues measurement strategies to capture gender diversity in survey data more accurately. Moving beyond traditional binary classifications, it tests alternative question formats that incorporate inclusive gender categories and multidimensional measures, such as self-ascribed masculinity and femininity. By assessing how different survey designs affect response behavior, data quality, and substantive outcomes, the research provides methodological evidence to improve the representation of gender diversity in social science surveys and to inform best practices in official statistics and academic research.

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