Simone Giertz

Dr. Simone Giertz serves as a Researcher and Academic Councilor in the Department of Geography at the University of Bonn since 2009, specializing in tropical hydrological systems and global change impacts. Her work integrates field studies from West Africa with advanced modeling techniques to analyze water cycles, soil erosion, and land-use interactions.

Education:

• PhD in Geography, University of Bonn (2004)
• Diploma in Geography, University of Bonn (2000)
• Exchange studies at Université Louis Pasteur Strasbourg (1997-1998)

Her research program emphasizes hydrological modeling in sub-humid tropics, with significant focus on Benin's Aguima catchment as a case study for land-use impacts. She develops spatial approaches for agricultural planning while investigating material flows and erosion dynamics under climate variability. Fieldwork in West Africa forms the empirical backbone of her publications.

Recent publications demonstrate sustained expertise in tropical hydrology through methodological innovations like global soil-water databases and comparative modeling frameworks. Her 2018 Earth System Science Data paper established foundational infiltration metrics, while 2016 and 2013 works advanced spatial suitability analysis for rice cultivation and land-use/climate impact assessments in African catchments.

Scientific Awards:

• No awards documented in source materials

As a core member of Bonn's geography department since 2000, she has contributed to long-term projects like IMPETUS without explicit mention of grant leadership or student supervision. Her institutional role combines research continuity with teaching responsibilities under the Academic Councilor framework.

She maintains active collaboration through the IMPETUS project network focused on West African hydrology and global change, utilizing university facilities at Meckenheimer Allee 166 for modeling and data analysis.