My name is Jessica Ordemann, I am a social demographer and I work as a senior researcher at the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW). My main research interest are the individual and societal consequences of educational processes. My aim is to investigate the development of educational inequalities and the associated life chances over the life course. I have a special focus on long-term returns on education such as private pension or the attainment of professorships. I am co-initiator of the project #IchBinHannelore which investigates inequalities in academia.

It is important to me that everyone can participate in education - independent of their social or migration background, gender or age. My research shows that the German education system is open enough for alternative pathways into the different educational stages. Unfortunately, many people are still not aware about the opportunities that exist.  I therefore not only present my research at international and national conferences such as the ISA RC28, ECSR, CIDER or SLLS. Whenever possible I transfer my research into the interested public to rise awareness about educational pathways and social problems in general.

In a previous career I was occupationally qualified in business management (BA Business Management) and worked in public relations and was an account manager for an international company. Before becoming a social demographer I also volunteered as a docent at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. (Freer and Sackler Galleries) and the Anderson House Museum