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Institute of Geosciences

Welcome to the website of the Institute of Geosciences!

The Institute of Geosciences at Bonn University combines the sections of Geology, Geochemistry/Petrology, Geophysics and Meteorology. Within these sections, the disciplines of environmental geology, hydrogeology, sedimentology, geochemistry, mineralogy, petrology, structural geology, geophysics, geodynamics, climate dynamics, theoretical meteorology and radar polarimetry are covered.

Combined with 2 Bachelor and 4 Master programmes in 2 teaching units, the Institute of Earth Sciences offers a broad spectrum of theoretical and practical disciplines for orientation in university research and teaching.

See for yourself on the following pages!

Teaching & Learning

In this section we present the studies in our degree programmes and the teaching.

You would like to study in the geosciences?
Here you will find all the information you need to apply:

Abteilungen
© Pixabay

Sections

In this section you will get an overview of the sections at the Institute.

News and Events

Below you will find a compilation of news and events at the Institute of Geosciences including the current research colloquium.

News
Updates from across the Institute of Geosciences
Dr. Anna Zoporowski is awarded the Teaching Award of the University of Bonn!
The University of Bonn has honored Dr. Anna Zoporowski from the Meteorology and Geophysics teaching unit at the Institute of Geosciences in the Earth Sciences department and 13 other lecturers for their outstanding commitment with the Teaching Awards 2025. The prize recipients were chosen by students themselves. Professor Klaus Sandmann, Vice Rector for Teaching, Learning and University Development presented the prize certificates at a ceremony on the Hofgarten lawn in Bonn as part of the Universitätsfest attended by over 7,000 people. Dr. Anna Zoporowski is a lecturer in the Meteorology and Geophysics teaching unit at the Institute of Geosciences in the Earth Sciences department and teaches modules such as “General Geophysics”, “Mathematical Methods in Geophysics”, “Introduction to Geophysics”, “Tectonophysics” and numerous additional courses with great commitment to students on the B. Sc. Meteorology and Geophysics, M.Sc. Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere, B.Sc. Geosciences and M.Sc. Geology.  In her role as course manager and student advisor for the Meteorology and Geophysics teaching unit, she also provides outstanding support and guidance to students with competence, passion and commitment. Dr. Anna Zoporowski also coordinates international student exchanges in the teaching unit.
OER
OER stands for Open Educational Resources. In short, this means learning materials that are available to everyone free of charge.There are learning materials in all conceivable subject areas and levels that are provided with open licenses: the so-called Creative Commons or CC licenses. This means that the materials can be used, shared, edited, mixed, stored and reproduced.
Joost Hase awarded the ABC/J Research Prize 2025 for Early Career Scientists
Joost Hase from the Geophysics Section at the Institute of Geosciences at University of Bonn has been awarded the second place in the ABC/J Research Award 2025 for Early Career Scientists. His work is entitled “Model inference and uncertainty quantification in complex resistivity imaging”. In his research, he is developing new methods for model-based inversion and uncertainty quantification in complex resistivity imaging (CRI) - a method for imaging electrical properties of the subsurface using induced polarization (IP).
European Geoscience Union in Vienna
The EGU (European Geoscience Union) took place in Vienna at the beginning of May: an international conference by and for 20,000 geoscientists, most of whom took part on site, but also online. Among others, a few people from our institute went there and informed themselves and networked in the most diverse sub-areas of meteorology.
Survey on the start of studies in meteorology
In a national survey, we are shedding light on the expectations, hopes and challenges of first-year meteorology students. Our aim is to better understand what drives young students - and where they need support. The results will provide valuable insights into how to make the start of their studies more successful.
Successful interim evaluation of Jun.-Prof. Dr. Leonie Esters
We congratulate Jun.-Prof. Dr. Leonie Esters, Junior Professor of Climate Monitoring, on successfully passing the midterm evaluation of her tenure track professorship.
New interim professor
We are pleased to welcome our new interim professor, Dr. Christoph Renkl, who joined the institute in the Meteorology Section on March 15th.
Prof. Dr. Marcel Thielmann introduces himself as the newly established Chair of W2 Geophysics/Geodynamics
Welcome to Prof. Dr. Marcel Thielmann! He took over the newly established Chair of W2 Geophysics/Geodynamics on March, 1st 2025 and introduces himself in this news post: "I am a geodynamicist with a focus on developing and applying mathematical and computational models to understand the physical processes that control deformation of the Earth’s surface and interior. I am particularly interested in the interplay between processes on different scales. Current research projects range from deep earthquakes, flow of complex fluids through porous media, the rheology of Earth's lower mantle and the interaction between deep Earth processes and surface deformation." Welcome to the Geophysics Section and the Institute of Geosciences!

Research colloquium

Events of the research colloquium in the summer semester 2023:

Lecture series “Aspects of the Climate Crisis”

The next round of the lecture series "Aspects of the Climate Crisis", formerly "Aspects of Global Warming", will begin on October 24.

The lecture will take place from October 24 on Tuesdays from 18:15 to 19:45 in Lecture Hall 1 of the Lecture Hall Center on the Poppelsdorf campus.

In the public lecture series "Aspects of the Climate Crisis" at the University of Bonn, organized together with "End Fossil: Occupy! Bonn", a wide range of topics will once again be discussed: from the European Green Deal, microplastics and groundwater depletion to colonialism and the right of resistance. As in previous years, the event is also intended to provide a platform for committed, constructive and appreciative discussion.

Weitere Veranstaltungen folgen demnächst.

31. Januar 2021

Startpunkt der Rallye rund um den Hofgarten

Garderobenhalle/ Arkadenhof Hauptgebäude
Am Hof 1
53113 Bonn

Kurze Beschreibung von der Veranstaltung... Möchtest Du einmal eines Deiner Traumstudienfächer antesten? Willst Du wissen, wie die Uni-Institute von innen aussehen? Magst Du mit echten Studis und Dozentinnen und Dozenten sprechen? Dann bist du bei den Wissenschaftsrallyes der Universität Bonn richtig!

CHE Ranking Geosciences Bonn 2021

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© Zeitverlag
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© Zeitverlag

At the University of Bonn, the subjects mathematics, geography, geosciences and chemistry have been rated particularly positively.

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Sections

6

Studies in 2 teaching units

14/17

Professorships filled

Wird geladen