There are several events and workshops taking place during the semester of Algorithmic Earth System Science. Please find an overview here:
Workshop "New Earth Observation techniques to better understand oceans in the solar system"
31st March - 4th April 2025
4th outer planet moon - magnetosphere interaction workshop
Prof. Dr. Joachim Saur (Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology)
The goal of the workshop is to advance our understanding of moon-magnetosphere interaction in the outer solar system, in the context of past (e.g. Galileo, Cassini, Hisaki), current (e.g. Juno), upcoming (e.g. JUICE, Europa Clipper) and next generation missions (e.g. icy giants). We will welcome contributions including but not limited to: data analysis, modeling, remote sensing and laboratory studies.
A focus of the workshop will be on magnetic sounding of subsurface oceans in icy satellites and a comparison with magnetic sounding of the Earth's ocean (e.g., based on data from the Swarm mission).
Abstract deadline: 1st of February 2025
From the Cologne side, Joachim Saur and Alexander Grayver would scientifically and practically organize the workshop.
For further details, see https://indico.esa.int/event/551/
Workshop on "Machine Learning for the Earth System Modelling" (CESOC)
25th - 27th August 2025
Machine Learning for the Earth System Modelling
Prof. Dr. Martin Schultz (Research Center Jülich and University of Cologne)
The workshop takes place in the Universitätsclub Bonn, Germany.
The workshop will discuss the latest developments on large-scale machine learning for Earth system modelling and will cover the following topics:
- Machine learning-based numerical weather prediction
- Climate emulators and machine learning-based climate models
- Machine learning-based Earth system component models, such as ocean and land models
- Incorporation of Earth system observations in the above models
- Evaluation and explainability of the above models
- Datasets for model training, evaluation and benchmarks
Registration and abstract submission is open now. For further details click here.
Additionally, the workshop will be followed by a Hackathon from August 27-29, 2025 - a hands-on event for PhD students and early-career researchers passionate about applying ML to weather and climate research!
Why join? Gain insights from inspiring expert talks, tackle hands-on coding challenges, connect with leading researchers through mentorship and networking, and compete for exciting prizes. With two tracks—Beginner & Advanced—there’s a place for every skill level!
For more information about the Hackathon, please click here. Apply now!
KICK-OFF Semester AlgoEarth
At the Kick-off event of our AlgoEarth Semester, we brought together researchers from Algorithm Design, Machine Learning, and Earth Observations who are interested in interdisciplinary research. The program consisted of keynote talks by our invited Speakers, discussions and poster sessions.
For further details, see here.
Workshop "Learning from limited data in Earth System Sciences: optimal selection of Datasets and Methods"
5th - 7th November 2025
Learning from limited data in Earth System Sciences: optimal selection of Datasets and Methods
Prof. in Dr.in Nikki Vercauteren, Dr.in Claudia Acquistapace & Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Bojchevski
Small data challenges are particularly common in Earth System Sciences. Examples include the study of rare and extreme events, which tend to have high societal impact but are often poorly forecasted by classical models. The workshop will discuss targeted machine learning methods for “small data” problems - when the underlying learning task is highly underdetermined, due to a large problem dimension relative to the size of training datasets. The goal is to bring together experts of data and computer sciences with experts of Earth system sciences that use and possibly develop such methods.
For further details and registration, see here.
Schülerveranstaltung "Intelligente Methoden für Erdsystemwissenschaften" (Stiftung Wissen)
Die Stiftung Wissen der Sparkasse Köln/Bonn unterstützt uns mit ihrem Paket aus Schülerveranstaltung, öffentliche Podiumsdiskussion und Fachsymposium. In ihrer jährlichen Veranstaltungsreihe nimmt die Stiftung Wissen eine aktuelle und innovative Forschungsfrage in den Blick. Vom 18. bis 21. November 2025 geht es um “Intelligente Methoden für Erdsystemwissenschaften” und bildet damit einen Baustein in unserem Semester AlgoEarth.
(in deutsch)
Bei der Schülerveranstaltung am Dienstag und Mittwoch (18./19.11.) führen (Nachwuchs-)Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler Schülerinnen und Schüler an dieses Thema heran. Diese erhalten dabei die Gelegenheit, sich direkt mit Expertinnen und Experten auszutauschen und ihre Fragen zu diskutieren.
Weitere Details siehe hier.
Podiumsdiskussion “KI als Chance für die Klimaforschung?” (Stiftung Wissen)
Die Stiftung Wissen der Sparkasse Köln/Bonn unterstützt uns mit ihrem Paket aus Schülerveranstaltung, öffentliche Podiumsdiskussion und Fachsymposium. In ihrer jährlichen Veranstaltungsreihe nimmt die Stiftung Wissen eine aktuelle und innovative Forschungsfrage in den Blick. Vom 18. bis 21. November 2025 geht es um “Intelligente Methoden für Erdsystemwissenschaften” und bildet damit einen Baustein in unserem Semester AlgoEarth.
(in deutsch)
Am Mittwoch Abend (19.11.) bieten wir eine öffentliche Podiumsdiskussion mit dem Titel “KI als Chance für die Klimaforschung?” an. Diese ist für die interessierte Öffentlichkeit bestimmt, stellt für die Schülerinnen und Schüler die Abschlussveranstaltung dar und gleichzeitig die Einführung in das Fachsymposium, das in den zwei darauffolgenden Tagen stattfindet.
Ort: Fritz, Thyssen-Stiftung, Apostelnkloster 13-15, 50672 Köln
Aufgrund begrenzter Plätze bittet der Veranstalter Stiftung Wissen um eine Anmeldung via E-Mail an veranstaltungen
stiftung-wissen-koelnbonn.de oder unter 0221/169129-75.
Weitere Details siehe hier.
Symposium "Intelligent Methods for Earth System Sciences" (Stiftung Wissen)
(in englisch)
The Stiftung Wissen der Sparkasse Köln/Bonn is supporting us with its package of student event, public panel discussion and specialist symposium. In its annual series of events, the Stiftung Wissen focuses on a current and innovative research question. From 18th to 21st November 2025, the focus will be on ‘Intelligent Methods for Earth System Sciences’ and thus form a building block in our AlgoEarth semester.
The symposium will take place on Thursday and Friday (20th/21st November). It will offer scientists and experts from politics, industry, the media and other interest groups a space for exchange and discussion. Experts from a wide range of disciplines can work together here on current research issues. The symposia focus on a particularly intensive and interdisciplinary working atmosphere that provides new impetus for research. In this way, they contribute to networking the research and scientific landscape. We also summarise the results of the symposium in a research report and thus provide a well-founded and up-to-date insight into the subject area. The report will be published by the foundation.
For further details, see here.
Workshop "Smart Earth Observation System Design"
9th -11th December 2025
Workshop "Smart Earth Observation System Design"
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Löhnert , Dr.in Sabrina Schnitt, Prof. Dr. Christian Lessig & Dr.in Maria Toporov
Join this 3-day workshop in person in Cologne with invited keynote & impulse talks, poster session, break-out groups, and lively discussions!
What type of Earth system observations do we need for improving forecasts in particular application areas - ranging from the urban-scale, over regional (sub-)km and global, storm-resolving to seasonal, coupled modeling? To answer this question, this workshop will go a step beyond the "classical" Observation System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) approach, which is typically applied in a non-systematic “trial-and-error” manner. We invite experts from Earth system observations, data assimilation, AI, and computational science to present and discuss methodologies to optimally design the future Earth observation system.
For further details and registration, see here.
Workshop "Advancing AI Climate Models"
Workshop "Streaming Workshop"
24th - 25th February 2026
Streaming Workshop
Prof. Dr. Christian Sohler (Computer Science, University of Cologne)
For further details and registration, see here.
Lecture series "Modern Earth System Sciences: complex, digital, interdisciplinary" (KPA IMfESS)
2-weekly from 20th October to 2nd Februray
KPA IMfESS offers a lecture series about the modern earth system sciences in the 3rd year. In this winter semester 25/26 we will present at least three inaugural lectures. Take a look at the always updated list of the lectures.
Location: Geo-/Bio-lecture hall, Zülpicher Straße 49a, Cologne
Time: Mondays from 4pm to 6pm
For further details, see here.
