Hans-Peter Bunge

Hans-Peter Bunge is a Professor and Chair of Geophysics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich since 2003. Previously, he served at Princeton University (1998–2003) and as a postdoctoral fellow at the Institut de Physique du Globe, Paris (1997–1998). He earned his Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of California, Berkeley (1996), with research conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

His research focuses on computational geodynamics, utilizing high-performance computing to model Earth's mantle and core dynamics. Key areas include mantle convection, lithosphere dynamics, and fluid dynamics inverse theory to assimilate seismic data into geodynamic models. He pioneered adjoint-based methods for solving geodynamic initial conditions and analyzing plate boundary forces.

• Education: B.S. Geology and Physics (Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen), Ph.D. Geophysics (UC Berkeley)
• Leadership Roles: President of the EGU Geodynamics Division (2007–2009), Coordinator of DFG SPP 1375 'SAMPLE', Member of LMU Center of Advanced Studies
• Outreach: Scientific advisor for the American Museum of Natural History, frequent public speaker on HPC simulations in geodynamics

Awards: Fulbright Scholar, Bernard Friedman Award, Computerworld Honors Program recipient, and member of prestigious academies including the Bavarian Academy of Sciences.

Research Group: Leads the Munich Geodynamics group, advancing HPC applications in geodynamics and collaborating internationally. Directs the DFG Graduate School UPLIFT, focusing on interdisciplinary studies of Earth's vertical motions.