Biography
About
I am a geoscientist with a broad interest in investigating, quantifying and modelling subaqueous geomorphodynamic processes and assessing the related hazard. It is my motivation to understand processes of our environment, and to inspire people to do the same.
During my research career, I obtained mobility experience, both in terms of thematic expertise and geographical locations. Following my MSc in physical geography, I pursued a PhD in limnogeology. Subsequently, I held positions at the Swiss Seismological Service as a PostDoc and Senior Research Assistant. Throughout my academic and professional journey, I’ve had the opportunity to work in Mongolia, Belgium, Spain, and Switzerland, engaging in a range of national and international fieldwork activities.
I have had a strong focus on the geological and sedimentological aspect of subaqueous mass movements and their consequences, including tsunamis. Next to the broad field- (geophysical data acquisition, sediment coring, CPT) and laboratory-work (Core data analysis) experience, I have strong skills in developing conceptual approaches and conducting geospatial analyses.
My work at the Swiss Seismological Service has enabled me to transfer my previous knowledge to current earthquake-related projects and to extend my seismological skills.
At present, I am working at the Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern. Please feel free to contact me if you have any ideas for collaboration.
Research interests
- Natural hazard assessment
- Subaqueous mass movements
- Tsunamis
- Limnogeology
- Seismic stratigraphy
- Sediment dynamics
- Earthquakes
- Glaciology
- Geomorphodynamics
- Geospatial analyses
- Data acquisition, monitoring, and interpretation
Projects
Currently, I am involved in the following projects:
TSUNAMI-CH: The project investigates the tsunami hazard on Swiss Peri-Alpine lakes, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology at ETHZ and the University of Bern
artEmis (awareness and resilience through European multi sensor system): The European collaboration project aims at developing, building and operating a multi sensor system that will measure with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution changes in radon concentration in ground water. The resulting data are fed into ML Algorithms, analysed, and correlated to seismic data, in order to test if changes in radon concentrations can be used as potential precursors to earthquakes.
Teaching
- 2019 - 2023 Limnogeology (BSc level) at ETH Zurich
- 2022 - 2023: Geophysical Field Class (BSc level) at ETH Zurich
- 2014 - 2017: Teaching Assistant for various limnogeological excursions and limogeology lectures at ETH Zurich
- 2014: Teaching Assistant “Geographic Information Systems” at ETH Zurich
Work experience
- 02/2024 - ongoing : Scientific collaborator at the Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Switzerland
- 05/2024 - 07/2024: Scientific collaborator at the Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal, University of Córdoba, Spain
- 11/2020 - 12/2023: Senior Research Assistant and Lecturer at the Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- 8/2018 - 10/2020: Postdoctoral Researcher at Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- 12/2017 - 7/2018: Risk Management (New Reinsurance Company Ltd., Trainee)
- 05/2012 - 12/2012: Staff at Renard Centre of Marine Geology (Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium)
Education
01/2014 -10/2017: PhD studies (ETH Zurich, Geological Institute and SED): “Basin-wide assessment of the earthquake-triggered landslide- and tsunami hazard: A conceptual approach and its application, tested in perialpine Lake Zurich (Switzerland)“
02/2010 - 02/2012: MSc studies in Physical Geography (University of Zurich, Switzerland). Glaciology, Geomorphodynamics, Geochronology
07/2009 - 09/2009: Traineeship Remote Sensing / GIS (Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia)
10/2006 - 07/2009: BSc studies in Geography (University of Zurich, Switzerland)
Fieldwork Experience
Summer 2024: Participation in various Forestal Field Measurement Campaigns in the Sierra Nevada (Spain) (Dendrometry, Water Potential, Gas Fluxes)
Spring 2023: Groundwater sampling for Rn Analysis in the Bedretto Underground Lab
Spring 2022: Airborne orthophoto and DEM acquisition with DJI Phantom 4 Drone on Lake Kloental, Switzerland with our BSc Student Sabine Mawet.
2018: OBS Campaign, Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. Related to our projcet on Lake Tsunamis.
Spring 2016: Pinger Seismic Survey, Oberrieden, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.
Spring 2015: Kullenberg-Type longcoring Campaign, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.
Spring 2015: Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) Campaign, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.
Spring 2014: R/V ArETHuse, Multibeam Echosounder Survey, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Related to my PhD studies.
Autumn 2012: Pinger Seismic Survey, various lakes in the High Atlas mountains (Lakes Sidi Ali, Tislit, d’Isli), Morocco. Related to my position in Belgium.
Summer 2012: R/V Moose Dancer, Pinger Seismic Survey and Short Coring on Lakes Kenai, Skilak, Tustumena and Eklutna, Southern Alaska. Related to my position in Belgium.
Summer 2011: R/V Perca, Sparker Seismic Survey, Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. Related to MSc thesis.
2006 - 2012: Various Terrain courses (Glaciology, Geomorphology, Geology, Remote Sensing, Soil Science) related to the University of Zurich Bachelors and Masters program
Contact
Institute of Geological Sciences, Baltzerstrasse 1+3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)