Click for a PDF version of my academic CV
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 where I lead two FWF projects (FWF Esprit: Glacier Albedo; FWF ESP 250; FWF Principle Investigator Project: ERODE ). I continue to regularly collaborate with the Alaska state climate office (ACRC) and the hyperspectral imaging laboratory (HYLAB) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where I was previously employed as a postdoctoral researcher and assistant state climatologist.
Previous positions
Alaska Climate Research Center (ACRC) and Hyperspectral Imaging Laboratory (HYlab), University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA.
2022 - 2026:
Ocean and glaciers: Ocean color in the Gulf of Alaska from hyperspectral imagery
Ice fog: Climatology and upper level weather patterns conducive to ice fog in Interior Alaska
State Climte Office: Reporting and knowledge transfer for AK SCO with local and federal stakeholders & interested public
2018-2019:
Weather patterns: Mountain weather and climate of Denali, machine learning based analysis of synoptic scale weather patterns.
Data rescue: Data analysis and development of interactive visualization tools
State Climte Office: 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.
Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Innsbruck, Austria (doctoral/post-doctoral researcher)
2019-2022:
Glacier change: Albedo variability, regional elevation change patterns, mass balance monitoring
Proposal development for national and European research calls
Fieldwork: Glacier mass balance
2013-2018:
Rock glacier kinematics: Time series analysis, rheological modeling
Snow density: Parametrization and trends
Climatology: Trend analysis of wet bulb temperatures for technical snow production
Fieldwork: Installation and maintenance of glacier mass balance monitoring networks, ground penetrating radar, spectroradiometric measurements
Alpine Research Center Obergurgl (AFO), University of Innsbruck, Austria (doctoral researcher)
2011-2014:
Meteorological monitoring: Surface weather observations, data analysis
Editorial work in German and English, translations
Other work experience and skills
2024 - ongoing: External lecturer, University of Innsbruck
WS 24/25, WS 25/26: contributions to VU Aspects of Physics Relevant to Everyday Life and to History, Department of Ion Physics and Applied Physics
2010 - ongoing: Writer and editor for online and print media in leading and contributing roles.
Focus areas: Winter sports and snow safety education; science communication
2012 & 2014: External advisor, ICIMOD (Nepal)
Glaciological monitoring at Rikha Samba glacier, Lower Mustang
Co-advised theses and mentoring
MSc: S. Conzelmann, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, ongoing. Thesis: "Microbial Analysis of a Pre-industrial Ice Core from Weißseespitze, Austria." (co-supervised thesis)
PhD: L. von Roemer, Inst. of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, ongoing. Preliminary title: “Recovery of Historical Aerial Photographs in the Austrian Alps” (phd mentor)
BSc: S. Horban, Department of Ion Physics and Applied Physics, University of Innsbruck, 2026. Thesis: "Analysis of Heat Diffusion and Melting Dynamics in the Glacial Ice of the Weißseespitze." (co-supervised thesis)
BSc: M. V. Lauria, Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, 2026. Thesis: "Climate, ice and water in Jamtal, Silvretta." (co-supervised thesis)
BSc: N. Carniel, Institute of Geography, Heidelberg University, 2024. Thesis: "Deriving activity zones of the Äußeres Hochebenkar rock glacier through boulder tracking based on multitemporal ULS point clouds.” (co-supervised thesis)
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.
2005 International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma, Bolitho School, Penzance, UK
Seminars, invited talks, public lectures (selection)
2025 Confini di Carta, Convegno Internazionale Rete Montagna, invited talk: “Glacier change in the Alps from 1850 to 2100: towards deglaciation?”, Milan, IT.
2025 URBI Science Talks, public lecture for UN World Glacier Day: Im Schatten des Klimawandels; Graz, AT.
2024 Symposium "The Future of Tourism in the Alpine-Adriatic Region", key note: Observing deglaciation: Glacier change in the Alps from 1850 to 2050 (with A. Fischer), Hermagor, AT.
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); online.
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); Innsbruck, AT.
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; online.
2021 Sofia Science Festival “Glaciers- perfect thermometers” (2021-05-16) General interest talk on glacier fluctations and climate change; online.
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:
2026, Die Presse, "Vorarlberg verliert die Hälfte seiner Gletscher", March 20, 2026. (News article, link)
2025, ZDF Heute Journal, "Das Eis wird immer dünner" (TV documentary)
2025, spiegel.de, "Österreichs Gletscher tauen in den nächsten Jahrzehnten weg", April 10, 2025. (News article, link)
2025, NASA Earth Observatory Image of the Day, "The Cloudy Waters of Kachemak Bay", February 25, 2025. (online feature, link)
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