Dr. Johanna Kerch

Lecturer | Akad. Rätin a.Z. | Postdoctoral Researcher | Early Career Scientist
Computational Structural Glaciology

Research Interests


  • Statistical analysis and data-integrated computation of physical properties of glacier ice, in particular crystal anisotropy;
  • the effect of crystal anisotropy on ice flow (and ice flow modeling) to contribute to more accurate knowledge about past and future behaviour of the ice sheets;
  • as well as the potential of geophysical methods (e.g. seismics, ultrasonic sounding) to utilize crystal anisotropy to gain information about internal structure of ice bodies;
  • furthermore, short-scale variability in crystal anisotropy and sampling effects along ice cores are a methodological focus of my research.

I advocate for open source software in the academic work and teaching environment, digital literacy education, and FAIR data management. I strongly support the efforts towards gender equality in the natural sciences and compatibility of family life and academic career.

  • Bridging the Gap: From Terrestrial to Icy Moons Cryospheres (International Team in Space and Earth Sciences 2023, 23-589, Plesa & Kowalski)
  • OpenJupyter2 - Medienbruchfreie Integration von Jupyter Notebooks in die Lernplattform Open edX für akademische Lehre und berufliche Weiterbildung (BMBF, 11/22 - 10/24)
  • Studienqualitätsmittel 2022: Kaltlabor für optische Gefügeanalytik an Eiskernen
  • Dorothea Schlözer Career Coaching 2022
  • Gleichstellungs-Innovations-Fonds 2022: Impostor Phenomenon - Awareness and Prevention
  • Gleichstellungs-Innovations-Fonds 2021: Unconscious Bias Training
  • Doctoral scholarship (incl. several travel awards) by Deutsche Studienstiftung (2013 - 2016)

WiSe 2022/23
B.Geo.705 / B.Geg.11.1: Digitale Techniken (Vorlesung mit Übung)
M.Geo.238: Mikrotektonik (Vorlesung mit Übung)

WiSe 2021/22
B.Geo.705 / B.Geg.11.1: Digitale Techniken (Vorlesung mit Übung)
M.Geo.105: Geoscience Colloquium (organisation)
B.Geo.204, TM 2, LV 1: Fallstudien zur Strukturgeologie (Ringvorlesung)

SoSe 2021
M.Geo.336e: Digital Geoscience Seminar

WiSe 2020/21
M.Geo.336c: Simulationstechniken in den Geowissenschaften (Übung)

I am currently working to establish a cold lab at GZG for the crystallographic analysis of samples from international ice core projects and methodological developments.
Watch this space or get in contact with me if you are interested!

Current/completed Bachelor projects

  • "Suitability of air inclusion as deformation markers in a fast-flowing ice stream in Greenland" (A. Stödter)

Available Bachelor projects (starting from SoSe 2024)
  • "Production and crystallographic analysis of artificial salty ice samples as extraterrestrial analogue material for deformation tests"
  • "Short-scale analysis of bubble number density in comparison with visual stratigraphy records from the EGRIP ice core"
  • "Topological analysis of air inclusions with respect to the grain boundary network in the EGRIP ice core"
  • "Calculating seismic velocities to be expected from crystal-preferred orientation data in the EGRIP ice core"

Current/completed Master projects

  • "Microstructural analysis of an ice core from a fast-flowing Greenlandic ice stream regarding deformation and recrystallization processes" (K. Streng; co-advisor with Prof. Ilka Weikusat, Uni Tübingen/AWI)

Available Master projects (starting from SoSe 2024)

Please get in contact with me if you want to know more about the available projects. Students from physics or geophysics are welcome to approach me concerning cross-faculty theses.


More info and publications
ORCID | Researchgate | Pangaea | EPIC | @JohannaKerch | @joker_icelab