Simone Maria Stünzi

Simone Maria Stünzi is a Research Fellow at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, specializing in Arctic permafrost-vegetation interactions. She leads the BorealFrost project investigating boreal forests' role in permafrost protection. Her research integrates numerical modeling, field observations, and remote sensing to study climate feedbacks in Siberia and Canada.

Education:

• PhD in Geography (2018-2022), Humboldt-Universität & Alfred Wegener Institute
• MSc Environmental Science (2016-2018), University of Zurich
• BSc Geography (2013-2016), University of Zurich

Research Focus: She examines how boreal forests modulate permafrost stability through thermal insulation mechanisms. Key areas include permafrost-vegetation-climate couplings, thermohydrological processes, and the impacts of forest disturbances. Her work emphasizes modeling tools like CryoGrid and integrates satellite data for landscape-scale analysis.

Publications Trends: Recent work highlights boreal forests' delaying effect on thermokarst formation, permafrost thaw under climate change, and modeling advancements in Siberian and Arctic ecosystems. Cross-disciplinary collaborations enhance understanding of global carbon feedbacks.

Awards:

• Helmholtz representative for Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting 2024
• Geo.X Young Academy Research Fellow
• Best Presentation Award at AWI Science Days 2020

Grants & Leadership:

• Principal Investigator: BorealFrost (DFG Walter-Benjamin Grant, 2024-2026)
• MOMENT Project (AWI, 2023-2024): Led field expeditions in Greenland
• PermaRisk Project (AWI, 2021-2023): Analyzed thermokarst dynamics

Labs & Teams: Collaborates with the Alfred Wegener Institute, CryoGrid community model developers, and international field teams in Siberia, Canada, and Mongolia.