Otmar Weiss was born on 28 February 1953 in Austria. He studied mathematics and sport science at Vienna University, graduating with an MA in 1982 and completed his PhD in mass communications and sport science in 1984.

His academic career started in 1984 when he became assistant professor in the Department of Sport Science at the University of Vienna. 1987-88: Research grant to attend Ohio State University, OH, and San José State University, CA. He completed his post doctoral thesis on sport and society: a socio-psychological perspective, at the University of Vienna in 1989.

Since 1992 a professor at the Department of Sport Science at the University of Vienna, he was director of post graduate studies in psycho-motor activity at the Lower Austrian Landesakademie from 1996 to 2009 and has been at the University of Vienna since 2010.


Main Academic Activities

Chairman of the Austrian Society for Sociology of Sport since 1994.

Board member of the International Sociology of Sport Association (1995-1999 extended board, 1999-2003 executive board).

On the editorial board of the International Review for the Sociology of Sport from 1995 to 2003.

On the editorial board of the European Journal for Sport and Society since 2004.

President of the European Association for Sociology of Sport from 2001 to 2008.

Vice-Dean of the Centre of Sport Science and University Sports at the University of Vienna from 2004 to 2008 and 2010 to 2016.

Dean of the Centre of Sport Science and University Sports at the University of Vienna from 2016 to 2018.

Main Research Projects

1985-1987: The image of sport in Austria.

1988-1996: Cross-cultural studies on sport identities and motivation in Austria, the Czech Republic and the USA.

1990-1994: Development of the curriculum and preparation of post-graduate studies in psycho-motor activity in Austria.

1996-1998: Ski tourism and environmental problems. Ecological awareness towards sustainable winter tourism.

1999-2001: Tempus Phare Joint European Project. Sports in incorporation of the Czech Republic into EU.

2000-2002: Development and trends of sport in Austria.

2001-2003: Sport and health: a socio-economic analysis.

2003-2005: Sport participation in Austria.

2006-2008: EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

2010-2014: The significance of sport in different European countries. Design of a sport index.

2015-2017: Sportmotivation in Austria: An empirical analysis.

2015-2018: Development, Application and Evaluation of Psychomotor Teaching and Learning Methods in Primary and Secondary Schools.

Publications

Author of 6 books and approx. 100 articles and contributions in national and international publications, 7 books edited and book series International Studies in Sport and Society, https://brill.com/page/sprt