Advanced Climate Dynamics and Modeling (Geow-M241-21)

The course blends state-of-the-art knowledge on the climate system with hands-on experience in computational programming to understand and model the climate system. Highlights include climate modelling experiments, analysis of simulated climate outputs, group practical projects on interesting and relevant climate process topics, and an introduction to machine learning and AI applications in climate science. Students will be equipped with all the necessary skills and knowledge for impactful careers in climate research and climate data science.

Language: English

Suitable for: M.Sc. students in Applied and Environmental Geosciences, Geo- and Environmental Sciences, Geoecology, Physics, Astronomy, Computer Science or Machine Learning or related fields with prior knowledge on the climate system (e.g., from Global Change, or Climatology & Ecosystems of the Earth) and experience with a modern programming language (e.g., from the container modules on Data Analysis and Modeling Methods).

CO2 Projektseminar (Geow-B509)

#ZukunftslaborErde. In diesem Seminar wollen wir geo-, bio-, und umweltwissenschaftliche Technologien diskutieren die zum Einhalten nationaler und internationaler Klima- und Nachhaltigkeitsziele beitragen könnten, und derzeit erforscht werden. Wir entwickeln Ansätze zur Entnahme von CO2 aus der Atmosphäre, zur Reduktion von Emissionen und zur langfristigen Speicherung von CO2 im Untergrund, Endprodukten oder in Biomasse. Wir diskutieren die regionale und globale Einsatzmöglichkeit, Kompatibilität mit planetaren Grenzen, und Auswirkungen auf die natürlichen Kreisläufe. In einem Wettbewerb werden die innovativsten Ideen finanziell gefördert und deren Umsetzung und Etablierung unterstützt.

Suitable for: B.Sc. Geoecology, B.Sc. Environmental Science, B.Sc. Geoscience, and related fields

Global Change (Geow-M229-21)

"Global Change” is a course designed to empower students with a quantitative scientific understanding of global change (especially climate, resources, pollution). We discuss the current state of political decisionmaking, fundamental knowledge, and research methods. In lectures and seminars students learn how global-change variables are observed and modeled globally and in sub-systems, and how natural and technological options for mitigation of detrimental global change are developed.

Taught by: Markus Maisch, Kira Rehfeld, Andreas Platis, Hartmut Schulz; guest lecturer:  Matthias May

Language: English

Suitable for: M.Sc. Applied Environmental Geoscience, M.Sc. Geoscience, M.Sc. Geoecology

Einführung in Statistik in den Erdsystemwissenschaften (Geow-B309-21-Ü)

"Einführung in die Statistik" ist ein grundlegender Kurs, der den Studierenden die wesentlichen Konzepte und Techniken der statistischen Analyse vermittelt. Der Lehrplan umfasst Themen wie Wahrscheinlichkeitsverteilungen, Hypothesentests, Regressionsanalyse und Datenvisualisierung sowie experimentelles Design und statische Verzerrungen. Ein wichtiger Bestandteil des Kurses ist die Integration von Data-Science-Projekten, bei denen die Studierenden statistische Methoden auf reale Datensätze anwenden und so ihre praktischen Fähigkeiten erweitern. Diese Projekte fördern ein tieferes Verständnis der Datenvorbereitung, - aufbereitung, -interpretation und -präsentation mit Hilfe statistischer Software. Am Ende des Kurses verfügen die Studierenden über ein solides Verständnis der statistischen Prinzipien,  und praktische Erfahrungen mit Datenauswertung in geo- und umweltwissenschaftlichen Anwendungen.

Taught by: Kira Rehfeld; guest lecturers: Julia Brugger, Yana Savytska

Language: German

Suitable for: B.Sc. Geoecology, B.Sc. Environmental Science, B.Sc. Geoscience, and related fields

Climatology and Ecosystems of the Earth (Geow-B310-V/Ü)

"Climatology and Ecosystems of the Earth" is a comprehensive 10-week course (6SWS) that explores the close relationship between the Earth's climate and ecosystems. Students will examine the fundamental principles of climatology, including atmospheric and oceanic processes, climate zones, and global climate change. The course then delves into key processes and drivers of ecosystem dynamics. It details how climate influences various ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to deserts, and in turn how ecosystems influence  the climate. Through lectures, practical exercises and a seminar, students gain an understanding of the dynamic interactions between climate and ecology, able to place into context the twinned crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Taught by: Hervé Bocherens, Kira Rehfeld (coordinating), Yvonne Oelmann, Dorothée Drucker, Martin Ebner, Hartmut Schulz

Language: English

Suitable for: B.Sc and M.Sc students in Geo- and Environmental Sciences and related fields

Data Analysis and Modeling Methods (Introduction to Time Series Analysis) (Geow-M317_325-21-5)

"Introduction to Time Series Analysis" is an dedicated 4-week container module(2SWS)  tailored for students with prior experience in programming using Python, R, or Matlab. The course delves into the principles and techniques of time series analysis, focusing on geoscientific applications such as climate data,  hydrological records, extreme events, or from environmental monitoring. Students will get familiar with stochastic processes used to model time series, and learn  to identify patterns, trends, and seasonal variations within geospatial datasets. They will utilize standard and advanced statistical methods and computational tools. Practical assignments and a hands-on project will enable students to apply these techniques to real-world geoscientific data. By the end of the course, students will be adept at interpreting complex temporal data, essential for advancing research and problem-solving in the geo- and environmental sciences.

Taught by: Kira Rehfeld

Language: English

Suitable for: M.Sc. students in Applied & Environmental Geoscience, Geosciences, Geoecology with some programming experience from the introductory courses (e.g., R, Python, Matlab)