Professor Joerg Szarzynski

PhD., Academic Officer and Head of the GLOMOS Bonn Office, Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS) at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), Bonn, Germany.

Prof Szarzynski´s professional career combines 25 years of progressively responsible work as environmental scientist, researcher, and academic lecturer in Africa, Latin America, and South East Asia with his engagement as applied and operational expert within the United Nations system, working with three different UN agencies over the past 15 years. Prior to his current affiliation with GLOMOS he was Education Programme Director at UNU-EHS. In this function he oversaw all educational activities, including the Joint Master (M.Sc.) “Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security” with the University of Bonn. He also served as Senior Expert to the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) where he was principle desk officer for Africa responsible for relief activities, technical consultation, and information management. Prior to joining the UN system, Dr. Szarzynski worked for the German Aerospace Center (DLR) where he was in charge of the coordination of capacity development activities within the German Indonesian-Tsunami Early Warning System Project (GITEWS).

Dr Szarzynski is Associate Professor at the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC), University of the Free State (UFS), Republic of South Africa and at the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. He also serves as official member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team.

Dr Szarzynski holds a Diploma in Geography from the University of Bonn and a Ph.D. degree in Physical Geography and Atmospheric Sciences. He has broad expertise in Disaster management and Humanitarian Relief, Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R), Environmental change and Sustainable Development, Earth Observation applications for DRR and Climate Change Adaptation, Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS), Information Management, Risk Assessment and Analysis, Simulation Exercises (physical/virtual), Capacity Building and Development, Intercultural Training and Education Concepts.