2011-09-14 News

Summer School in the Tidal Mudflats

This year “The Summer School on Coastal Research” will take place in Lauenburg und Büsum from the 19th to the 30th of September. In the course of this 12 day event the 20 participants will be brought up to date with the latest knowledge regarding climate change and its effects on the North Sea. The young marine and environmental scientists come from 15 countries, and yet all have one thing in common – their desire to investigate the coasts and seas of the world. Each year since 2002, the Institute of Coastal Research at the Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht, the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research in Warnemünde have cooperated to organise a summer school on various topics regarding climate and marine research - originating from the idea of imparting the knowledge gained from current research to junior scientists from around the world.

Mudflats in front of Büsum

Dr. Götz Flöser of the Geesthacht Institute of Coastal Research is one of the initiators of the summer school. He explains: “Committed young scientists gather at the school from various different countries and cultures but all have mutual interests. The participants often build networks and stay in touch over many years”. As the costs are born entirely by the three organising establishments, academic aspects such as participation in research projects or scientific publications are the sole criteria considered whilst selecting the 20 participants. The junior scientists can thus take part in the summer school without any financial hurdles. This is particularly interesting for students from developing countries.

Young scientists to guest in Lauenburg and Büsum

Sheila Santander [Download]

Sheila Santander was born in the Philippines but is studying at the United Nations University in Japan. Through her masters degree in Fisheries Biology she has become interested in investigating marine pollution caused by fish farming. “Nowadays, the various aspects of climate change are an essential consideration in any area of marine research. I would like to exchange ideas with leading scientists and the other visiting students. No laboratory work, seminars or specialist literature could possibly compare with this experience”.

Hadayet Ullah [Download]

Hadayet Ullah is from Bangladesh, has studied Marine Biology and gained a masters degree in Fisheries Sciences. His research to date has focussed exclusively on tropical coasts. “I am interested in how coastal research is carried out in Germany. The North Sea is one of the best investigated seas in the world and this school is organised by the leading research centres in this field. I am looking forward to learning about new approaches to research and new methods which I can also put into practice back home.

Fati Aziz [Download]

The biologist and environmental scientist Fati Aziz is from Ghana. Above all she would like to familiarise herself with examples of best practice for the adaptation to climate change in coastal regions. “I will use this inspiration for the research proposal “Coastal Zone Management in Ghana” which I am writing in cooperation with my university in Ghana and the Küsten Union Deutschland e.V. (Coastal Union Germany).

Vera Schuhbauer [Download]

Vera Schuhbauer is from Lüneburg and got to know the Institute of Coastal Research during her internship there. “I am looking forward to the international working atmosphere of this event. I am starting my master studies in “Tropical Marine Ecology” at the University of Bremen in October and, at this summer school, I hope to learn about many interesting research facilities and projects throughout the world.

Olga Solovyova [Download]

Olga Solovyova is a biologist at the “Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas” at the Black Sea in the Ukraine. “We have a totally new branch of research on sustainable coastal management at our institute. I am investigating the influence of hydraulic engineering operations on organisms and their ability to purify seawater; as occurs, for example, in the case of oil spills. At the summer school I would like to learn more about the sustainable use of coasts”
"I examine the impact of construction on water organisms and their ability to clean the sea water."

Infos about the summer school

In 2002 the school originated from the idea of imparting the knowledge gained from current research to junior scientists from around the world. The school has taken place every year since then and is organised by the participating research establishments alternately. The programme for the schools includes lectures, project work and excursions to marine and environmental research establishments.