Publications

Academic career

Studies

• Geography, Biology, Human Anthropology und Philosophy at the universities of Bochum and Muenster, 1981-1987

Doctorate

• 1991, University of Münster: "Die Rätoromanen Graubündens. Peripherisierung einer Minorität" (The Romansh in Grisons/Switzerland. Peripheralisation of a minority) (summa cum laude)

Habilitation

• 1996, University of Bonn: "Entwicklungsdynamik und Regierbarkeit des Großraums Bangkok. Zur Bedeutung soziokultureller Einflußgrößen in der Megastadt" (Development dynamics and governance of Greater Bangkok. On the importance of socio-cultural factors in the megacity)

Career

• Winter semester 2020/2021: Albertus Magnus Teaching Award of the University of Cologne

• 2012-2014: Visiting Professor, Department of Geography, University of Yangon/Myanmar
• since 2000: Professor and Chair of Human Geography (C4), Department of Geography at the Unitversity of Cologne
• 1999-2000: Heisenberg scholarship holder of the German Research Foundation, Department of Geography, University of Bonn
• 1997: Awarded with the Gerhard-Hess-Preis of  the German Research Foundation
• 1989-1999: Scientific assistant at the Department of Geography, University of Bonn
• 1988-1989: Scientific assistant at the Department of Geography, University of Muenster

Research focus

• Megacity and urbanization studies: development dynamics, risks, health, cultural heritage, governance, informality, resource security
• Social geography: migration, ethnic minorities, socio-economic disparities
• Development, transition and regional studies
• Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia), India, Iceland, Switzerland, China

Leadership in professional societies, board membership and honorary appointment

Current tasks

• Member of the Senate of the Leibniz Association 

• Member of the Senate Committee and member of the Grants Committee on Collaborative Research Centres (SFB) of the German Research Foundation (DFG)

• Member of the Scientific Board of the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg

• International Advisor for the University of Yangon, Myanmar

• Adjunct Faculty of Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India

• President of the German-Thai-Society, publisher of the "Thailand-Rundschau"

• Chairperson of the Frithjof Voss Foundation of Geography

• Co-head of the federal office of the Association of Geographers at German Universities, GEO-Office, Cologne

• Spokesperson of the "Scientifc Research Group on Southeast Asia", German Geographical Society (DGfG)

• Editor of the publication series "Megastädte und Globaler Wandel; Megacities and Global Change"(Franz Steiner Verlag), "Urban and Regional Development in Myanmar" (Franz Steiner Verlag) and "Southeast Asian Modernities" (LitVerlag)

Memberships in academies

• Member of the Academia Europaea
• Member of the German Academy of Sciences Lepoldina
• Corresponding Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna
• Corresponding Member of the Geographical Society of Finland

Past tasks

• 2019-2020: Member of the European Research Council (ERC) evaluation panel SH2 "Institutes, Values, Environment and Space: Political science, law, sustainability science, geography, regional studies and planning (AdG 2019/2020)
• 2015-2016: Appointed Member of the United Nations Policy Unit 1 "Right to the City and Cities for All", Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III)
• 2013-2016: Member of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU)
• 2016-2022: Member of the International Expert Comission of the Elite Network of Bavaria
• 2012-2016: Chair of the MegaCity Commission, International Geographical Union (IGU)
• 2007-2015: Member of the scientific advisory board of the University of Cologne
• 2008-2010: Expert in the German Council of Science and Humanities: Working group on infrastructure in social science and humanities.
• 2005-2015: Spokesperson of the federal jury in the field of geosciences at the competition "Jugend forscht" (Youth researches)
• 2005-2013: Member of the selection committee "Internationale Alumni- und Expertennetzwerke" of the "German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• 2005-2013: Member of the German National Committee for Global Change-Research (NKGCF) (DFG/BMBF)
• 2005-2011: Member of the DFG-senate commission for collaborative geoscience research  ("Geokommission")
• 2005-2010: Member of the Executive Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) of the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP) core project "Urbanization and Global Environmental Change" (UGEC)
• 2004-2016: Vice president of the GeoUnion - Alfred Wegener Stiftung
• 2004-2016: Member and and since 2014 speaker of the review board  "Geography" (RB 317) of the German Research Foundation (DFG)
• 2004-2010: Senior Advisor of the International Year of Planet Earth (UNESCO) and Chair/Team Leader of the key topic on "Megacities - our global urban future"
• 2003-2008: Member of the scientific advisory board of the German Committee for Desaster Reduction (DKKV)
• 2002-2010: Member of the selection committee "Deutsche Graduierte nach Übersee" of the "German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• 2002-2010: Member of the international advisory board of  the Geographical Journal
• 2001-2007: Board member of the Gernan Association for Asian Studies (DGA)
• 2001-2004: Member of the regional advisory board of the German National Committee for the International Geographical Union (IGU)
• 2000-2012: Chair of the MegaCity TaskForce, International Geographical Union (IGU)
• 1999-2006: Associate editor of the "Teubner Studienbücher Geographie", later changed to the series "Perthes Geographiekolleg", "Perthes Geographie Kompakt" und "Perthes Länderprofile/Regionalprofile"
• 1999-2005: Associate editor of Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen
• 1999-2002: Member of the advisory board of the German-Cambodian-Forum
• 1999-2001: Member of the scientific advisory board of the German Association for Asian Studies
• 1998-2000: First chairperson of the Geographic Society Bonn
• 1997-2009: Vice president of the German-Thai-Society (DTG)
• 1991-1997: Board member and member of the advisory council of the German-Thai-Society (DTG)
• 1991-1999: Board member of the Association of Geographers at German Universities (VGDH)
• 1989-1991: Board member of the Association of German University Geographers (VDGH)