The scientific quality and relevance of the projects are ensured by an internationally composed scientific advisory board. This body continuously supports the research activities, provides expert recommendations and impulses, and helps the projects achieve their goals efficiently and at a high scientific level.
Special thanks go to all members of the board for their professional expertise, their careful voluntary involvement, and the constructive feedback that significantly contributes to the quality of the projects.
Prof. Dr. Josef Settele
Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of bayklif2
Head of the Department of Conservation Research at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Halle. His research focuses on the ecology of insects in cultural landscapes, biodiversity and land use, as well as inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, he advises policymakers and the public on environmental issues.
Prof. Dr. Franz Essl
Professor and biodiversity researcher at the University of Vienna. A leading expert in biodiversity research, his name has consistently appeared on the list of the world’s most-cited scientists in recent years.
Additionally, he is a member of the executive team of the Austrian Biodiversity Council. In 2022, Franz Essl was named “Scientist of the Year” in Austria by the Club of Science Journalists.
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Uta Berger
Professor of Forest Biometrics and Systems Analysis at TU Dresden and a member of the Centre for International Postgraduate Studies of Environmental Management (CIPSEM).
Prof. Dr. Christoph-Martin Geilfus,
Professor of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science at Geisenheim University. His research focuses on the environmentally sustainable intensification of crop production, particularly in perennial specialty crops and vegetables.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Claudia Hornberg
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine OWL at Bielefeld University, where she heads the Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences research group. Since 2016, she has also served as Chair of the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU).
Prof. Dr. Markus Fischer
Director of the Hamburg School of Food Science (HSFS) and Scientific Head of the Mass Spectrometry Technology Platform at the University of Hamburg. He also serves as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Food Federation Germany and is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Prof. Dr.med.Klaus Berger MPH, MSc
Neurologist and epidemiologist, aswell as Director of the Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine at the University of Münster.
Prof. Dr. Christian K. Feld
Professor of Aquatic Ecology at the University of Duisburg-Essen. His research focuses on bioindication and the diagnosis of stressors in freshwater ecosystems, river and lake restoration, and freshwater biodiversity. He develops diagnostic tools for water management and is actively involved in EU and national projects implementing the Water Framework Directive.
Prof. Dr. Christoph Bleidorn
Professor of Animal Evolution and Biodiversity at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen and Scientific Director of the Forum Wissen. He is also affiliated with the Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, with a focus on animal evolution and biodiversity.
Dr.-Ing. Leonhard Hennig
Senior Researcher in the field of Speech & Language Technology at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). His areas of expertise include Natural Language Processing, text summarization, information extraction, and machine learning.
PD Dr. Franziska Tanneberger
Head of the Greifswald Mire Centre (GMC) and recipient of the 2024 German Environmental Prize. Her research focuses on the ecology and management of fens, the assessment of ecosystem services of rewetted peatlands, and the distribution and condition of mires in Europe.