Friedhelm von Blanckenburg

Prof. Friedhelm von Blanckenburg is a Professor of Geochemistry at Freie Universität Berlin and former head of the 'Geochemistry of the Earth's Surface' section at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. He holds a Diploma in Geology from TU Berlin (1985) and a PhD in Geochemistry/Geochronology from ETH Zurich (1990). His research focuses on Earth surface processes, particularly cosmogenic nuclides, isotope geochemistry, and biogeochemical fluxes. He pioneered methods for quantifying erosion and weathering rates using cosmogenic beryllium-10 and stable isotope systems. Von Blanckenburg founded the HELGES laboratory at GFZ, a globally recognized facility for geochemical analysis. He has received numerous awards, including the ERC Advanced Grant DEVENDRA (2023) and the Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal (2010).

His work bridges geology, climate science, and biomedicine, notably applying metal isotope analysis to study human food chain dynamics. He has led major initiatives, such as the EU-funded IsoNose training network and the DFG Earthshape program. Von Blanckenburg's contributions include over 200 publications, with seminal works on slab breakoff tectonics and paleo-erosion models. He remains active in scientific leadership, serving as Chair of the German Mineralogical Society and contributing to editorial roles in journals like Elements.

Recent research emphasizes the interplay between vegetation, erosion, and rock weathering, with implications for global carbon cycles. His ERC-funded DEVENDRA project develops novel methods to measure weathering rates in basalt and carbonate rocks, critical for understanding Earth's climate system. Von Blanckenburg's outreach efforts include science films explaining geochemical concepts to the public, with over 100k views on YouTube.