Christian Diller

Prof. Dr. Christian Diller is a Professor at the Justus Liebig University Giessen, where he leads the Spatial Planning and Urban Geography Division within the Institute of Geography. He serves as Chairman of the Bachelor Examination Board in Geography and is responsible for B.Sc. internships and thesis supervision. His research spans multiple critical areas of spatial planning and urban geography with significant funding from DFG, BMBF, and other agencies.

His research focuses on six interconnected areas: climate resilience and critical infrastructure planning; urban geography and gentrification processes; settlement geography and spatial development patterns; regional development and governance; spatial evaluation research; and planning theory and methodology. His current work examines how spatial planning can address climate change impacts, particularly regarding critical infrastructure vulnerability, and investigates state-led gentrification processes in German cities through large-scale empirical analysis.

Professor Diller leads multiple major research projects including MAPROLEIT (Material and procedural models of spatial planning), State-Led Gentrification research, KritIKlima (critical infrastructure and climate change), and VALPLAN (values in planning processes). His work combines theoretical development with practical applications, often involving multi-method approaches that bridge quantitative and qualitative techniques.

His research has significant policy implications for urban development, climate adaptation, and regional planning in Germany and beyond. The findings contribute to strengthening municipal capacities for climate resilience and improving planning practices through evidence-based evaluation of planning instruments and methods.

Professor Diller supervises numerous doctoral candidates and has completed supervision of several PhD theses on topics ranging from wind energy planning to urban development instruments. His collaborative approach is evident in his extensive network of research partnerships across German universities and research institutions.

• Lead researcher on over 15 major research projects since 2009
• Principal investigator for multiple DFG-funded projects
• Supervisor of 16+ doctoral candidates (completed and ongoing)
• Collaborator with researchers across Germany and internationally