Welcome to the Institute of Geography Göttingen

Starting in January 2012 the German Research Foundation "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" (DFG) funds the new SFB 990 „Ecological and soicoeconomic functions of tropical low land rainforest transformation systems (Sumatra, Indonesia)".
Researchers from six participating faculties of the University of Göttingen and three Indonesian universities will explore the implications of tropical rainforest conversion into palm oil and rubber plantations for local people's livelihood. On the part of the Institute of Geography Göttingen the Department of Human Geography participates in this research centre.

On the 25th of November 2011 the ceremony of the Faculty of Geoscience and Geography for the graduates of the examination year 2011 took place at the Paulinerkirche (Historical Building of the State and University Library of Lower Saxony Göttingen).
The welcome speech by Prof. Dr. Andreas Pack (dean of studies) was followed by a ceremonial address given by Prof. Dr. Heiko Faust, the presentation of the thesis of a gradute in Geography and the handing over of the diplomas. Nach einer Begrüßung durch den Studiendekan, Prof. Dr. Andreas Pack, folgten der Festvortrag von Prof. Dr. Heiko Faust, die Präsentation der Abschlussarbeit einer Geographieabsolventin und die Überreichung der Abschlusszeugnisse.
Musically, the ceremony was framed by the Maggiore Quartet Göttingen university orchestra.

Funded by BMBF the interdisciplinary research project carbiocial - carbon sequestration, biodiversity and social structures in Southern Amazonia: models and implementation of carbon optimised land management strategies will try to find solutions in Brasilien solutions for the following problems in connection with land use intensification: (a) loss of ecosystem services, (b) increasing releases of greenhouse gases (GHG), and (c) the reduction of livelihoods.
Around one dozen of German universities and research institutes participate in this project. Project leader: Prof. Dr. Gerhard Gerold, vize speaker: PD Dr. Hermann Jungkunst (both: Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Geography Göttingen).