PD Dr. Jan Pfetsch, M.A. is an associate professor at the Interdisciplinary Research Team on Internet and Society (IRTIS), a research department of the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University. His research focuses on digital media and social behavior. More specifically, he is interested in online interaction risks (like cyberbullying, online hate speech, non-consensual sexting, or cybergrooming) in adolescent’s internet use. Related, he has researched the role of empathy and bystanders of aggression in online and offline contexts. Additional research focuses on teaching-learning processes with digital media, teacher training, interest for STEM subjects and research ethics.

Jan has leaded several third-party founded research projects on online interaction risks, bullying in vocational schools, or learning with digital media in teacher training. He has completed his PhD at the University of Luxembourg on moral courage in schools and has been guest professor at three German universities (TU Berlin, Psychological University Berlin, University of Konstanz) where he has given teaching for students of psychology, educational science and preservice teachers.

He was a guest editor of special issue on bystanders of online aggression for Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, edited books and published journal articles, and organized several (international) conferences and workshops. For publications, please refer to the profiles on Google scholar or ORCID.