Dr. Christian von Sikorski is Professor of Communication with a focus on media effects research at the Institute for Media and Communication Studies at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, where he directs the Media Effects Research Unit. His research focuses on digital media effects, media psychology, and political communication. In particular, his work examines political polarization processes, the political communication of actors such as social media influencers in digital media environments, the role of misinformation and disinformation in political communication processes, political scandal coverage, and the role of artificial intelligence in (political) communication processes. His research has been recognized with awards from the German Communication Association (DGPuK), the International Communication Association (ICA), and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). His university teaching has been honored multiple times with competitive teaching awards.

He is the Director of the master’s program in Media and Political Communication at Freie Universität Berlin and also serves as an Associate Editor of the journal Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly.