Nils Bühler – curriculum vitae

Photo: Sharon Nathan

Nils Bühler

Profile

Doctorate in media culture studies with several years of experience in adapting complex content to specific target groups. Expert in digital workflows and knowledge management as well as open source solutions for researchers.

Professional experience

Lecturer and Author on Digital Research Workflows | since May 2025

Design and implementation of workshops and courses on AI-supported research methods, data management, and digital workflows
Target groups: doctoral candidates, postdocs, advanced students from various disciplines
Articles on my own blog on the above-mentioned topics

Lecturer | since 2023

Independent conception and execution of university courses on research topics (see below)

Doctoral Scholarship Holder | a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne | 2022-2025

Independent conception, organization, and implementation of a comprehensive research project on media history (see below)
Participation in continuing education courses and international conferences

Online Editor | result gmbh, Cologne | 2020-2022

Conceptualization, creation, and editing of content for websites in various industries (media companies, financial service providers, insurance companies)
Project management and coordination of smaller customer projects from conception to publication
Collaboration with external partners and supervision of working students
SEO optimization, technical podcast production, customer communication
Development of target group-oriented content strategies

Student Assistant, digital publishing | result gmbh, Cologne | 2017-2020

Copywriting for digital formats (blogs, websites, social media)
Editorial editing and quality assurance
Support for client projects and SEO measures

Research Assistant | Institute for Media Culture and Theater, University of Cologne | 2019-2020

Support in research and teaching
Participation in conference organization

Academic Career

Lecturer | University of Cologne | since October 2025

Specialization in methods of digital humanities
Creation of a digital edition of BPjS files
Course for students of the a.r.t.e.s. Research Masters on the transformation of the humanities and cultural studies through digitization and AI (see also ‘Teaching’).

Doctorate in Theater and Media Studies | University of Cologne | 2021-2025

Der Staat gegen das verführerische Spiel: Automaten- und Computerspielkontrolle in Preußen, der Weimarer Republik, dem NS-Staat und der Bonner Republik (The State Against the Seductive Game: Regulation of Coin Operated and Computer Games in Prussia, the Weimar Republic, the Nazi State, and the Bonn Republic)

Graduation with “summa cum laude” in July 2025
Duration of doctoral studies excluding preparation: 3 years (funded 2022-2025)
Funding through a competitively awarded doctoral scholarship from the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne (total volume 60,400 euros)
Discourse analysis and history of emotions of state media control in the 20th century
Intensive work with historical sources, their digitization, and digital processing
Title awarded after publication (expected mid-2026)

Master of Arts in Media Culture Studies | University of Cologne | 2017-2020

Bachelor of Arts in Media Culture Studies and English Studies | University of Cologne | 2013-2017

Project Management & Organisation

Co-founder and Board Member | Bundesverband Promovierende e. V. (Federal Association of Doctoral Researchers in Germany) | 2023-2024

Co-founded and established the first nationwide interest group for doctoral candidates (approx. 200,000 doctoral candidates in Germany)
Networking with universities, research institutions, ministries, and political decision-makers
Political advocacy, strategic communication, and development of a programmatic roadmap
Coordination of working groups and volunteer teams

Organisational Lead | a.r.t.e.s. forum 2023 “Challenging Surroundings” | University of Cologne | July 2023

Conceptualization, planning, and implementation of a multi-day international scientific conference
Responsibility for budget, scheduling, and coordination of the organisational committee

Doctoral Student Representative | a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne | 2022-2024

Representation of the interests of approximately 120 doctoral students
Organization of exchange formats and networking events
Participation in academic self-governing bodies, including the Strategy Board for the University of Excellence application

Project and organizational management in employment

Project management for smaller client and internal projects | result gmbh | 2020-2022
Conference organization “Retro Cultures and Digital Archives” | Institute for Media Culture and Theater | 2020

Digital skills & continuing education

Participation in continuing education courses

Automatic Text Recognition | German Historical Institute Paris | September 2023
Research Data Management | a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School | December 2024
Introduction to Programming with Python (Harvard's CS50) | June 2025

Practical experience

Digitization and digital processing of historical sources for own research purposes
Good knowledge of Python, CSL, Nunjucks, sh/bash, Perl scripting, and web development
Expertise in digital workflows for text and data processing as well as text creation

Language skills

German: First language
English: C1 (publication and lecture experience)
French: basic knowledge
Dutch: basic knowledge

Memberships and Offices

Gesellschaft für Medienwissenschaften (GfM)

Verband der Historiker und Historikerinnen Deutschlands (VHD)

Arbeitskreis Geisteswissenschaften und Digitale Spiele (AKGWDS)

Bundesverband Promovierende (Co-Founder, Executive Board member 2023-2024)

Speaker of the PhD researchers at the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne (2022–2024)