Please note
This website of the Institute of Geosciences is currently under construction.
We ask for your understanding and look forward to presenting you with an updated and complete website as soon as possible.
The Institute of Geosciences - Our institute
This page introduces the Institute of Geosciences as an institution of the Rheinische Friedrich Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and its staff and institutions.
A detailed overview of studies and research as well as the individual sections, working and research groups can be found on the corresponding subpages.
Geosciences?
The Institute of Geosciences combines disciplines that deal with the research and teaching of the Earth system in the past and present as well as related processes. In the field of earth sciences, the Institute covers the research areas of geology, geochemistry/petrology, geophysics and meteorology/climate.
The research area of geology is divided into the main areas of hydrogeology, sedimentology and environmental geology. Geochemistry/petrology comprises the key areas of structural geology, geochemistry, petrology, mineralogy and crystallography. Applied geophysics and geodynamics are represented in the research area of geophysics. The field of meteorology/climate research focuses on theoretical meteorology, remote sensing and climate dynamics above the earth's crust.
Within the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Bonn, these specialisations are divided between the working groups of the same name and are accordingly represented in current research and teaching in the Institute's two teaching units.
Executive Board
The Institute of Geosciences is represented by the Executive Board.
The following page introduces the Executive Board and the people who work on it:
Secretariats
The offices and secretariats are presented on the following page. They are the contact persons for the sections and working groups.
Employees
The following page lists the employees of the Institute and its sections and working groups and their contact details.
Directions & building
The Institute of Geosciences is located in various buildings in Bonn. On this page you will find an overview of the locations.
Libraries
In addition to the university's central libraries, the sections and working groups have their own decentralized libraries. You can find an overview here:
Museums
Two museums with rich collections belong to the institute and can be visited:
The Goldfuß Museum and the Mineralogical Museum introduce themselves!
Equipment
The institute is equipped for requirements in the areas of preparation, workshops, laboratories, IT and other scientific services. On this page you will find an overview.
Co-operations
The Institute of Geosciences and its sections are partners in research and teaching cooperations. Current and past collaborations are listed on this page.
Study
With 2 Bachelor's and 4 Master's degree programs in 2 teaching units, the Institute of Geosciences offers a broad spectrum of theoretical and practical disciplines for orientation in university research and teaching.
Are you interested in studying geosciences or do you need information about a degree program? Then the following pages are the right place for you:
The field measurements as part of the module "Hydrogeophysics" of the master's degree programme in Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere took place in Whitsun week in 2024. The goal of this week was to apply geophysical measuring methods for characterising hydrological structures and processes. With the available measuring devices the students should analyse flow and transport processes. The exact question was related to the freshwater-saltwater interface of the island's groundwater and its tidal dynamics.
On May 27th, Junior Professor Leonie Esters spoke at the KinderUni at University Bonn about the difference between weather and climate. The children were enthusiastic and actively participated. More information about the KinderUni can be found at: https://www.uni-bonn.de/de/studium/studienorientierung-und-uni-bonn-entdecken/junge-uni/veranstaltungen-und-wettbewerbe/kinderuni
From mid of February to mid of March 2024 a team of the Bonn geophysics group conducts geophysical measurements on Svalbard in collaboration with project partners from the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) and Forschungszentrum Jülich. The team images the subsurface using different geophysical methods to improve understanding of groundwater flow paths leading to surface icings in glacier forefields as well as at coastal pingo sites where methane outgassing occurs.
The international conference on ‘Precipitation Processes - Estimation and Prediction (PrePEP)’ to be held 17-21 March 2025 in Bonn, Germany, will bring together scientists contributing with new approaches to improve the monitoring, understanding, nowcasting and prediction of precipitation processes. This includes advancements in integrated multi-sensor observations, their exploitation for parameterization developments, classical or AI-based Nowcasting techniques, microphysical retrieval development, data assimilation, the blending with numerical weather prediction, hydrological flood forecasts and warning strategies. Please visit the conference website https://indico.scc.kit.edu/event/prepep/ for more information. Looking forward to seeing you in Bonn!
On January 27th, we participated with two stations in the science rally around Poppelsdorf. Under bright sunshine, over 300 students visited various scientific stations. At our stations, the students had the opportunity to learn the differences between weather and climate. In addition to explanations about the topics and measurement methods, they could illustrate their learning through experiments.
A wavy air mass boundary caused significant snowfall in Bonn and its surroundings this Wednesday. The air mass boundary moved very slowly, allowing precipitation to fall in the same location over an extended period. At the same time, there was a risk of freezing rain due to the weather conditions in southern Germany. The wintry weather will persist in our region until the weekend. The last time we experienced such large amounts of snow in our region was in December 2010.
Last week, we launched our Erasmus+ cooperation project in Bonn and Cologne, which aims to present scientific findings on climate change in a way that is suitable for children. In this international project, we coordinate eight partner institutions from six European countries, including kindergartens, technical schools and youth centers from Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Spain. Our aim is to encourage even the youngest children to take a scientifically sound and sustainable approach to climate and climate change.
Curious about studying meteorology in Bonn?
In the following video clip students, researchers and teachers of the subject meteorology of the University of Bonn report.
Our institute - a chronological overview
The Institute of Geosciences was founded in the 2018/2019 winter semester as a merger of the Steinmann Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Palaeontology and the Institute of Meteorology at the University of Bonn.
From 1883
First foundation of the geoscientific institutes (some with changing names):
Institute and Museum of Mineralogy (1883 - 2008)
Institute and Museum of Geology and Palaeontology (1883 - 1963)
Institute and Museum of Geology (1963 - 2008)
Institute of Palaeontology (1963 - 2008)
2008
Foundation of the Steinmann Institute for Geology, Mineralogy and Palaeontology from the aforementioned individual institutes
2018:
Merger of the Steinmann Institute of Geology, Mineralogy and Palaeontology and the Meteorological Institute to form the Institute of Geosciences
Contact & opening hours
Opening hours
The opening hours of the Institute of Geosciences depend on the working hours of the people based in the individual buildings of the Institute.
Please make appointments according to the office hours of the individual persons and by prior arrangement.
You can find an overview of the buildings here:
The opening hours of the museums can be found on the museum pages:
Important links
Jobs & vacancies
Here you will find our current vacancies:
1883
Year in which the first geoscientific institute was founded
5
Sections
6
Study programmes