27 April 2026
In short: Research News from the University of Hamburg
Photo: UHH/von Wieding
In this issue, you will find information on five new projects and grants. If you would like to learn more about the individual projects, please feel free to contact the researchers directly.
- “ART for LIFE”: €1.1 million for a project on climate-resilient reforestation of spruce forests
- RING: Four million euros for research on the Earth’s rotational movements
- “Global Climate Minds”: Funding for master’s students in climate sciences
- €445,500 to support scientific career paths
- Humboldt Research Fellowships for postdoctoral researcher
“ART for LIFE”: €1.1 Million for a Project on Climate-Resilient Reforestation of Spruce Forests
European spruce forests are extremely vulnerable to climate change and are also plagued by recurring infestations of pests such as the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) and the European spruce bark beetle. In many areas, forest stands are severely threatened. Researchers aim to determine how large-scale restoration can be achieved using ecologically sound and economically viable strategies as part of the “ART for LIFE” project. The project is receiving approximately €5.7 million under the European LIFE funding program, with around €1.1 million going to the team led by Dr. Elke Fischer from the Department of Earth System Sciences at the University of Hamburg.
Together with colleagues from a total of five partner institutions, she will investigate how spruce forests—for example, in the Apennines—can be converted into mixed forests through targeted planting of species such as silver fir and beech, how this affects local ecosystems, and how acceptance of these measures within the forestry sector can be increased. Fischer, who conducts research at the Earth and Society Research Hub at the University of Hamburg, will focus primarily on analyzing substances in the forest soil, as well as their composition and changes resulting from the new management practices.
Beyond the model regions, the project will also use digital twins to simulate the effects of various management strategies and develop practical guidelines in close collaboration with the forestry sector.
Contact: Dr. Elke Fischer, University of Hamburg, Department of Earth System Sciences, Tel.: +49 40 2395-27419, Email: elke.fischer"AT"uni-hamburg.de
RING: Four Million for Research on the Earth’s Rotational Movements
The Earth rotates on its own axis—but not as uniformly as one might think. Changes in mass on and within the planet—such as the shifting of water masses due to tides or the melting of the ice sheets at the poles—influence its rotation. Measuring these fluctuations is the goal of a new research group, which will receive approximately four million euros from the German Research Foundation over the next four years. Together, they aim to develop high-precision sensors for measuring Earth’s rotation. Two research groups from the University of Hamburg—led by Dr. Celine Hadziioannou and Dr. Oliver Gerberding—are also participating in “RING: Rotational Movements in Physics, Geophysics, and Geodesy,” headed by Prof. Dr. Heiner Igel at LMU Munich. They will collaborate on the co-development and further refinement of the optical measuring instruments known as ring lasers and on researching their application.
Findings regarding Earth’s rotation have direct implications for science. “In combination with other seismic measurements, these sensors act like a stethoscope for our planet and allow us to understand how climate-related changes—such as shifts in groundwater—subtly alter the Earth’s crust, thereby providing new insights into the effects of climate change on our planet,” says Hadziioannou, who conducts research in the field of environmental seismology.
Gerberding adds: “Ring laser technology shares many similarities with gravitational wave detectors, and compact ring lasers also have the potential to reduce noise in observatories such as the future Einstein Telescope. Conducting joint research here is a win-win situation.” The physicist conducts research on gravitational waves in the Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe. The project thus forms an interdisciplinary link between the Department of Earth System Sciences and the Department of Physics.
Contact:
- Prof. Dr. Celine Hadziioannou, University of Hamburg, Department of Earth System Sciences, Tel. +49 40 2395-22980, Email: celine.hadziioannou"AT"uni-hamburg.de
- Prof. Dr. Oliver Gerberding, University of Hamburg, Department of Physics, Tel.: +49 40 2395-26080, Email: oliver.gerberding@uni-hamburg.de (oliver.gerberding"AT"uni-hamburg.de)
“Global Climate Minds”: Support for Master’s Students in Climate Sciences
The cluster of excellence “Climate, Climatic Change and Society” (CLICCS) conducts world-class climate research. To attract international master’s students in climate-related fields early on, provide them with interdisciplinary training, and specifically prepare them for career paths in science, business, and society, a new innovative qualification program is being launched. The corresponding project, “Climate Knowledges in Context: Studying Climate Futures” (CKIC), will receive up to €750,000 in funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) over the next three years. It combines structured recruitment and selection procedures with a comprehensive onboarding, mentoring, and career program.
Students receive orientation and support even before the commencement of studies, are integrated into interdisciplinary climate research, and are connected to Hamburg as a hub for science and innovation in the long term through networking opportunities and career services. In this way, the project strengthens Hamburg’s international visibility as a leading hub for climate-oriented research and education and contributes to the sustainable preservation of scientific excellence in the field of climate science.
CKIC is supported as part of “Academic Horizons – Attracting Global Minds.” The program helps German universities attract the world’s most promising talent for master’s or doctoral studies in key technologies and strategically relevant research fields of the High-Tech Agenda Germany. The funding is part of the “1,000-Köpfe-Plus” program of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space.
Contact: Dr. Alexandra Franzke, University of Hamburg, CLICCS cluster of excellence, Tel.: +49 40 2395 27599, Email: alexandra.franzke"AT"uni-hamburg.de
€445,500 to support academic career paths
To ensure the sustainability of the German research and higher education system, it is essential not only to attract talent from within Germany and abroad, but also to support and retain it in the long term. This requires good working conditions—even beyond the professorship. Since 2014, the Universität Hamburg—University of Excellence has been committed to supporting early-career researchers in various contexts and initiatives.
To establish new, sustainable, and flexible academic employment models, Dr. Linda Jauch, Director of the Hub of Academic Career & Research Culture at the University of Hamburg (UHH), will receive €445,500 from the Volkswagen Foundation over the next 36 months for her structural project. The project will focus on the legally sound introduction of (Senior) Researcher and (Senior) Lecturer positions within the German research and higher education system and is part of the Volkswagen Foundation’s profile area “Knowledge about Knowledge – Reflection and Practice of Science.” The first two Senior Lecturers were already appointed at the University of Hamburg in April 2025.
As part of the project—in close collaboration with the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research, and Equal Opportunity and German U15 e. V.—the necessary legal framework will be developed in both the State Higher Education Act and the Teaching Obligations Regulations to ensure that career paths alongside the professorship are legally sound and minimally bureaucratic in the long term. The goal is to establish these experiences and structures throughout Germany, thereby enabling academic careers that transcend state borders.
Contact: Dr. Linda Jauch, University of Hamburg, Hub of Academic Career & Research Culture, Tel.: +49 40 2395-25287, Email: linda.jauch"AT"uni-hamburg.de
Humboldt Research Fellowships for Postdoctoral Researchers
In February 2026, Dr. Marco Pelucchi joined the University of Hamburg as part of a Humboldt Research Fellowship for postdoctoral researchers. He will conduct research under Prof. Dr. Christian Brockmann at the Institute of Greek and Latin Philology in the Faculty of Humanities. Another Humboldt Research Fellow is Dr. Francesco Binotto. He arrived in April from the University of Parma and is working with Prof. Dr. Stephan Schmid at the Institute of Philosophy on medieval philosophy.
Through these fellowships, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation supports exceptionally qualified early-career researchers from around the world. They can carry out their research projects in Germany, with funding periods ranging from six to 24 months.
Contact:
- Prof. Dr. Christian Brockmann, University of Hamburg, Department of Language, Literature, and Media II, Tel.: +49 40 2395-24913, Email: christian.brockmann"AT"uni-hamburg.de
- Prof. Dr. Stephan Schmid, University of Hamburg, Department of Philosophy, Tel.: +49 40 2397-27446, Email: stephan.schmid"AT"uni-hamburg.de