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Scientist from Chemnitz: Using a wheelchair to achieve success in everyday research!
Karola Kopferl, a young scientist at Chemnitz University of Technology, is portrayed in a ZDF documentary about her everyday life as a researcher with disabilities.
Scientist from Chemnitz: Using a wheelchair to achieve success in everyday research!
On July 2, 2025, the young scientist Karola Kopferl, who works at Chemnitz University of Technology, will be featured in the ZDF program “einfach Mensch”. Their everyday life, characterized by scientific passion and personal challenges, will be illuminated in a documentary that will be broadcast on July 5, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. and has been available in the ZDF media library since July 1, 2025. The 35-year-old woman is the first in her family to receive an academic degree and is currently writing her doctoral thesis at the junior professorship for sociology with a focus on technology and at the professorship for media informatics.
Kopferl, who relies on a wheelchair, gives viewers an insight into her daily challenges. The filming took place in several locations, including the university location Straße der Kulturen, the city laboratory on the Brühl and Chemnitz Sonnenberg. During her interviews, she describes how her rheumatic disease, Bechterew's disease, combined with multiple sclerosis (MS), influences her everyday life. Since her diagnosis in 2023, she has used a wheelchair for support.
Committed scientist with social projects
Karola Kopferl heads a research group at Chemnitz University of Technology and is active in projects such as "Smart technology. Great helpers?" and “Erika meets ChatGPT”. The latter connects a DDR typewriter with a microcontroller so that users can ask questions to AI models. So far, almost 2,000 users have tried out the innovative technology and received answers. Her enthusiasm for science and science communication is obvious.
In addition to her academic obligations, Kopferl is involved. She works on a voluntary basis at the “Computertruhe”, where she refurbishes old computers to make them available to those in need. Despite her health challenges, she is often mistaken for a student, which highlights the discrepancy between the expectations of others and her real life situation. A broken college elevator that she has to use regularly is another obstacle she must overcome.
Mental strengths and social balance
In order to focus on her mental and cognitive strength, Kopferl began writing her doctoral thesis lying down. She also trains her body with physical therapy to stay mobile. The neighborhood garden “Zietenaugust” offers her a necessary balance, where she can also get involved and find peace.
The documentary about Karola Kopferl not only illustrates the diversity of her commitment, but also the challenges that people with disabilities have to face in the academic environment. The contribution is an important step in promoting awareness of inclusion and diversity in science. [ZDF reports that] The format broadcasts “simply human” creates visibility for inspiring personalities like Kopferl.