Thomas Roggenkamp

Dr. Thomas Roggenkamp is a researcher in the Department of Geography at the University of Bonn, specializing in paleohydrology and geoarchaeology. Since 2021, he serves as a Post-Doc under Prof. Dr. Jürgen Herget's research group, focusing on reconstructing historical hydrological conditions of rivers like the Rhine and Ahr. His work bridges natural and cultural sciences, analyzing how past water dynamics influenced human activities such as Roman infrastructure development.

Education: He earned a Geography Diploma (2012) and PhD (2016) from the University of Bonn, with his doctoral thesis addressing Roman-era Rhine hydrology. This work earned him the LVR Science Award (2022), recognizing his contribution to Rhenish regional studies.

Research Interests: Roggenkamp investigates historical flood events, riverine landscapes, and the interplay between environmental conditions and human societies. Notable projects include analyzing the 2021 Ahr Valley flood and reconstructing ancient water levels using documentary sources.

Current Projects: Coordinates a study on pre-instrumental river discharge extremes along the German Rhine in collaboration with the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG). His lectures include advanced physical geography courses and field projects on erosion and flood dynamics.

Awards: Shared 2022 LVR Science Prize for demonstrating how Rhine hydrology directly shaped Roman-era activities.

Advising & Grants: Leads collaborative projects and supervises bachelor's theses. His work emphasizes applying historical data to modern disaster resilience strategies.

Labs/Teams: Part of the Geographical Institute's hydrology research group, contributing to conferences and interdisciplinary dialogues on flood risk management.