Wykład plenarny (w języku angielskim) wygłosi Stephan Juricke.

Brief biography:
Stephan Juricke studied applied mathematics with minors environmental physics and
computing science at the University Bremen before doing a PhD together with the Alfred
Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven. During
his PhD, he worked on the simulation and prediction of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice using
computer models. After his PhD, he moved to the University of Oxford in the UK to perform
simulations of the global oceans and improve the computer representation of so-called
oceanic eddies which are like the swirly weather systems of the ocean. He moved back to
Germany to the Constructor University in Bremen, continuing his investigation of the role of
these oceanic circulation structures on the global ocean currents and climate. In 2023, he
became professor for theoretical oceanography at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean
Research Kiel and Kiel University. His group focuses on a better understanding of oceanic
processes and the overall role of the oceans in past, current and future climate and the Earth
system.
Presentation:
The Oceans: No Life Without
The oceans are not just a nice place to go for a swim or have holidays at the beach. They
teem with a vast number of creatures and ecosystems, and without the liquid water they
contain there would be no life as we know it on Earth. Oceans cover most of our planet and
regulate our climate. They buffer the effects of human-induced climate change and show a
lot of resilience to the stresses we humans exert on nature. But they are under threat: by
pollution, by changes in temperatures and chemical decomposition, and by the multiple
dangers to marine life and ecosystems.
In this presentation, I will provide a brief overview over why the oceans are so important. I
will mainly focus on the role of the physical oceans in the climate system, how the water
masses behave and circulate, and how they are already changing due to the increased
temperatures we observe. Sometimes, the oceans can be a big threat to our wellbeing. But
they are generally of fundamental importance for our own livelihood, which is why it is so
important to better understand and protect them.

Jury 2025