Stefan Heidemann, since 2011 Professor of Islamic Studies at Universität Hamburg, and director of “RomanIslam Center of Comparative Empire and Transcultural Studies” in Hamburg (2020–25). The Center compares the Roman with Islamic Empire and each post-imperial period. He was the principal investigator of the ERC Advanced Grant Project “The Early Islamic Empire at Work—The View from the Regions Toward the Center” (2014–19), and since 2011 he directs as editor in chief of the journal Der Islam. Formerly he served as associate curator of Islamic art at the Metropolitan Museum and as professor of Islamic history and material culture at Bard Graduate Center. He earned his Habilitation at Jena University 2001 and PhD at Free University Berlin 1993. He cooperation with German, British, French, and Syrian archaeological missions in al-Raqqa, Damascus, Aleppo, Masyaf, Balkh, Karakorum (Mongolia), Cerro da Villa (Portugal) and other sites.