Educating Adolescents Around the Globe

Alina Burkholder has worked in international contexts throughout her career, including several roles in international education. Alina earned her B.S. in psychology from the University of Braunschweig and her M.S. in cross-cultural psychology from Osnabrück University, both in Germany. Additionally, she has conducted research at universities in New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and Japan. Through the course of her work and studies, she has consistently sought experiences to apply her theoretical knowledge of cross-cultural psychology to advance intercultural engagement, understanding, and learning. Currently, she is a Public Diplomacy Officer at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Washington, D.C.Dr. Meike Watzlawik is professor for developmental, cultural, and educational psychology at the Sigmund Freud University Berlin (SFU). While studying psychology at the University of Braunschweig, she was already working as a volunteer at a youth counseling center supporting adolescents and young adults (12 to 26 years of age) who were being faced with developmental challenges (e.g., low self-esteem or problems with parents and peers). In her studies on the psychology of adolescence, she examined sexual identity development (Ph.D.), sibling relationships (Habilitation) as well as identity development in general (diverse projects in several countries). Prior to her current position at SFU Berlin, she was the CEO of a private career-counseling center where she helped adolescents and young adults find the right educational or occupational path- always stressing that, despite all universalities, sight of the individual must never be lost.