Dr. Manuel Rauchholz earned the DPhil. from the University of Heidelberg, in cultural anthropology, and the Th.M. in missions and evangelism from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He studied protestant theology at Krelingen, Heidelberg and Tübingen before completing university studies at Heidelberg, Germany. Dr. Rauchholz’s research and publications have been primarily in cultural anthropology in the study of kinship and exchange, migration, legal anthropology and on ethical topics such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation, human rights, economic development and the environment.

In 2011, he received the prestigious Frobenius Research Award for his dissertation, titled: “Towards an Understanding of Adoption, Person and Emotion: The Ideal Norm and Reality of Life amongst the Chuukese of Micronesia.” Since 2010, Dr. Rauchholz has developed and managed multiple research, educational and community development projects in excess of $2.5 million. Granting institutions include the US Department of State through the National District Attorney’s Association in Washington D.C., the University of Heidelberg, the EU in conjunction with the University of St. Andrews, and most recently the US Department of the Interior through the Chuuk State Department of Education, Federated States of Micronesia.

Dr. Rauchholz’s academic teaching experience is extensive including four years as researcher and lecturer at the Institute of Anthropology, University of Heidelberg where he also mentored masters’ theses and research projects. He has taught as adjunct professor at numerous institutions teaching Social Science Research Methods at Internationale Hochschule Liebenzell (IHL) in Germany, Anthropology and Missions at Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, and Anthropology at the University of Guam.

Dr. Rauchholz was raised and educated in Micronesia, the USA, Japan and in Germany. He is married to Dr. Mihamm Kim-Rauchholz, a native of South Korea and professor of New Testament in Germany. Together they have three daughters.