Dr. Sarah Mercer has been working and teaching at the English Department at the University of Graz since 1998. She did her PhD at Lancaster University (UK) exploring language learner self-concept. In 2011 she brought out a monograph on the subject entitled ‘Towards an Understanding of Language Learner Self-Concept’ with Springer.  

Her areas of interest centre on all areas of language learning psychology and individual learner differences, in particular self-concept, mindsets, attributions, motivation, affect and strategies. In her research, she has preferred to employ qualitatively-oriented approaches and Grounded Theory forms of analysis. Currently, she is interested in considering aspects of language learner psychology through a complexity lens.  

She is a member of the professional organisations: AAUTE, ÖGSD, BAAL und IATEFL (she is an active member of the IATEFL Research SIG committee).