Prof. Morten Hvitfeldt Iversen is a leading researcher in Polar Biological Oceanography at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI). He serves as Section Head of the Polar Biological Oceanography department and leads the bridging group 'SeaPump' collaborating with University of Bremen and MARUM. His work focuses on organic matter production, export, and transformation in oceans, linking small-scale microbial processes to large-scale biogeochemical cycles in high-latitude regions. Iversen pioneers optical techniques to study marine aggregates and their role in the biological carbon pump. Research interests include Arctic and Antarctic carbon dynamics, microbial ecology, and the impact of climate change on ocean systems. He leads projects like the 'SeaPump' initiative and contributes to the 6.3 sub-topic 'The future of the biological pump' under POF IV. His work integrates field observations, mooring data, and satellite measurements to understand carbon fluxes and their climate feedbacks. Recent articles highlight his focus on Arctic carbon sinks, microplastic impacts, and zooplankton roles in the biological pump. Iversen actively participates in expeditions aboard the Polarstern and uses advanced optical tools to study particle dynamics. His contributions bridge experimental and observational science to address global climate challenges.
Prof. Dr. Holger Kantz serves as Head of the research unit "Nonlinear Dynamics and Time Series analysis" at the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems in Dresden, Germany. He also holds an Adjunct Professorship (Honorprofessor) in Statistical Physics at the Institute of Theoretical Physics within the Department of Physics at the Technical University Dresden. Dr. Kantz's research spans multiple disciplines within nonlinear dynamics and statistical physics. His work focuses on time series analysis, nonlinear dynamics, stochastic processes, and complex systems. He has made significant contributions to understanding anomalous diffusion, extreme events prediction, and the statistical properties of chaotic systems. His research has applications in atmospheric science, climate modeling, power grid dynamics, and biological systems. Analysis of Dr. Kantz's recent publications reveals a strong interdisciplinary approach connecting statistical physics with climate science, energy systems, and scientometrics. His work demonstrates sophisticated applications of stochastic modeling to real-world complex systems, with particular attention to anomalous diffusion processes, extreme events, and predictability limits in chaotic systems. The publications show increasing methodological sophistication in handling nonstationary time series and developing predictive models for rare events. Dr. Kantz leads a research group focused on nonlinear dynamics and time series analysis at the Max Planck Institute. His work has significant implications for understanding and predicting complex phenomena across multiple scientific domains, from climate dynamics to power grid stability, with practical applications in risk assessment and system reliability.
Thomas Berger is a Professor at the University of Hohenheim , affiliated with the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and leading the Department of Economics of Land Use . He also contributes to the Computational Science Hub and Hohenheim Tropics initiatives. Focus Areas: Climate change adaptation, land-use modeling, biodiversity-productivity trade-offs, agent-based simulation, and machine learning in agricultural systems. Key Projects: Simulation frameworks for smallholder resilience in Ethiopia, bioeconomic modeling in the Amazon, and hybrid intelligence applications in European agricultural policy. Recent Publications: 2025 study on climate change effects on insecticide reduction in Germany, 2024 work on reconciling biodiversity with productivity via hybrid models, and 2023 methodological contributions to surrogate modeling and seasonal forecast integration. Research Trends: Interdisciplinary integration of climate science, agricultural economics, and computational modeling, with increasing emphasis on AI-assisted decision support systems and sustainability policy validation. Teaching & Outreach: Offers Agricultural Economics seminars and Hohenheim Tropics discussions, requiring advance email registration for office hours.
Prof. Dr. Rudolf Amann serves as Managing Director at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, and leads the Department of Molecular Ecology. His work pioneers molecular methods for studying marine microorganisms, with a focus on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify and quantify microbial cells. Managing Director, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology (since 2018) Department Head, Molecular Ecology Research Center, Bremen, Germany Research Interests: Marine microbial diversity and ecology Carbon cycle dynamics in coastal and deep-sea environments Phytoplankton-bacterioplankton interactions Microbial taxonomy and phylogenetics Single-cell identification techniques (FISH, CARD-FISH) Integration of metagenomics and proteomics Publication Trends: Recent work focuses on microbial interactions in extreme environments (hydrothermal vents, Arctic waters), carbohydrate cycling in oceanic systems, and ecological differentiation of bacterial populations through advanced imaging and omics technologies. Contact: ramann@mpi-bremen.de
Prof. Dr. Michael Bosnjak leads the Department for Psychological Research Methods at the University of Trier, Germany, focusing on research synthesis methods, theory-driven machine learning, survey methodology, and experimental designs applied to personality psychology (HEXACO model), consumer behavior, and public health. His team includes Dr. Henning Silber (GESIS), Dr. Bernd Weiß (GESIS), and international collaborators at Utrecht University. Affiliation: University of Trier (Department of Psychology) Editorial Roles: Zeitschrift für Psychologie (Editorial Board), Social Science Computer Review (Associate Editor), Frontiers in Psychology (Review Editorial Board) Grants: DFG SFB 884 (co-applicant), DFG Project PaCO (2019-2024, principle investigator), BMBF-funded GESIS Panel Campus His recent publications analyze panel conditioning effects in longitudinal studies, e-commerce privacy dynamics, personality-trait interactions, and psychosis proneness measurement. Scientific awards include the 2016 BMBF infrastructure grant, 2011 Isaac Manasseh Meyer Fellowship, and 2003 Karin Islinger Award. Current projects address data quality in probability-based and opt-in panels, with experimental designs across eight groups testing measurement error mechanisms. He serves as a co-editor for multiple special issues on survey methodology and tourism psychology.
Professor Dörthe Tetzlaff is a leading figure in ecohydrology, serving as Head of Department (A1) Ecohydrology at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and as Full Professor of Ecohydrology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Geography Department. She also holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Her work bridges theoretical hydrology with practical applications for water security and environmental management. Professor Tetzlaff's research focuses on ecohydrological processes, particularly using stable water isotopes to understand water cycling, catchment functioning, and landscape connectivity. Her work spans from pristine natural systems to complex urban environments, with particular emphasis on drought resilience, water security, and nature-based solutions. She has pioneered tracer-aided modeling approaches to quantify water storage, fluxes, and ages across the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Her publication record shows a clear trend toward increasingly sophisticated integration of multi-tracer approaches with ecohydrological modeling, with recent work focusing on urban systems, drought impacts, and nature-based solutions. The publications demonstrate expertise across hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecological applications, with strong methodological development in isotope hydrology and modeling techniques. Polubarinova-Kochina Hydrologic Sciences Mid-Career Award of the American Geophysical Union AGU (2024) Water Resource Prize of the Rüdiger Kurt Bode Foundation (2024) Member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (2023) Fellow of The European Academy of Sciences (2022) Fellow of the Geological Society of America GSA (2020) Professor Tetzlaff actively supervises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with her group focusing on cutting-edge ecohydrological research. She leads multiple significant research projects including WETSCAPES2.0, ECCO, ISO-SCALE, and BiNatUr, which address critical questions about water security, climate change impacts, and nature-based solutions in urban environments. Her work is supported by substantial funding from various national and international sources. She leads the Ecohydrology research group at both IGB and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, which employs an integrative approach combining field measurements, isotope techniques, and advanced modeling to understand water dynamics across diverse landscapes. The group collaborates extensively with international partners across Europe, North America, and Asia, contributing to global understanding of hydrological processes.
Daniel Wilhelm is a Professor of Statistics and Econometrics at LMU Munich, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Economics. His research focuses on econometric theory, nonparametric methods, measurement error modeling, and statistical inference. He leads the Statistics and Econometrics Group at LMU and holds affiliations with the Centre for Microdata Methods and Practice (CeMMAP), Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), and the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM). Wilhelm’s work includes groundbreaking contributions to NPIV estimation, robust statistical testing, and the development of R and Stata packages for rank inference and econometric analysis. His recent publications address topics like rank-based inference, measurement error detection, and high-dimensional independence testing. He organizes academic events such as the Munich Econometrics Seminar and the LMU-Todai Econometrics Workshop. His research emphasizes methodological rigor and practical applications, with a focus on improving statistical techniques for social science and policy analysis.
Dr. Gaël Kermarrec is a researcher at the Boundary Layer Meteorology Group , part of the Institute of Meteorology and Climatology within the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Leibniz University Hannover . His work focuses on atmospheric turbulence, GNSS applications, and remote sensing for environmental monitoring. Boundary layer meteorology Turbulence theory GNSS signal processing Terrestrial laser scanning Climate change impacts Geodetic time series analysis His research integrates advanced mathematical models like LR B-splines and Matérn covariance with large eddy simulations to study: Atmospheric turbulence effects on optical/GNSS signals Hydrospheric mass loading Deformation analysis of terrain/port infrastructure Climatic sea-level changes Machine learning for remote sensing The 15 most recent articles (2025-2023) demonstrate his focus on: GNSS-based turbulence detection AI-enhanced climate mapping Advanced surface approximation techniques Multi-sensor data fusion Stochastic modeling of geodetic observations Environmental impacts on optical measurements He has developed tools like the Klimascanner QGIS plugin for urban climate resilience and contributes to: Understanding atmospheric scale lengths Improving TLS/GNSS deformation monitoring Analyzing hydrospheric changes Wavefront modeling Ionospheric corrections
Professor Georg Guggenberger is a distinguished academic at Leibniz University Hannover, where he serves as Professor of Soil Chemistry within the Department of Soil Science at the Institute of Earth System Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences. In addition to his research and teaching responsibilities, he holds several significant administrative positions including Vice Dean for Research in the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Executive Management at both the Institute of Soil Science and Department of Soil Science levels, and Chair of the Selection Committee for the M.Sc. Landscape Sciences program. Prof. Guggenberger's research program focuses on fundamental processes governing soil organic matter dynamics across diverse ecosystems worldwide, from Arctic to tropical regions. His work investigates biotic and abiotic factors influencing the formation, transport, and stabilization of soil organic matter, with particular emphasis on soil fertility maintenance. He employs advanced methodologies including stable isotope approaches, biomarker analyses, microspectroscopic techniques (XPS, ESEM, NMR, NanoSIMS), and molecular biological methods to study biogeochemical interactions on mineral surfaces, dissolved organic matter dynamics, plant-mycorrhizal-soil interactions, permafrost soil organic matter, and impacts of land use and climate change on soil organisms. Analysis of Prof. Guggenberger's recent publications reveals a strong interdisciplinary research program spanning soil biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, soil microbiology, and climate change impacts. His work integrates field experiments along environmental gradients with laboratory manipulation studies to identify underlying mechanisms. The research shows particular strength in understanding organic matter stabilization mechanisms, microbial contributions to soil processes, and development of sustainable soil management practices that address climate change challenges. Prof. Guggenberger actively contributes to academic service through his leadership roles in examination boards and committees, including the Examination Board for Geosciences programs and the Selection Committee for Landscape Sciences. His administrative responsibilities as Vice Dean for Research demonstrate his commitment to advancing research within the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Leibniz University Hannover.
Prof. Melanie Schienle is a Professor and Chair of Statistical Methods and Econometrics at the Department of Economics and Management, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). She also holds a professorship in the Department of Mathematics at KIT since 2021. Her expertise spans statistical methods, econometrics, financial risk analysis, and forecasting. She leads the HKMetrics Network and the RespiNow Hub for respiratory disease forecasting. She serves as a Senior Fellow at the Rimini Center for Economic Analysis (RCEA), a steering committee member of the German Economic Association, and a member of the University Research Council at KIT. Education: Ph.D. (Dr. rer. pol.) in Economics from Mannheim University (2008), summa cum laude; Diploma in Mathematics (University of Karlsruhe, 2003) with a minor in theoretical physics. She has held academic positions at Leibniz University Hannover (2012–2015) and Humboldt University of Berlin (2008–2012). Research interests focus on financial networks, systemic risk, time series analysis, and machine learning applications in economics. She co-leads projects on nowcasting and forecasting, including collaborative efforts during the pandemic to predict hospitalizations. Her work integrates advanced statistical techniques with real-world policy implications. Prof. Schienle is an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Forecasting and Journal of Time Series Analysis . She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to high-impact journals like Nature Communications and Journal of Business & Economic Statistics . She leads the Institute of Statistics at KIT and chairs the MathSEE initiative for interdisciplinary mathematical applications.
Jan Esper is a Professor in Climate Geography at the Department of Geography, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. His research focuses on dendrochronology, paleoclimatology, global climate change, and urban climate. He maintains significant affiliations as a Member of the Academy of Sciences and Literature, Member of the National Academy Leopoldina, Member of the Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Fellow at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research, and Fellow at the Gutenberg Research College. Esper's research interests center on dendrochronology and paleoclimatology, with specific expertise in tree-ring analysis for climate reconstruction. His work spans the Holocene period, examining climate variability across Europe and globally. He investigates how tree growth patterns reflect past climate conditions and how these patterns can inform our understanding of current and future climate change. His research also extends to urban climate systems and the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems. His extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on high-resolution paleoclimate reconstructions using tree-ring data. Recent work has examined the context of the 2023 extreme summer within the last 2000 years, Holocene temperature records in Europe, and climate-driven tree longevity patterns. His research often involves international collaborations and integrates multiple proxy methods to refine climate reconstructions and understand climate impacts on ecosystems. Among his notable scientific achievements are his contributions to understanding long-term climate variability, volcanic impacts on climate, and the relationship between historical societies and climate conditions. His work on tree-ring stable isotopes has provided new insights into hydroclimate shifts and long-term drying trends in the European Alps. Esper leads research projects including the Tree Ring Lab, Urban Climate Sensor Network, Air Quality monitoring, Urban Vegetation studies, and UNESCO Beech Forest research. His work bridges the gap between historical climate patterns and contemporary climate change challenges, providing essential context for understanding current climate extremes.
Prof. Dr. Ralf Merz serves as Head of the Department of Catchment Hydrology at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and holds a Full Professorship in Catchment Hydrology at Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg since 2011. His career bridges hydrological modeling, flood risk assessment, and water quality analysis across diverse climates from Central Asia to Europe. MSc in Civil Engineering (Technical University of Karlsruhe, 1997) PhD in Hydrology (Vienna University of Technology, 2002) Habilitation in Hydrology (Vienna University of Technology, 2009) Research Interests span comparative hydrology, flood generation mechanisms, climate change impacts on water resources, and nitrate dynamics in river systems. His work emphasizes process-based understanding of runoff events and regional flood modeling through innovative approaches like the PHEV distribution framework. Scientific Contributions include over 100 publications (2003-2025) on: Flood frequency analysis in changing climates Groundwater recharge in arid regions Hydrochemical response to droughts Remote sensing applications for groundwater studies Multi-response calibration of hydrological models Key projects involve MOSES observatory development, TRACER research school, and Pamir Mountains glaciological studies. Recognitions : APART research grant (Austrian Academy of Sciences, 2006) Leadership extends to directing the Catchment Hydrology department and participating in European hydrological networks like the Bode Hydrological Observatory and TERENO infrastructure. His methodological advancements include flood time-scale analysis and event runoff coefficient regionalization.
Johannes Zimmermann is Professor of Differential and Personality Psychology at the Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Germany. His work integrates personality science, psychopathology research, and advanced assessment methods, with particular expertise in dimensional models of personality disorders and the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). Education and Career Diploma in Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau (2007) Doctorate, University of Heidelberg (2011) Post-doctoral fellow, German-Chilean Graduate School, Heidelberg University (2007–2010) Research Associate, University of Kassel (2010–2015) Professor for Methodology and Psychological Diagnostics, Berlin School of Psychology (2015–2018) Professor of Differential and Personality Psychology, University of Kassel (since 2018) Research Interests Prof. Zimmermann's research centers on personality assessment , psychopathology , and psychotherapy outcomes . He develops and validates instruments for measuring personality functioning and maladaptive traits, advances the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) framework, and employs ambulatory assessment to capture dynamic processes in daily life. Key themes include: Dimensional classification of personality disorders and psychopathology Ecological momentary assessment of affect and behavior Validation of German-language assessment tools (e.g., LPFS-BF, PID-5, HiTOP-SR) Long-term effectiveness of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapies Digital mental health and smartphone-based data collection Scientific Awards ISSPD Young Investigator Award (2019) – International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders SITAR Jerry Wiggins Student Award (2010) – Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research Advising & Collaborative Networks Prof. Zimmermann mentors doctoral and post-doctoral researchers through his roles in the German-speaking psychological community. He collaborates with international consortia including the HiTOP consortium, the PsyChange Network, and the London Personality and Mood Disorder Research Consortium, serving as principal investigator or co-investigator on projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and other bodies. Labs & Teams He leads the Differential Psychology Research Group at the University of Kassel, which focuses on measurement development, ambulatory assessment, and applied psychopathology research. The group maintains active collaborations with clinical centers across Germany and Europe for data collection and intervention studies.
Barbara Drossel is a Full Professor at the Institute of Solid State Physics within the Faculty of Physics at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where she has been conducting research since February 2002. Her work bridges theoretical physics, complex systems theory, and theoretical ecology, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to understanding emergent phenomena in natural systems. She leads the AG Drossel research group that investigates the theoretical foundations of complex networks, ecological communities, and quantum systems. Professor Drossel's research spans multiple domains with emphasis on complex systems theory, where she has made significant contributions to understanding random Boolean networks, food web modeling, and the physics of ecological communities. Her work demonstrates how simple rules can lead to complex emergent behavior across different scales, from quantum systems to ecological networks. She investigates how top-down causation operates in complex systems and explores the relationship between microscopic dynamics and macroscopic patterns in diverse contexts. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on theoretical frameworks that connect physics with ecology. Her work shows increasing integration of quantum mechanics with ecological modeling, particularly in understanding emergence and time evolution in complex systems. She frequently employs network theory to analyze ecological communities and has developed innovative approaches to studying species interactions, mutualistic networks, and spatial dynamics in meta-communities. Minerva Fellowship Heisenberg Fellowship DFG Fellowship for research at MIT Professor Drossel has supervised numerous doctoral students whose work spans theoretical ecology, complex systems, and statistical physics. Her research group has secured funding for projects examining the stability of ecological networks, quantum decoherence, and the mathematical foundations of complex systems. She maintains active collaborations with researchers across Europe and has contributed to major theoretical advances in understanding how complexity emerges from simple interactions in diverse systems. The AG Drossel research group operates at the intersection of physics and theoretical biology, maintaining strong connections with both the physics and biology departments at TU Darmstadt. The group combines mathematical rigor with biological relevance, developing models that capture essential features of complex natural systems while remaining analytically tractable. Their work has influenced both theoretical physics and ecological theory, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary approaches to complex systems.
Professor Joaquim Pinto is a leading climate scientist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he serves as Head of the Working Group "Regional Climate and Weather Hazards" and as Spokesperson of the collegial institute management team. He holds the prestigious AXA Research Fund Chair position at the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research - Troposphere Research (IMK-TRO). His academic background includes a Licenciate in Geophysical Sciences - Meteorology from the University of Lisbon (1990-1996), PhD studies at the University of Cologne (1998-2002), and academic positions at the University of Cologne (2002-2016) and University of Reading (2013-2016) before joining KIT in 2016. He became a Privatdozent (lecturer) at the University of Cologne in 2011 and earned his habilitation with research on extreme European wind storms. Professor Pinto's research focuses on mid-latitude meteorology and climatology, with special emphasis on extreme weather events , climate variability in Europe across multiple time scales, regional climate modeling and downscaling methods , and the diagnostic modeling and quantification of risks associated with extreme events affecting Europe. His work bridges fundamental climate science with practical applications for risk assessment and management. His extensive publication record demonstrates expertise in analyzing European windstorms, heatwaves, and compound extreme events. Recent work examines the impacts of climate change on wind energy potential, extreme precipitation events, and the complex interactions between atmospheric circulation patterns and regional climate extremes. His research often employs high-resolution climate modeling, statistical-dynamical downscaling approaches, and interdisciplinary collaborations to address pressing climate challenges. AXA Research Fund Chair in Regional Climate and Weather Hazards Professor Pinto teaches graduate and undergraduate courses including "Climate Modelling and Dynamics with ICON," "IPCC Assessment Report," "Climatology," "Energy Meteorology," "Methods of Data Analysis," and "Regional Climate and Weather Hazards." His teaching reflects his research expertise in climate modeling, extreme events, and regional climate change impacts.
