Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Volker Mosbrugger: Global challenges and biodiversity loss

We are delighted to welcome Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Mosbrugger, former Secretary-General of the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, as our keynote speaker. He is an inspiring scientist whose work opens up new perspectives on the relationship between nature, society and global change.

Volker Mosbrugger studied biology, marine biology and chemistry at the Universities of Freiburg and Montpellier. He obtained his PhD in geology and palaeontology from the University of Freiburg in 1983 and completed his habilitation at the University of Bonn in 1989. From 1990 to 2005, he held the Chair of Palaeontology at the University of Tübingen before moving to Goethe University Frankfurt in 2005. There, he also took on the role of Director General of the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. Volker Mosbrugger has been retired since 2021 but remains active in research. Among other things, he is spokesperson for the research initiative on the conservation of biodiversity at the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and is President of the Polytechnic Society.

In his research, Volker Mosbrugger combines palaeontological research with key issues relating to global change. A particular focus of his work is on geo-historical analysis and the interactions between climate, geological processes, ecosystems and human activity. As a natural scientist, he attaches great importance to biodiversity and the preservation of natural capital. In doing so, he explores how biodiversity, economic development and human capital can be brought into a sustainable balance in the long term. He advocates a systemic and transdisciplinary research approach that combines scientific findings, institutional responsibility and social dialogue.