Dr. Heike Krüger

Quantitative Social Scientist | Health Data Science & Social Networks, University of Cologne & RWTH Aachen University

I am a quantitative social scientist working at the intersection of social networks, mental health, and data science. My research examines how social relationships, social support, and everyday interaction dynamics are linked to health and well-being across adolescence, young adulthood, and university contexts.

Methodologically, my work combines social network analysis, panel data methods, smartphone-based experience sampling, wearable-informed survey research, and the analysis of intensive longitudinal and digital behavioral data. I use these approaches to study complex social and health-related processes as they unfold over time.

My research contributes to health-oriented data science. I am particularly interested in how quantitative methods, network models, and emerging digital data sources can improve our understanding of mental health, social integration, and everyday social interaction.

I teach quantitative methods, social network analysis, regression analysis, multilevel modelling, and courses on social support and health. My teaching emphasizes applied data analysis, transparent workflows, and the use of R and Stata for empirical social and health research.