This here is the most important piece in my work: a computer.
It enables me on the one hand side to generate scientific data,
for example the German Drought Monitor.
But on the other hand side, it enables me also to get in contact with decision-makers.
We investigate droughts in Germany since several years and one of the products
we designed, was the drought monitor, which
delivers data and information on the soil moisture and drought situation in Germany.
And this helps us to understand better scientific processes on the one hand side, but it helps also to manage
agriculture forestry or management in the water sector.
Usually when I'm outside I'm carrying a shovel with me
quite irregularly.
The reason is quite simple: in dry periods, when it rains,
everything seems to be quite wet.
But from infiltration experiments we know that only the uppermost one to five centimeters
get wet and I just want to make sure that this is true.
One of my personal goals is to make
scientists from different research areas
work closely together within the Helmholtz association, with people working
in the health part for example or in air and space
research or in earth and environment.
And combining the knowledge in this different scientific discipline will help us to close scientific gaps
with respect to the adaptation process.
When I was a child I dreamed of being a pilot.
But finally I didn't make it to be a pilot, but at least to
do scientific work on the atmosphere and on climate change.
