Grow Your Idea!
The partners of the Geo.X network hold the scientific expertise and infrastructure to run collaborative projects in many fields of geoscience research including inter- and transdisciplinary approaches. We want to trigger a creative scientific process to help research ideas grow into collaborative projects. To support this aim, we regularly open calls to provide financial support and help in the organization of various exchange formats such as round tables, workshops with invited guests, scientific retreats and others.
The call for proposals for autumn 2024 is closed!
For more information about the call, please visit the Grow Your Idea! website.
Supported ideas of the autumn call 2024
Please find below a list of the proposed ideas that are financially supported in the autumn call 2024. The workshops, round table discussions and scientific retreats will take place in in winter and spring 2025. If you are interested in one of the ideas, please get in touch with the contact persons.
Exoplanet Exchange: A Berlin‐Potsdam Roundtable
Date
29th of November 2024
Organizer
Engin Keles (FU Berlin)
Summary
The goal of this scientific retreat is to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among research groups in the Berlin‐Brandenburg region that specialize in exoplanet characterization. By bringing together experts from various fields, such as exoplanet interiors, atmospheres, star‐planet interactions, and host stars, we aim to create a more comprehensive
understanding of these fascinating foreign worlds. Regular meetings, alternating between different institutes, will provide opportunities for early career scientists and students to explore diverse job possibilities within the region and connect with experienced researchers. Moreover, such collaboration will significantly enhance our ability to characterize exoplanets and solidify the Berlin‐Potsdam region's position for exoplanet research in Europe.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Multi‐risk of extreme weather events ‐ focus on economic, social and human health dimensions
Date
May 2025
Organizer
Nivedita Sairam (GFZ)
Summary
In light of the rapidly shifting risk landscape driven by climate change and expanding urbanization, a systemic understanding of disaster risk dynamics is crucial. Currently, the impacts of extreme weather events are often analyzed in disciplinary silos, which limits the full understanding of their interconnected effects. There is a significant gap in identifying the pathways
through which the cascading impacts of these events - spanning economic, social, and health domains - are triggered and amplified. Addressing this gap is essential for designing socially optimal and sustainable adaptation strategies, improving early warning systems, and enhancing disaster relief and recovery efforts.
This workshop aims to unite interdisciplinary researchers who explore the diverse dimensions of risk - economic, social, and health - to form a transdisciplinary community. By identifying common objectives, complementary research advances, and best practices across economics, social sciences, natural sciences, and public health, the workshop seeks to foster collaborative solutions.
Solar‐Planetary Coupling Effects on the Climate Evolution of Earth and other Planets: Linking paleoclimate and solar‐planetary physics research within the Geo.X network and beyond
Date
May 2025
Organizer
Dimitry Pokhotelov (PIK)
Summary
Paleoclimate research helps us to understand the Earth’s past climates and to assess the risks of future climate change. The solar activity was very different in the past and the changes in solar‐planetary coupling processes need to be considered. We bring together a group of experts in Earth/planetary climate research, as well as in solar and magnetospheric physics, to have a two‐day workshop in Potsdam to foster research collaborations.
10th DENeB PhD Workshop on Development Economics ‐ Navigating the Nexus: Climate Change, Agriculture, and Health
Date
April 2025
Organizer
Giulia Malevolti (PIK)
Summary
Climate change threatens agricultural productivity, especially in low‐income countries, and is closely linked to adverse health outcomes, which in turn impact economic development and exacerbate inequalities. Exploring scientifically the intersections of development economics, climate change, agriculture, and health is hence of great importance to develop policies that foster sustainable growth, reduce poverty, and improve global well‐being. In 2025, the DENeB network aims to organize the 10th edition of its PhD workshop on development economics, inviting PhD students within the Geo.X network and beyond with an interest in development economics to discuss their research work at the intersection of climate change, agriculture and health. The event will be hosted at PIK and Geo.X scientists from different disciplines and DENeB members will participate and provide critical feedback to the presenters.
DENeB is a group of early‐career development economists based in the area of Berlin. We organize different activities such as seminar series, an internal workshop, a monthly writing group, a newsletter with job opportunities and call for conferences.
How do energetic particles from space affect ionospheric dynamics?
Date
Spring 2025
Organizer
Alina Grishina (GFZ)
Summary
Linear, quasi‐linear, and non‐linear processes in space physics involve complex interactions, leading to phenomena such as turbulence, wave‐particle interactions, and magnetic reconnection. These processes play important roles in shaping space environments, influencing the process of particle precipitation and therefore affecting the ionosphere and upper atmosphere. Similar processes are observed in climatology. In this workshop, we would like to establish a connection between the non‐linear processes in space plasma and its influence to the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system investigating various approaches to numerical modeling, and efficient methods of differential equation solutions. Such activity requires a collaborative approach between different departments and institutions.
Supported ideas of the summer call 2024
Please find below a list of the proposed ideas that are financially supported in the summer call 2024. The workshops, round table discussions and scientific retreats will take place in autumn 2024 and winter 2025. If you are interested in one of the ideas, please get in touch with the contact persons.
Interdisciplinary Workshop on Plant-Fungi-Bacteria Interactions in Soil Ecosystems
Date
19th November 2024
Organizer
Christoph Keuschnig (GFZ)
Summary
Recent technological advances have highlighted interkingdom interactions in geomicrobiomes, suggesting that an integrative approach will enhance our understanding of soil ecosystems. This workshop, organized by experts within the Geo.X network ranging from specialists in microbe-mineral interface science at the GFZ, soil sciences at TU Berlin, and field-scale climate impact research at the FU Berlin, will bring together soil microbiologists, geochemists, and ecosystem modelers. The goal is to discuss novel research ideas and lay the groundwork for collaborative research proposals, covering climate change impacts on interkingdom interactions in soil from the micro to global scale.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Central Asia Climate and Water Research Workshop
Date
11th December 2024
Organizer
Milena Latinovic (GFZ)
Summary
The Central Asia Climate and Water Research Workshop aims to bring together diverse research groups from Geo.X partners, working on climate and water-related issues in Central Asia. This workshop will facilitate interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and foster collaborative research efforts to address regional climate challenges like water scarcity, extreme weather events, and sustainable development. By integrating expertise from climate science, hydrology, remote sensing, environmental policy, and socioeconomic studies, the workshop will identify key research gaps, develop joint research proposals, and establish a regional climate research network to enhance climate resilience in Central Asia.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
SEIS-CLIMFOR - SEismo-ISotopic early indication of stress Cracks and the sudden LIMb drop syndrome of FORest trees
Envisaged Date
Autumn 2024
Core Team
Gerhard Helle (GFZ), Christian Mohr (UP), Michael Förster (TU), Michael Dietze (Universität Göttingen/GFZ)
Summary
The increasing frequency, severity, and spatial extent of extreme events like heatwaves, droughts, and storms stress forest trees, decrease wood production, and increase mortality. In this context, the sudden limb drop syndrome (SLDS) is garnering increased public attention and concern. It refers to the unexpected breaking and falling of branches of potentially more than a ton of mass from mature trees that appear to be in good health. The aim of the proposed event is to discuss, setup and agree on a pilot study that combines classical methods of forest monitoring with geoscientific methods from seismology and palaeoclimatology that are new and yet unexplored in the assessment of forest health conditions.
Bringing together the icy moons community in Germany
Envisaged Date
Autumn 2024
Core Team
Ana-Catalina Plesa (DLR), Frank Postberg (FU), Kai Wünnemann (MfN)
Summary
The goal of this group is to bring together experts from different disciplines who can contribute to scientific exchange and the development of research activities on icy moons. With the start of ESA’s JUICE mission last year and the imminent launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper this year, this research activity is extremely timely and will pave the way for joint projects in support of the future mission data.
The East African Rift System: geology, resources, paleoenvironment, and human evolution
Envisaged Date
February 2025 and June 2025
Core Team
Ameha Muluneh (GFZ), Bodo Bookhagen (UP), Stefanie Kaboth-Bahr (FU Berlin), Robert Bussert (TU)
Summary
The East African Rift System (hereafter called EARS) is the longest continental rift system on planet Earth. In the Geo.X network, we aim to provide a platform to discuss recent advances in the study of the rift and its surroundings and to foster collaboration among scientists from GFZ, TU Berlin, FU Berlin, the University of Potsdam and other Geo.X partner institutes.
Lithium co-extraction with geothermal heat from Rotliegend formations in the Brandenburg area
Date
7th - 8th of November 2024
Organizer
Simona Regenspurg (GFZ)
Summary
The Rotliegend Sandstone formation in Brandenburg offers strong advantages such as high lithium content and high temperatures for co-extraction of geothermal heat and lithium from the fluids. However, so far, the feasibility has not been demonstrated due to many uncertainties, associated risks and unanswered research questions. To answer those questions and provide a pathway for future co-extraction, the consortium plans to write a research proposal that involves the set-up of a demonstrator well. To apply for financial support for funding of such a large infrastructure, a research project (e.g. Reallabor) that involves the participation of many disciplines from both, research (geoscientists, chemical engineering, chemists...) and industry we aim to perform a retreat of the key partners for writing a sound proposal together.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Understanding groundwater recharge processes in the Berlin-Brandenburg region
Date
11th November 2024
Core Team
Márk Somogyvári (HU), Michael Tsypin (GFZ)
Summary
Brandenburg is one of the driest federal states of Germany, and in recent decades the region has been facing serious droughts and changes in rainfall frequencies and intensity. Groundwater levels are strongly exposed to these changes, as climate is the key driver behind groundwater dynamics via recharge processes. Regional studies approached this problem from two perspectives, focusing on either climatic factors or the groundwater flow, while the linking process of groundwater recharge has been somewhat neglected, leading to inconsistencies in the water budgets and storage trends.
We, together with hydrologists, groundwater modelers, and interdisciplinary researchers with expertise in Berlin-Brandenburg area, are aiming to create a research group focusing on surface-groundwater interactions under the changing climate. We are planning a workshop to further develop our research ideas and to frame a proposal for an envisaged joint research project.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Unravelling the Secrets of Arctic Permafrost: A Workshop on Biogeochemical Interactions between plants, microorganisms and soil minerals under climate change
Date
11th - 13th November 2024
Core Team
Carsten Müller (TU), Susanne Liebner (GFZ), Jens Strauss (AWI)
Summary
This intensive 2-day workshop brings together a small group (10-15) of researchers to delve into the complex world of Arctic permafrost soils under the threat of climate change. We will explore the intricate interplay between plants, microbes, and soil minerals, and how it governs the fate of organic matter under a warming climate. Based on this workshop we aim to develop a framework for a joint proposal working on the following workshop’s (and proposal) key research questions: (1) Unveiling the Impact of Thawing Permafrost and (2) Adapting to a Warming Arctic.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Supported ideas of the spring call 2024
Please find below a list of the proposed ideas that are financially supported in the spring call 2024. The workshops and round table discussion will take place in spring, summer and autumn 2024. If you are interested in one of the ideas, please get in touch with the contact persons.
Unraveling the mystery of Earth’s space radiation environment loss processes
Date
1st workshop: 10th June 2024
2nd workshop: 27th September 2024
Organizer
Bernhard Haas (GFZ)
Summary
Recent studies have revealed a lack of understanding regarding the precipitation of energetic electrons from the ring current and radiation belts in the near-Earth space environment. Although missing loss terms have been proposed to resolve the discrepancies between models and observations, the underlying physics of these loss terms remains a mystery. This workshop aims to bring together experts and early career scientists from various fields and institutions to discuss these missing physical mechanisms and explore how they could be unravelled in the future. The discussed topics will include the scattering of electrons due to Chorus waves, kinetic Alvén waves, and electron holes.
Please find more information on the 2nd workshop here.
Exploring the geophysics of rocky planets through observations and models
Date
1st roundtable discussion: 17th July 2024
2nd roundtable discussion: 7th October 2024
Organizer
Iris van Zelst (TU/DLR), Julia Maia (DLR), Anne Glerum (GFZ)
Summary
The geophysics of rocky planets has far-reaching implications for planetary formation, evolution, and habitability. This project taps into the huge potential of combining the expertise in planetary physics and geodynamic modelling at the Geo.X partner institutions. To combat the persistent underrepresentation of women in scientific leadership positions in Germany, this project specifically enables female early-career scientists to prepare funding proposals on exciting new research avenues and establish themselves as group leaders within the Geo.X network.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Mercury Laboratory Workshop
Date
16th -18th September 2024
Organizer
Océane Barraud (DLR)
Summary
Past exploration of the enigmatic Mercury revealed surface composition unlike that of the other terrestrial bodies and an extraordinarily chemically reduced crust. However, the mineralogy of Mercury is poorly constrained. Therefore, laboratory measurements on sample with exotic composition are needed to constrain Mercury's mineralogy and interpret the future BepiColombo observations. The Geo.X-sponsored Mercury Laboratory workshop will enable the Mercury community to jointly discuss about the laboratory facilities and to design a laboratory measurements plan on common Mercury's samples.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Data-model connections in paleoclimate research within the Geo.X network
Date
30th September 2024
Organizer
Martin Trauth (UP)
Summary
In (paleo)climate research, reconstructors, data analysts and modelers are working increasingly closely together. Nevertheless, there are still problems in communication, in understanding the respective approaches, their possibilities and limitations, and in interpreting the results. The workshop aims to bring together reconstructors, data analysts and modelers to better understand the possibilities and limitations of their scientific work.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Workshop on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Reflectometry for Collaborative Research Initiatives
Date
25th-27th November 2024
Organizer
Milad Asgarimehr (TU)
Summary
The proposal outlines a comprehensive workshop initiative for Collaborative Research Initiatives," aiming to leverage the expertise within the Geo.X network, particularly the Remote Sensing GNSS Reflectometry study group at GFZ, TU Berlin and DLR as well as internationally leading experts. The collaborators at TU Berlin, GFZ and DLR chair an international study group in this topic which provides the possibility for further collaboration. The scientific focus is to realize the potential of GNSS Reflectometry, as a novel remote sensing technique, to tackle climate raised challenges. This aligns with recent satellite missions such as ESA PRETTY and HydroGNSS.
The workshop aims to foster collaboration among Geo.X partners and initiate the development of two joint review papers - (i) on GNSS-R Earth land monitoring and (ii) ocean and atmosphere applications - and a COST Action proposal. Through a round table discussion format, the workshop will facilitate lively discussions among participants, enabling the identification of research questions and objectives for the joint review papers and the COST Action proposal. The expected outcomes include draft outlines for both initiatives and strengthened collaboration among Geo.X partners and international experts.
Supported ideas of the autumn call 2023
Date
23rd-24th November 2023
Organizers
Laura Lehnhoff (FU), Steve Doo (MfN), Carsten Lüter (MfN), Valby van Schijndel (GFZ)
Summary
The Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin houses an extensive coral collection, comprising corals with well-documented collection sites, spanning over 200 years of acquisition. These specimens contain historical climate and environmental data, encompassing periods both before and after the onset of the industrial era. To tap into this valuable resource, this two-day round table seeks to bring together local Geo.X members with a group of external experts. The goal is to chart the optimal path to utilize the museum’s unique assortment of coral skeletons trough geochemical analyses to enhance the understanding of past environmental stress signals.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Date
29th January 2024
Organizer
Matteo Willeit (PIK)
Objective:
In light of the current climate crisis, there is increasing interest in palaeoclimate research. This serves as a critical tool to validate Earth-system models utilised for future projections, explore historical parallels for impending warming, and gain deeper insights into Earth system interactions and feedbacks to develop future sustainable human interactions with the Earth system. Within the Potsdam-Berlin region, various groups and institutions offer extensive expertise in palaeoclimate studies, employing a wide array of methodological approaches. This event aims to facilitate idea exchange, address challenges from various methodological perspectives, plan joint publications, and investigate opportunities for collaborative funding proposals.
Please find more information on the workshop here.
Date
1st roundtable discussion: 8th December 2023
2nd roundtable discussion: 23rd February 2024
Organizers
Ernst Hauber (DLR), Julia Boike (AWI), Guido Grosse (AWI)
Objective:
Our team consists of researchers who study permafrost on the Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, both from a terrestrial and a planetary perspective (terrestrial landforms as analogues for Mars). Both sides have a long-term record of such studies, and there is considerable potential for collaboration. The Geo.X-sponsored meetings will enable us to jointly discuss research ideas that benefit Earth and Mars science, and to design efficient field and flight campaigns optimized to serve both the planetary and terrestrial geoscience communities.
Please find more information on the round table discussion here.
Date
20th - 22th March 2024
Organizer
Georg Feulner (PIK)
Summary
Spatial biodiversity patterns result from complex eco-evolutionary feedbacks with the environment like continental movements, upfolding of mountain chains, and accompanying climatic variations. In this workshop, we want to bring together a group of paleoclimate and paleoecology experts with ecosystem and biodiversity modellers to identify a road map for researching the role of paleoclimatic variations on biodiversity dynamics and cascading effects on ecosystem structure.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Date
20th - 21st June 2024
Organizers
Sabine Undorf (PIK)
Summary
This participatory workshop will bring together philosophers and an interdisciplinary range of scientists to explore the presence and impact of value-laden assumptions and methodology choices within the wider field of climate impact science, building on the recognition that such value-awareness can tangibly benefit the societal relevance and legitimacy of scientific results.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Supported ideas of the spring call 2023
Date
1st workshop: 29th August 2023
2nd workshop: 20th October 2023
3rd workshop: 4th December 2023
Organizers
Ana-Catalina Plesa (DLR), Volker Klemann (GFZ Potsdam), Tobias Sauter (HU Berlin)
Summary
Martian polar caps provide important clues about the climate evolution and the interior properties of our neighbour planet. The polar caps represent a record of Martian climate history throughout the Amazonian period and a significant load on the lithosphere, whose deformation provides constraints on the present-day thermal state of the Martian subsurface.
Date
22nd September 2023
Organizers
Dominik Paprotny (PIK), Matthias Mengel (PIK)
Summary
Impact attribution is a quickly developing field of research that particularly seeks to discover how much climate change has already increased the losses caused by recent natural disasters. As there is no standard method of carrying out such research, the DisasterDrivers group aims to bring together researchers from Geo.X and beyond in a one-day workshop to discuss and tackle this problem by identifying common approaches, shareable datasets and best practices used to study impacts of different types of hazards such as floods, droughts, wildfires, windstorms and heat waves.
Please find more information about the workshop and regsitration here.
Date
6th November 2023
Organizer
Tobias Sauter (HU Berlin)
Summary
Two discussion rounds are planned with scientists from the Einstein Research Group Climate and Water under Change (CliWaC). This transdisciplinary research initiative, which is dedicated to the study of water-related risks of climate change in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, will end at the end of 2024. In the discussion rounds, the possibilities of the continuation of the project will be discussed.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Date
8th - 10th November 2023
Organizer
Norbert Marwan (PIK)
Summary
We aim to establish an interdisciplinary research group and develop a project proposal focused on utilizing caves and cave-based palaeoenvironmental records to investigate landscape and environmental changes of the Swiss Alps during the late Quaternary. The Saegistal region in Switzerland provides a unique opportunity to reconstruct glaciation dynamics and geomorphological evolution using a range of techniques, including the use of caves for dating glacier advances and studying topographic and geomorphological development, speleothem-based clumped isotopes for palaeothermometry, trace elements for assessing water availability, and cryogenic carbonates as permafrost time markers. Preliminary studies conducted in the region demonstrate the high potential for environmental reconstructions through cave documentation and speleothem analysis.
Please find more information about the workshop and registration here.
Please find here an overview of the funded "Grow Your Idea" events from 2022.