Franziska Hartung, PhD

I am a cognitive neuroscientist and psychologist interested in narrative, communication, aesthetics, stigma, and social cognition. I have just been awarded a Career Development Award from The VCTC Foundation for the project Facing Stigma: Understanding the Mechanisms Underlying Cognitive and Social Impacts of Facial Differences on Human Interaction (2026-2029). For ongoing work, have a look at my Open Science profile.  If you are interested in a collaboration, email me.

Since 2021, I am a lecturer for Cognitive Psychology at Newcastle University. Before coming to the UK, I completed my PhD at the Max-Plank Institute for Psycholinguistics and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour in the Netherlands followed by 4+ years of postdoctoral training at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Here is my CV and Google Scholar Profile. 

If you want to learn about Open Science, I am happy to help. I give workshops and summer schools and am currently co-writing a student Handbook. Please email me if you are interested in one of my seminars or workshops or consultancy.

I also have experience in consulting for facial difference or facial injury related topics. For instance, I have worked on several lawsuits involving acquired (facial) injuries that permanently affected a person’s appearance and function. I am also currently working on a protype for a public education resource on visible differences. Please contact me if you are interested. 

Keywords: narrative, fMRI, connectivity, (neuro-)aesthetics, theory of mind, social cognition, social perception, stigmatization, dehumanization, Open Science