Developments at HZG since 2009
Education
Prof. Dr. Kay-Christian Emeis, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute of Coastal Research, Contact: Kay.Emeis@hzg.de
IfK is dedicated to excellence in
education of future researchers
Our ability to manage our coasts is still
inadequate even though the well-being of
society is linked to and affects the coastal
ocean. The next generation of scientists to
work in the coastal zone must adopt a systems
view to anticipate consequences of the
increasing intensity of human activities in
coastal seas against the backdrop of a highly
complex and variable natural system.
Foto
IfK has a relevant spectrum of
disciplinary expertise
IfK networks with
academic institutions
IfK personnel hold 10 professorships at 5
universities in the region and installed a HGF
Junior Research Group affiliated with the
Universität Hamburg in 2010.
 strong background and excellent working
conditions in climate research,
environmental physics and chemistry
 dedicated to explore interactions between
natural science and society
IfK scientists teach compulsory and voluntary
courses as part of the university curricula.
With AWI and IOW, we have organised an
international annual summer school on shelf
sea science since 2007. In the period 20092012, on average 50 IfK doctoral students
have been enrolled in the PhD programs of 7
national and international partner universities.
We offer internships and practicals for B.Sc.,
M.Sc. and diploma students.
 capacity to analyse complex systems with
observations and models
 innovative observation, analysis and
communication tools
Our Vision
IfK@HZG will become an
institutionally sustained and
internationally outstanding center
for education in coastal zone
science.

Advancing disciplinary and
integrated coastal zone research
 Providing first-class researchbased graduate and post-graduate
education
Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht • Max-Planck-Straße 1 • 21502 Geesthacht • Phone +49 (0)4152 87-0 • Fax +49 (0)4152 87-1403 • www.hzg.de
Improving educational
structures
IfK has implemented a modern and effective
system of graduate advisory panels,
mentoring and reporting, but yet has to
formalise graduate education. We thus
submitted an application for a HGF Graduate
School „COastal SYstems Sustainability and
Management – COSYM“. Main goal is to
promote excellent graduate education in the
field of shelf sea science. Partners are the
University of Hamburg and institutional
partners BSH and vTI Sea Fisheries. The
structure of COSYM complies with newly
formulated university and HGF standards for
graduate education.
 Embracing the motto “Wissen
schafft Nutzen” (Knowledge
creates uses… for society)
 Educating young researchers
to become honest brokers in the
dialog with the public and with
decision makers