Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR)

Titleimage: Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR)

The Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR) is a leading institution for climate research, it carries out interdisciplinary research that is at the forefront of climate science. The OCCR brings together researchers from 17 institutes and 5 faculties. It was founded in 2007 and is named after Hans Oeschger (1927-1998), a pioneer of modern climate research.

The OCCR has built up a unique interdisciplinary research environment focusing on climate change, one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. At the interface between physics, geography, biology, chemistry, history, economy, political sciences and philosophy, approximately 330 researchers are investigating the effects of these unprecedented changes on humans and ecosystems.

News

New professorship

Climate impact and public health

With support from la Mobilière, the University of Bern has established an endowed professorship to study climate impact and public health in urban and residential areas. The new professorship will be held by Ana Maria Vicedo Cabrera.

Academic awards

Dies Academicus

Among the prizewinners at this year's Dies Academicus of the University of Bern were two researchers with a strong connection to the OCCR. Congratulations to Sandra Brügger and Lukas Fesenfeld!

Nomination

Highly Cited Researchers

OCCR members Benjamin Stocker and Jakob Zeischler have been honoured as Highly Cited Researchers 2024. The nomination is awarded by the analytics company Clarivate.

Job opening

New head for the OCCR

The University of Bern invites applications for the position of Director of the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research and Professor in Climate or Climate Impact Science.

People

Academic career

The skilful networker

Bettina Schaefli developed an early interest in hydrological modelling and has since built an impressive career: Since 2019, she has been a full professor at the University of Bern, heading the OCCR Hydrology Group. She also serves as President of the Swiss Hydrological Commission and is a member of the SNSF National Research Council.

Social tipping points

Juggling dual roles successfully

Economist and philosopher, Philippe Colo, analyses social tipping points. He says that a project like this is only possible in an interdisciplinary environment such as the Oeschger Centre, which uniquely supports and thrives on interdisciplinary collaboration.

Frontiers of Knowledge Award

High honour for OCCR researchers

Thomas Stocker and Jakob Schwander have been honoured with one of the most important science prizes in Europe.

European Geosciences Union prize

Michael Sigl receives the Hans Oeschger Medal of the EGU

This prestigious prize is awarded for outstanding achievements in the field of ice research.

Publications

Paper of the month

The modern landscape through a palaeoecological lens

An OCCR research group has published a study in The Science of the Total Environment that shows the traces of historical land use in today's landscape. The publication is based on sedimentary data from northern Greece covering the last 9000 years. Using palaeoecological proxies (pollen, spores, stomata, microscopic charcoal), the researchers were able to reconstruct the long-term dynamics of vegetation and thus evaluate the environmental factors controlling it.

Events