Katharina Helming

Prof. Dr. Katharina Helming is a Professor leading the Impact Assessment of Land Use Changes working group at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), affiliated with Research Area 3 on Agricultural Landscape Systems. Her expertise spans interdisciplinary research on land use dynamics, sustainability assessment methodologies, and soil conservation. She holds a Diplom in Agricultural Engineering and a PhD in Agricultural Sciences. Her work focuses on evaluating soil functions, sustainable soil management, and socio-ecological interactions. Key contributions include developing frameworks for sustainability impact assessment and advancing FAIR data infrastructures for agroecosystems.

Her research integrates climate change adaptation, digital agriculture, and participatory approaches. Projects include the BonaRes Repository for soil data standardization and protocol-based scenarios for future European agri-food systems (Eur-Agri-SSPs). She leads initiatives on soil health policy and digital transformation in agriculture. Her work emphasizes linking scientific insights with policy through tools like impact mapping frameworks and stakeholder engagement methodologies.

Publications highlight innovations in soil data reuse, barriers to sustainable practices, and resilience in community agriculture. She contributes to international initiatives like MACSUR and FAIRagro, addressing global challenges in agri-food systems through interdisciplinary collaboration.