Andreas VieliView profile
Professor
Andreas Vieli is a Professor and Chair of the Glaciology and Geomorphodynamics Group (3G) in the Department of Geography at the University of Zurich. He previously held academic positions as Lecturer and Reader at Durham University (2005–2013) and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Bristol. His work bridges glaciology, geomorphodynamics, and climate science, with a strong emphasis on numerical modeling and field observations. PhD in Natural Sciences, ETH Zürich (2001) Diploma in Physics, ETH Zürich (1997) His research focuses on glacier and ice sheet dynamics , particularly the behavior of tidewater glaciers, calving processes, ice-ocean interactions, and the evolution of debris-covered glaciers. He also investigates rock glacier dynamics and permafrost in high mountain regions using in-situ and remote sensing techniques. His work integrates modeling with observational data to understand transient glacier responses to climate forcing. The 15 most recent publications highlight a strong trend in glacier modeling , calving dynamics , permafrost monitoring , and early warning systems for natural hazards. There is a clear emphasis on combining field observations , remote sensing , and numerical simulations to address pressing questions in cryospheric science. Key journals include The Cryosphere , Journal of Glaciology , and Earth and Planetary Science Letters , with recent forays into machine learning for ice flow modeling. Principal Investigator, Understanding debris-covered glaciers (with Bolch) PI, Long-term calving dynamics (with Lüthi/Small) PI, X-Sense II: Acoustic hazard detection (with Thiele/Beutel) Contributor, GLAMOS (Swiss Glacier Monitoring) Contributor, PERMOS (Permafrost Monitoring) He actively supervises PhD students, including Moelg, Mercenier, Rohner, Cicoira, and Weber, and collaborates widely across glaciology and permafrost science. His leadership in monitoring networks and interdisciplinary projects underscores his role in advancing observational and modeling capabilities in alpine and polar environments. Andreas Vieli leads the Glaciology and Geomorphodynamics Group (3G) at the University of Zurich, which conducts fieldwork in the Alps and Greenland, operates monitoring systems (e.g., GNSS, radar), and develops numerical models for glacier and permafrost systems. The group is deeply involved in Swiss and international research networks related to glacier and permafrost change.












