CLEWS courses - all modules with description

Contents

• Practical handling of methods for the acquisition, evaluation and interpretation of multi-layered, multi-scale and heterogeneous (multidisciplinary) data sets from the earth system sciences, in particular climate, topography, land use.
• Principles of data-driven modelling; Bayesian inference, machine learning, deep learning
• Platforms for visualisation and documentation of complex data sets and their evaluation (web/GIS, digital globes, etc.)

Qualification goals

• Overview of contemporary methods of handling scientific data with reference to climate change in the Earth system
• Project-related use of programming or scripting languages (e.g. R, Python) for solving selected problems and scientific questions
• Independent and team-oriented competence to recognise and work on selected problems of climate change in the Earth system (e.g. prediction, pattern recognition, extreme value statistics, time series or spatial data, dealing with uncertainties)
•  Basic aspects of scientific project management

Courses
(type of teaching)

Offered:

WiSe and SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Contents

In this module the theoretical basics of data collection in earth system sciences are taught.

In a selected methodology from the fields of laboratory methods, terrain methods or remote sensing (among others), the theoretical knowledge is deepened, practically applied, recorded (including an error analysis).

Qualification goals

 1. Professional competences:
The students...

• are familiar with the scientific-theoretical basics of data collection in the earth system sciences and are able to deal with them critically,
• know the variety of methodologies used in the Earth system sciences to collect data,
• have in-depth theoretical knowledge of one or a few methods from the fields of laboratory methods, terrain methods or remote sensing (among others),
• have basic knowledge of concepts related to safety, ethics in science and responsible use of data.

2. Methodological competences:

Students...

• are able to practically implement one or a few methods of data collection,
• are able to scientifically document methods of data collection (including instructions for error analysis) and to critically examine the documentation of others.

3. Social / personal competences

Students...

• recognise how to engage effectively with a method,
• are able to work together in a team,
• are able to collect data independently and on their own responsibility and to inform about progress and any problems that may arise in a timely and professional manner.

Courses
(type of teaching)

Supplementary exam work (Number, form, scope)

Offered:

SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Contents

In order to get to know professional practice, the students carry out a guided self-study and a guided internship in the intended subject area of the Master's thesis. This takes place in the university AG or the external institute/unit in which the Master's thesis is also to take place. Guidance and direction are provided in regular consultations with the supervisors. Students prepare recent scientific articles on a weekly basis, the subject matter of which is related to the ClEWS study programme, and present the content within the course in critical discussion. Students are also expected to devise a programme of investigation that could confirm or refute existing studies.

Qualification goals

The students...

• become familiar with recent research progress,
• become familiar with leading scientific journals and the types of articles available. In particular, they understand how scientific knowledge develops,
• first learn to improve their competence in developing counter-hypotheses to existing research and formulating research projects. They should be able to identify weak points of research studies and strengthen their scientific debating skills.

Research training

Contents

The students conduct, under supervision, an independent scientific study or a supervised laboratory experiment in the field of the Master's thesis. Supervision takes place through regular consultations with the supervisor(s).

Qualification goals

The students get to know the research environment in the working groups and laboratories. They learn how different research methods are chosen and applied to current research problems. They also learn how research results are documented and communicated.

1. Subject competences

The students...

• are able to familiarise themselves with the current state of research in a specific subfield of their subject selection,
• work independently on an assigned scientific question.

2. Methodological competences

The students...

• are able to summarise the results of the introductory project in a concise report,
• are able to prepare the results of the introductory project in a presentation and dedicated discussion.

3. Action competences

The students...

• are able to discuss complex physical issues with others,
• develop their own strategies for processing specialist literature, expressing scientific facts and using media effectively.

Courses
(type of teaching)

Offered:

WiSe or SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Physics (70 %)

Geoecology (30 %)
 

This module serves as a coaching course to prepare students with different backgrounds for the Master's programme Climate, Earth, Water, Sustainability (ClEWS). Accordingly, students will be assigned either to this module or to the complementary module GEE-CE02 "Mathematics & Physics for Earth Sciences".

Contents

This module includes:

• A summary of selected subsystems of the Earth system:
• Atmosphere and climate system
• Oceans
• Terrestrial hydrosphere
• Biosphere
• Cryosphere
• Pedosphere and lithosphere
• Anthroposphere

A description of the relevant variables, processes and equations describing the dynamics of these subsystems and the nature of the interactions between these subsystems and the associated relevant time and space scales.

An introduction to important approaches to measuring and observing the variables and processes of the various subsystems.

Qualification goals

1. Methodological competences

The students...

• will understand and be able to explain the dynamics of the Earth's climate system based on the relevant subsystems,
• know different "typical" time and space scales and the most important interactions between the subsystems,
• know the typical observation methods, including issues of measurement uncertainty and representativeness for the relevant variables.

2. Action skills

A simplified model of the Earth's climate system (or a selected subsystem) is to be programmed.

Courses
(type of teaching)

Supplementary exam work (Number, form, scope)

566444

566445

Module exams:

 Written exam, 90 minutes and

Programming of a simplified Earth system model or of a selected subsystem and typical related problems, programming time 1 week

Offered:

WiSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Geoecology
 

Contents

Derivation and application of the basic equations of the subsystems of the climate system, which include atmospheric dynamics, ocean circulation and ice dynamics.

Qualification goals

The students...

• know how simplifications and approximations are derived and used,
• know which models are to be applied to which climate problem,
• can solve basic models analytically and numerically.
• Module (partial) examinations (number, form, scope, workload in CP):

Exam number
(PULS)

Courses
(type of teaching)

Offered:

WiSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Contents

History of climate modelling; hierarchy of climate models; 0D and 1D energy balance models; circulation models for atmosphere and ocean; sea ice modelling; biosphere modelling; land ice modelling; model coupling; Earth system models of intermediate complexity; quality control; application examples; analysis of model outputs.

Qualification goals

The students...

• know the basic principles, typical applications, possibilities and limitations of climate models,
• can implement energy balance models and apply them to simple research questions,
• have basic knowledge about models for the different components of the Earth system and about their coupling,
• can analyse outputs of complex models and
• know techniques and principles to ensure good scientific practice in climate modelling.

Courses
(type of teaching)

Offered:

WiSe or SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Contents

Land use is a key control for many ecological processes. It can replace or profoundly alter natural ecosystems, with significant impacts on habitats, material and energy flows at both the landscape and global scales. Understanding land use, its drivers, actors, consequences as well as possible regulatory measures and their effectiveness is key to solving many human-induced pressures on ecosystem functions and biodiversity and to improving the resilience of ecosystems and landscapes to climate change.

Qualification goals

1. Professional competences

This module enables students to understand the spatio-temporal phenomenon of land use dynamics, its drivers and its impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services and climate. Students learn to analyse and model land use changes and their impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. The module builds on established land use science, including empirical studies, remote sensing as well as modelling studies, and incorporates principles of ecological science. Students will be able to understand current land use research and develop their own projects working on current environmental issues. In the seminar they will have the opportunity to work individually and in small groups on current land use issues and share their findings with other participants in different formats.

2. Methodological skills

Data analysis and modelling will be an important competence of the module and students will thus further deepen their methodological skills. In the individual exercises during the seminar, students will practice their problem solving and analysis skills. They will learn about current data analysis and modelling methods.

3. Social skills

Students will improve their collaboration and communication skills in the highly interactive formats (problem-based learning; open discussion). Working in small groups during the exercises will improve their ability to analyse, explain and argue clearly on a given, often controversial topic.

4. Personal competences

Students will improve their ability to understand and interpret scientific results from different formats and sources. They will also acquire the knowledge of available resources to address current issues related to land use change.

Courses
(type of teaching)

566493

566494

One examination of the following forms:

• Oral examination, 30 minutes or
• Seminar paper, 10 pages

Offered:

WiSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

 Contents

1. The use of models in earth, environmental and hydrosciences is ubiquitous. They are used for both scientific analysis and operational prediction. Each model is embedded in a modelling process, starting from the abstraction of the real system, the determination of parameters, the quantification of uncertainties, the formulation of objective functions, etc. In this course, the main elements of such a modelling process will be discussed and their adaptation to different models of Earth, environmental and hydro systems will be discussed.
2. Lectures will go hand in hand with practical exercises using software to implement the modelling process (e.g. www.safetoolbox.info).
3. Students will be able to focus both as a group (in a flipped classroom) and individually (through a term paper) on specific elements of interest. 

Qualification goals

1. Subject competences

Students will be familiar with the main elements of the modelling process.

2. Methodological competences

The students...

• will be able to select and adapt these main elements to their specific models and their complexity,
• will become familiar with the theoretical basis of these elements and be able to develop a modelling process for their model,
• will be able to use selected software to implement the modelling process, including Global Sensitivity Analysis to understand and quantify uncertainties.

Courses
(type of teaching)

566513

566514

One examination of the following forms:

• Term paper, 20 pages or
•  Presentation, 20 minutes

Offered:

WiSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Contents

• Introduction: the oceans
• Basic equations of ocean dynamics
• Boundary conditions
• Geostrophic currents
• Planetary boundary layers
• Barotropic circulation
• Baroclinic currents
• General circulation of a baroclinic ocean with bottom topography
• Vorticity conservation

Qualification goals

1. Technical competences
Students understand the basic physical equations and forcings of ocean circulation as well as analytical approximate solutions that can be used to explain the basic structure of global ocean currents.

2. Methodological competences
The students are able to recognise the dominant terms of the Navier-Stokes equation for different problems and to derive analytical solutions for them.

Courses
(type of teaching)

527393

527394

One examination of the following forms:

Oral examination, 30 minutes or

Term paper, 20 pages

Offered:

WiSe or SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Contents

In-depth insights into different processes and uses of surface and subsurface hydrological systems, based on processes such as runoff formation, lateral water flows, snow hydrology, infiltration, evapotranspiration and water-borne erosion. Introduction to the use of water resources on a large scale. The lecture is complemented by exercises with application examples.

Introduction to modelling of surface water as well as groundwater, also application examples; overall with a focus on water in the terrestrial biosphere, connectivity to the atmosphere and sustainable use of water resources.

Scales in terrestrial hydrosystems

Qualification goals

The students...

• master simple and advanced approaches to surface and subsurface hydrology and their modelling,
• can create and analyse concepts and perform simple calculations,
• are able to distinguish between different model approaches and concepts, also for catchment modelling,
• are familiar with the use of measured data for model improvement and also know the challenges of linking bio- and atmospheric data,
• have an understanding of the scale dependence of relevant processes,
• can explain water balances and model predictions, carry out simple calculations themselves and assess the influence of climate change and environmental influences on the terrestrial water cycle in scenarios.
• know techniques and principles to ensure good scientific practice in climate modelling.

Courses
(type of teaching)

Supplementary exam work (Number, form, scope)

Presentation (30 minutes)

566533

566534

One examination of the following forms:

Written exam, 90 minutes or

Term paper, 10 pages

Offered:

SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit:

Dr. Katya Dimitrova Petrova (UP)

The students

• have in-depth knowledge of environmental economics and know the current state of research in this field
• have mastered the methods for the theoretical and empirical analysis of environmental economic models
• can deal with current environmental economic issues with the help of economic theories and assess economic policy measures in a well-founded manner
• can independently work on and solve problems in the field of environmental economics.

Courses
(type of teaching)

419402

419403

419404

One examination of the following forms:

Written exam, 90 minutes or

Term paper, 20-25 pages or

Portfolio examination, 20 minutes oral presentation [25%] with 12 to 15 pages paper [75%]

Offered:

WiSe or SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

none

Teaching unit:

Content

Natural ecosystems are dynamic systems governed by complex abiotic and biotic processes operating across multiple scales. Human impacts are rapidly changing the environment with direct and indirect consequences on ecosystem dynamics. As a result, we are currently experiencing a biodiversity crisis that could lead to the sixth major extinction event in Earth's history. To counteract this crisis and develop sustainable strategies for the future, we need to better understand the complex relationships between past and present ecosystem dynamics and their drivers.

Qualification goals

1. Professional competence (knowledge and understanding)

The students...

• learn the conceptual foundations of ecosystems and ecosystem dynamics, with insights from theoretical ecology, paleoecology and (geo)ecological modelling,
• learn to link data and models in a meaningful way in order to better understand and predict past and future consequences of environmental impacts on individual species, species complexes and entire ecosystems, and to translate these findings into the development of dynamic conservation concepts and into strategies for sustainable ecosystem management.

2. Methodological competence (use, application and generation of knowledge)

The students...

• learn a broad set of methods for quantifying ecosystem dynamics over different spatial and temporal scales for impact assessment under global change,
• get to know different computer-based methods to simulate, analyse and interpret ecosystem dynamics (e.g. dynamic population models, nutrient cycling models, vegetation models) in accompanying exercises,
• deepen their skills in critical examination, evaluation and discussion of primary literature through literature studies and joint discussion.

3. Social competence (communication and cooperation)

The teaching format is highly interactive with a mixture of lecture, seminar and exercises. Through various forms of integrated learning, students will deepen their communication skills. Problem-oriented exercises in small groups will strengthen cooperation skills.

4. Self-competence (scientific self-conception, professionalism)

The students...

• deepen their communication and presentation skills and train their self-confidence with the help of various interactive formats,
• will be able to critically discuss current scientific literature and present scientific results.

Courses
(type of teaching)

549653

549654

One examination of the following forms:

Oral examination, 30 minutes or

Seminar paper, 10 pages

Offered:

SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

none

Teaching unit:

Content

The module includes:

1. basics of science communication such as the necessary basics of press relations, the structure of a press release and possibilities for communicating one's own research across all media. In addition, the module
2. introduces the specifics of climate change communication in the field of tension between popularisation, narratives, metaphors and the problem of climate change deniers.

Qualification goals

In this module students acquire practical knowledge, skills and competences in preparing, writing and presenting scientific contexts for their later professional career, so that they are able to successfully communicate their own research in non-scientific areas in various media. They know the approaches of the field of climate communication as well as its international characteristics. They also have a deeper understanding of the political dimension of climate change communication.

Courses
(type of teaching)

Supplementary exam work (Number, form, scope)

Offered:

SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

none

Teaching unit:

Contents
Students learn about different impacts of climate change on human-environment systems and the concept of climate adaptation. Based on concrete measures, the participants become familiar with implementation examples of climate adaptation. The aim of this module is also to teach different methods for evaluating possible adaptation measures, such as cost-benefit analyses. Within the framework of a case study, the students apply the acquired knowledge in a practical and interdisciplinary way.

Qualification goals
1 Technical competences
The students receive an overview of the impacts of climate change on complex human-environment systems in industrialised and developing countries and various adaptation strategies.

2 Methodological competences
The students can practically apply different methods for the evaluation of adaptation strategies such as cost-benefit analyses or the evaluation of survey data to a case study.

3 Action competences
The students

• are able to independently develop and evaluate solution strategies for dealing with complex human-environment problems in the area of climate adaptation
• are able to work together in a team and in an interdisciplinary manner.

Courses
(type of teaching)

Supplementary exam work (Number, form, scope)

566433

566434

566435

One examination of the following forms:

Written exam, 90 minutes or

Report, 20 pages or

Oral examination, 30 minutes

Offered:

WiSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

none

Teaching unit:

Contents

The students carry out a small introductory research project. The topic usually corresponds to the topic of the Master's thesis. Within the framework of this project, the student takes part in the specialist seminar of the research group.

Qualification goals

The students...

• deal with the state of the art of research in the selected subfield,
• are able to conduct studies in the direction of the formulated research objectives,
• can formulate the results of the study in a report,
• can present and discuss research results.

Competences

Working with scientific literature, acquiring and evaluating methods, applying

Courses
(type of teaching)

Offered:

WiSe and SoSe

Prerequisite for taking the module:

Teaching unit: