Early-career scientists from geodesy, climate research, physics, and engineering within the QuantumFrontiers International Research School (QFIRS) and TerraQ Research Training Group (RTG) gathered at GFZ Potsdam from February 10–14, 2025, to enhance their expertise in integrating scientific aspects of ongoing ground experiments and satellite missions. This marks the 24th Lecture Week since its inception in 2015, when researchers at Leibniz Universität Hannover, in collaboration with PTB and ZARM, established an SFB to advance pioneering Earth measurement methods, including those addressing climate change. As the team has grown, this expansion has enabled the first-ever Lecture Week to be held at GFZ.
Fumiko Kawazoe and Annike Knabe (both Leibniz University Hannover)
Addressing climate change requires precise monitoring of its causes and effects. Gravimetric Earth observation tracks ice loss, sea level rise, and hydrological changes but suffers from limited resolution. Emerging quantum technologies such as optical ranging, atom interferometry, and optical clocks offer more accurate, long-term measurements. TerraQ unites geodesy and physics to develop advanced quantum sensors, aligning technological progress with space mission and geophysical modeling needs.
Training the Next Generation of Scientists in Climate Research and Geodesy
Tackling the challenges of climate change requires groundbreaking advancements in geodesy and quantum metrology. To drive this progress, the QFIRS and TerraQ RTG are shaping a new generation of scientists equipped with interdisciplinary expertise. By bridging geodesy, physics, and space engineering, our Lecture Week series provides early-career researchers with the skills to develop next-generation measurement techniques for monitoring Earth’s dynamic changes.
Held three times a year, these immersive one-week sessions cover key topics such as relativity, theoretical geodesy, climate data analysis, numerical methods, and experimental physics. Led by world-renowned experts in climate research, laser interferometry, quantum sensors, and satellite geodesy, these lectures empower young scientists with a deep, interdisciplinary understanding of Earth’s evolving systems.
For the first time, this Lecture Week took place at GFZ Potsdam, a global hub for geoscience and climate studies. Participants engaged with GFZ researchers and guest scientists, exchanging ideas on cutting-edge techniques for monitoring climate change, from polar ice mass loss to sea level rise and shifts in the hydrological cycle. Beyond lectures, networking sessions with alumni provided career insights, while guided tours of Telegrafenberg showcased pioneering climate monitoring tools, including historical Michelson interferometry, modern GPS stations, and quantum gravimetry experiments.
By fostering collaboration across disciplines and institutions, this initiative strengthens the scientific community tackling one of the greatest challenges of our time: understanding and mitigating climate change.
Project Work: A Catalyst for Interdisciplinary Innovation
A standout feature of our Lecture Week series is the one-week interdisciplinary project, where teams of early-career researchers from diverse backgrounds including theorists, experimentalists, physicists, and engineers, collaborate on real scientific challenges. This collaborative environment brings together early-career researchers from diverse fields, enabling them to address open questions in interdisciplinary areas including geodesy, climate science, quantum metrology, and fundamental physics. By the end of the week, participants present their findings, demonstrating both problem-solving and scientific creativity.
Guided by experts at remote locations, this engaging experience enhances the interdisciplinary foundation of our education system, fostering active participation through hands-on research. It also provides early-career scientists with essential project management skills, valuable both in academia and beyond. Since 2015, we have hosted 24 Lecture Weeks, each with a unique theme, continuously pushing the boundaries of collaborative research and preparing the next generation of scientists to lead in an era of rapid scientific and technological advancement.