Michael Meyer

Michael Meyer is an Associate Professor at the University of Innsbruck's Department of Geology, leading the Innsbruck Quaternary Research Group. He serves as Deputy Head of the University of Innsbruck Research Centre Geodynamics – Geomaterials and has held leadership roles in OSL laboratory operations and research initiatives. His academic journey includes a PhD from the University of Innsbruck (2006) and postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Wollongong (Australia) and Vienna's Erwin Schrödinger program.

Research focuses on optical dating techniques (OSL/IRSL), Quaternary landscape evolution, and human-environment interactions in high-altitude regions like Tibet and the Himalayas. Notable expeditions include leading Tibet rock surface dating projects and participating in African archaeological digs. Meyer's work bridges geochronology with archaeology, addressing questions about early human migration and Paleolithic technology.

Publications highlight innovations in luminescence dating methods, environmental reconstructions of climatic events (e.g., Younger Dryas cooling), and interdisciplinary studies of prehistoric settlements like the Uluzzo C Rock Shelter (Italy). Awards include the 2020 Lehreplus! Teaching Excellence Award and the Fürstentum Liechtenstein Prize (2017).

Grants from the European Research Council (ERC) and Austrian Science Fund support his research. Collaborative projects involve international teams studying speleothems, glacial dynamics, and archaeological sites. His labs develop cutting-edge methods for dating ancient landscapes and artifacts, with applications in both environmental science and cultural heritage preservation.