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 departments, 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, meteorology/climate and palaeontology of animals and plants.
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. The Palaeontology research area is concerned with the study of flora and fauna, in particular the palaeontology of microorganisms, vertebrates (vertebrates) and invertebrates (invertebrates) and palaeobotany.
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 departments and working groups.
Employees
The following page lists the employees of the Institute and its departments 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 departments 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 departments 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:
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 colleague, Vert.-Prof. Dr. Lisa Schielicke has been awarded the Teaching Award of the Faculty 2022.
Ms. Schielicke represents courses in both the compulsory and elective areas of the bachelor's and master's programs of the teaching unit Meteorology and Geophysics. She covers introductory basic knowledge as well as special and in-depth topics of meteorological research. Her lectures are well received and highly praised by the students. By supervising theses in the field of atmospheric dynamics, Ms. Schielicke offers students additional research-related topics to choose from, which are gladly taken up. In addition, Ms. Schielicke is exceedingly involved in public relations for the Department of Meteorology and the course offerings.
We are very pleased and congratulate her!
As part of the Christmas lecture on the module "Applied Geophysics", students were able to geophysically confirm the existence of a suspected marzipan core.
From June 27th to 30th 2022 the 6th International Workshop on Induced Polarization took place in Annecy, France. The Geophysics Section of the University of Bonn contributed with three posters about their recent research activities to the conference.
In May 2022, the Geophysics Section conducted a field trip of several days to the North Sea island of Spiekeroog, as part of the course Hydrogeophysics in the Master's degree program in Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere.
The Geophysics Section contributes to the implementation of the underground observatory and the development of the (hydro)geological model for the potential Einstein-Telescope (ET), an advanced gravitational-wave observatory, currently in the planning stage.
The University of Bonn, the University of Cologne and the Research Center Jülich have founded a joint Center for Earth System Observation and Computational Analysis (CESOC). This creates an internationally visible focal point in the Rhineland to observe the Earth system globally, to understand it comprehensively and to predict changes.
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
Doris Theisen
Management secretariat
0.031 (EG)
Meckenheimer Allee 176
53115 Bonn
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
Departments
6
Study programmes