CLAUS WENDT, M.A., Ph.D., a 2008-09 J. F. Kennedy Fellow at Harvard's Center for European Studies and Harkness-Bosch Fellow of Health Policy & Practice at Harvard School of Public Health, is professor of sociology of health and healthcare systems at Siegen University. Wendt's research interests include institutional theory, international comparisons of welfare states and healthcare systems, and the sociology of health. Wendt holds a Ph.D. summa cum laude in sociology and a master's degree in political science, sociology, and economics from Heidelberg University.

DOROTHEA BÖHR, a PhD candidate, holds a diploma in sociology from the University of Leipzig. Her research interests include Europeanization processes, sociology of health, survey methodology and quantitative methods. Her PhD thesis focuses on the influence of social networks on decision-making in the case of sickness.

MONIKA MISCHKE, M.A., Ph.D., is a postdoctoral research fellow and lecturer at Siegen University. Her research interests include international comparisons of welfare states and family-policy systems, the sociology of health, social inequality, and quantitative research methods. Mischke holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Mannheim and a diploma in sociology from the Free University of Berlin.

NADINE REIBLING, M.A., a 2012-13 Harkness Fellow of Health Policy & Practice at Harvard School of Public Health is a PhD candidate at the University of Mannheim. Her research interests include the comparative study of welfare states, the sociology of health and illness, health economics, and quantitative research methods. Reibling holds a master's degree in sociology, political science, psychology, and statistics from the University of Mannheim.

SIBEL ALTIN, M.Sc., PhD candidate at the University of Cologne, Germany. Her research interests encompass health economics, healthcare policy, health services and outcome research, chronic and patient centered care, consumer information (health literacy) as well as disease management. Mrs. Altin holds a master in health economics including epidemiology and evidence based medicine, healthcare financing, management and economics as well as healthcare and social policy.

FLORIAN GRIMPS, B.A., a M.A student in sociology at the Max Weber Institute of Sociology at Heidelberg University, holds a B.A. in Sociology from Heidelberg University. He has been awarded with a scholarship from the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes and a scholarship from the DAAD. His research interests include social determinants of healthy ageing in Europe, international comparisons of welfare regimes, the sociology of the family, and the new institutionalism. Before starting his academic studies he completed vocational training as an IT specialist in applications development at a technical college for IT professions.

RYAN DELANEY, M.M., was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, USA. Since completing his master's degree in classical voice in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, he has been studying German and English linguistics at Heidelberg University. Mr. DeLaney currently works as an English teacher, proofreader, translator, pronunciation coach, and workshop leader.

SUSANNE MÜLLER, secretary, since 2010 at Claus Wendt's Chair of Sociology of Health and Healthcare Systems. Responsible for the administrative organization of the project.