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Research Interests
Mountain cryosphere: Glaciology, rock glacier kinematics, remote sensing of the cryosphere, snow hydrology
Climatology & meteorology: Cold regions meteorology, climate/cryosphere connections
Current Roles
I am affiliated with the Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. In Austria, I lead an FWF ESPRIT project on ice albedo of mountain glaciers (link: FWF ESP 250). In Alaska, I contribute to activities of the state climate office (ACRC) and the UAF’s hyperspectral imaging laboratory (HYLAB).
Previous positions
2022 - 2023: Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Alaska Climate Research Center at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA
Ocean color in the Gulf of Alaska from hyperspectral imagery
Climatology and upper level weather patterns conducive to ice fog in Interior Alaska
Knowledge transfer for AK SCO with local and federal stakeholders & interested public
2019-2022: Post Doctoral researcher at Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Innsbruck.
Analysis of spectral ice albedo and related remote sensing applications
Regional patterns in glacier elevation change
Regular glaciological fieldwork, mass balance monitoring
2018-2019: Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Alaska Climate Research Center at the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA
Mountain weather and climate of Denali, machine learning based analysis of synoptic scale weather patterns.
Data analysis and development of interactive visualization tools
Science communication: Outreach and knowledge transfer on weather and climate topics for local and federal stakeholders & interested public, contributions to activities of American Association of State Climatologists.
2013-2018: Doctoral/ Post Doctoral researcher, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Innsbruck.
Analysis of snow depth data for improvement of automatic solid precipitation measurements and snow density parametrisation (part of project PluSnow, Austrian Science Fund - FWF)
Snowmaking climatology in Austria and Germany, FFG Collective Research Program
Modelling of rock glacier kinematics, geodetic monitoring of surface displacement at Hochebenkar rock glacier, Austria
Installation and maintenance of mass balance monitoring networks at Stubacher Sonnblickkees and Hallstätter Gletscher, Austria.
2011-2014: Doctoral researcher at Alpine Research Center Obergurgl (AFO), University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Surface weather observation at ZAMG TAWES site Obergurgl
Data analysis
German and English language editorial work
Field work
Ongoing: Mass balance monitoring in Austria.
10/2012 and 10/2014: External advisor, ICIMOD, Kathmandu, Nepal
Installation and maintenance of glaciological monitoring network at Rikha Samba glacier, Lower Mustang, Nepal
Academic Education
2017 Phd, Department of Geo- and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck (Inst. of Geography).
Thesis title: Rock glaciers as elements of the cryosphere in a changing climate
2010 Mag. rer. nat. in Meteorology and Geophysics, Department of Geo- and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck.
Thesis title: The Gepatschferner from 1850-2006. Changes in length, area and volume in relation to climate
2005 International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma, Bolitho School, Penzance, UK
Other
Freelance work in the following fields: science communication, journalistic and editorial work, English-German translations, content management.
Invited Talks
2023 Rock glacier inventories and kinematics (RGIK) seminar series. “Multi-method monitoring of cyclical destabilization of Äußeres Hochebenkar rock glacier” (2023-04-26, with V. Zahs)
2023 Interdisciplinary seminar “Climate change on long and short timescales”, University of Innsbruck. “Future evolution of glaciers in Austria” (2023-01-12, with P. Schmitt)
2021 Cryosphere Forum 2021, ICIMOD. “Rock glacier monitoring in the Austrian Alps: Past, present, and future” (2021-09-21) Overview of rock glacier monitoring at the Austrian Academy of Sciences
2021 Sofia Science Festival “Glaciers- perfect thermometers” (2021-05-16) General interest talk on glacier fluctations and climate change
Outreach, selection
2021: Lecture on glaciers and climate for high school students (Veranstaltung: ÖAW-Schulvorträge, 25.11.2021, BG Dornbirn) Dornbirn, Austria.
2021: Lecture on general glaciology & monitoring at the Dachstein glaciers for La Strada, Signal am Dachstein (Veranstaltung SIGNAL AM DACHSTEIN - Ouvertüre „Glaziologie“, 18.-19. September 2021, link) Gosau, Austria.
2020: Lecture on climate, glaciers and glaciology for the German Alpine Club (Referentin Glaziologie bei der Veranstaltung “200 Jahre Erstbesteigung Zugspitze” des DAV München-Oberland, 26.-27.8.2020, link) Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
2019: Introductory avalanche awareness class for Nenana Highschool, March 7, 2019. Nenana, USA.
2018: Presentation on climate and climate change for K-12 teachers in Alaska, UA REACH Up program, April 20, 2018. Fairbanks, USA.
Media coverage
Selection of press coverage of scientific work:
2024, Juneau Empire: “Ice fog not often a part of northern life”, Feb 15, 2024. (News article, link)
2023, orf: “Dok 1Österreich ohne Gletscher - Na und?“ (TV documentary, link)
2023, orf.at: “Erwärmung macht Blockgletscher instabil” (News article, link); standard.at: “Tiroler Blockgletscher fließt immer schneller“ (News article, link); various other Austrian news outlets (Tiroler Tageszeitung, Heute, Wiener Zeitung, Die Presse, Krone), March 2023.
2022, servus TV: “Wie schmelzen unsere Gletscher?” (TV documentary, link), Sep 2022
2022, standard.at: Forschung unter Zeitdruck an schmelzenden Gletschern, June 2022 (News article, link)
2021, orf.at: “Österreichs Gletscher zerfallen” (News article, link); Kronenzeitung, print and online “Gletscher zerfallen und stürzen in sich zusammen” (News acrticle, link), August 2021