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.

Study ¹

Sections ²

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:

Board ³

Secretariats

The offices and secretariats are presented on the following page. They are the contact persons for the sections and working groups.

Secretaries ⁴

Employees

The following page lists the employees of the Institute and its sections and working groups and their contact details.

Employees ⁵

Directions & building

The Institute of Geosciences is located in various buildings in Bonn. On this page you will find an overview of the locations.

Find us ⁶

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:

Libraries ⁷

Museums

Two museums with rich collections belong to the institute and can be visited:
The Goldfuß Museum and the Mineralogical Museum introduce themselves!

Museen

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.

Equipment ⁸

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.

Co-operations ⁹

1/6 © Klaus Haaken

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:

Study ¹

Institute news

News from the Institute of Geosciences

¹⁰

Prof. Dr. Marcel Thielmann introduces himself as the newly established Chair of W2 Geophysics/Geodynamics¹⁰

Welcome to Prof. Dr. Marcel Thielmann! He took over the newly established Chair of W2 Geophysics/Geodynamics on March, 1st 2025 and introduces himself in this news post: "I am a geodynamicist with a focus on developing and applying mathematical and computational models to understand the physical processes that control deformation of the Earth’s surface and interior. I am particularly interested in the interplay between processes on different scales. Current research projects range from deep earthquakes, flow of complex fluids through porous media, the rheology of Earth's lower mantle and the interaction between deep Earth processes and surface deformation." Welcome to the Geophysics Section and the Institute of Geosciences!

¹¹

Planning competition: Children in the climate crisis¹¹

The Erasmus+ project Children in the Climate Crisis is organising a planning competition until 15 March 2025. All information on participation and prizes can be found here!

¹²

Field days in the Applied Geophysics module, WS 24/25¹²

Once again this winter semester, we held our three field days in the mug515 / BW56 Applied Geophysics module at the beginning of November.

¹³

International Double Degree Master's Program in Geophysics¹³

Cooperation agreement signed for the international geophysics degree program with double degree - double degree for excellent students in the Master's program “Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere” at the University of Bonn and “Geophysics for Natural Risks and Resources” at the University of Padua

¹⁴

Field measurements on the island Spiekeroog¹⁴

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.

¹⁵

KinderUni at University Bonn¹⁵

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

¹⁶

Early 2024, field measurements by geophysics team on Svalbard with project partners from UNIS and FZ Jülich¹⁶

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.

¹⁷

PrePEP conference 2025¹⁷

The international conference on ‘Precipitation Processes - Estimation and Prediction (PrePEP)’ to be held 16-21 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/e/prepep for more information. Looking forward to seeing you in Bonn!

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.

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.

A Short History

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

You can find a more detailed chronicle of the institute and its sections under the following link:

Zur Chronik ¹⁸

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:

Find us ⁶

The opening hours of the museums can be found on the museum pages:

Museums ¹⁹

Important links

BASIS²⁰
eCampus²⁰
Serviceportal²¹
Confluence²²
HRZ²³

Our network

Fachschaft MuG (Meteorologie und Geophysik)²⁴
Fachschaft Geowissenschaften²⁵
Cooperations and partnerships²⁶

Jobs & vacancies

Here you will find our current vacancies:

Jobs & vacancies ²⁷

Back to main page Institute of Geosciences ²⁸

1883

Year in which the first geoscientific institute was founded

Sections

Study programms

Arriving by car

Beispieltext:

Parken Sie am besten in einem der Parkhäuser in der Innenstadt und gehen von dort aus Richtung Poppelsdorfer Allee bzw. für die Psychologische Beratung zur Quantiusstraße.

Für gehandicapte Menschen und Eltern mit kleinen Kindern bestehen nach vorheriger Rücksprache kostenlose Parkmöglichkeiten direkt hinter unserem Haus in der Poppelsdorfer Allee 49.

Arriving by bus and train

Beispieltext:

Fahren Sie bis zum Bonner Hauptbahnhof bzw. zur Haltestelle "Poppelsdorfer Allee".

Wenn Sie zur Studienberatung möchten, laufen Sie einfach Richtung Poppelsdorfer Allee.

Zur Psychologischen Beratung nehmen Sie am Hauptbahnhof den Ausgang "Quantiusstraße".

Geschäftszimmer

Kurzbeschreibung, z.B: Als familienfreundliche Hochschule bieten wir Angebote zur erfolgreichen Vereinbarung von Beruf, Studium und Familie.

Kontakt

+49 228 / 73-52 76

beispielmail@uni-bonn.de

Adresse

2. Etage, Räume 2.017 / 2.018
Quantiusstraße 1
53115 Bonn

Psychologische Beratung

Als familienfreundliche Hochschule bieten wir Angebote zur erfolgreichen Vereinbarung von Beruf, Studium und Familie.