Department Physical Geography

apl. Prof. Dr. Lasafam Iturrizaga

Research focus

  • High Mountain Geography
  • Glacial geomorphology (Quaternary)
  • Natural hazards
  • Landscape Change (Natural & Human)
  • Resource Management (Mining)
  • Environmental Knowledge
  • Geoeducation and Geoheritage


Regional focus

  • High Asia (Hindukush, Karakoram, Himalaya, Tibet) – Pakistan, India, Nepal, China
  • Andes (Dry and Tropical Andes) – Peru, Chile, Argentina
  • Iceland
  • European Alps
  • Harz


Research Projects

  • 2025–2027 Geocultural Heritage in the Harz Mountains: Hybrid mining landscapes above and under-ground in space and time – Quo Vadis? (GEHA-Projekt) (Funding programme Pro*Niedersachsen: Cultural Heritage – Collections and Objects)
  • 2023–2025 UNESCO World Heritage Upper Harz Water Management System: Landscape change and energy use in the Harz in the Anthropocene – A journey of water from past to future (LEHA-Projekt) (Funding programme Pro*Niedersachsen: Cultural Heritage – Research and Communication)
  • 2020 Anthropogeomorphic Landscape Change in the Sankt Andreasberg Mining District, Harz Mountains (Part 1: Geomorphological Assessment, REMSA-Project; Part 2: Environmental Education; Oder and Sieber Valley; Landscape Change from the Pleistocene to the Anthropocene in the Harz, LAPAHA)
  • 2019 Glacier surges and hazard management in the Karakoram Mountains (Pakistan)
  • 2016–2019 Historical beacon fire-lines in natural hazard management for glacier lake outbursts in the Hindu Kush–Karakoram Himalayas
  • 2016 Digital Manaslu Project: Digitalization of the photographic archive of Prof. M. Kuhle (Project Leader: Prof. Dr. C. Dittrich; Göttingen State and University Library: Dr. J. Mangei)
  • 2014–2017 Glacial and paraglacial landform assemblages in the Cordillera Blanca (Peru)
  • 2014 Small-scale mining in high mountain environments in Northern Pakistan: Geological investigations in the context of livelihood strategies of gold-washers and gemstone miners (Alumni-Sponsorship, Feodor Lynen Research Grant Program, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; postponed)
  • 2013 Artificial glaciers in the Hindukush / Karakoram (ongoing)
  • 2012–2013 Glacial geomorphology of the subtropical and tropical Andes (Feodor Lynen Return Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)
  • 2012–2013 Quaternary geomorphology in the Cachapoal valley and glacial chronology with 10Be and 3He (34°S, Southern Andes, Chile) (Cooperation: Prof. Dr. Reynaldo Charrier, Universidad Nacional Andres Bello, Chile)
  • 2010–2012 Recent and paraglacial landscape transformation in the subtropical and tropical Andes (Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; cooperation: Prof. Dr. Reynaldo Charrier, Universidad de Chile / Universidad Nacional Andres Bello)
  • 2007–2009 20th century glacier fluctuations in the Hindukush and Karakoram Mountains (Pakistan)
  • 2005–2006 Formation of hummocky moraine landscapes in the Chapursan valley in regard to historical settlement devastations (Karakoram, Pakistan)
  • 2006 Glacier lake outbursts in the Himalaya and Karakoram with respect to climate change and hazard potential (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, JSPS; cooperation with Hokkaido University Sapporo; Prof. Teiji Watanabe)
  • 2006–2007 Paraglacial landscape transformation in the Central Andes (Aconcagua Massif) (Partial funding: German Research Foundation, DFG, IT 14/18-1)
  • 2003–2005 Glacial lake outbursts in the Karakoram and Hindukush Mountains: Karambar-/Chapursan valley (Karakoram) – geomorphological investigations of the diluvial sediment landscape (German Research Foundation, DFG IT 14/11-1, 14/11-2)
  • 2003–2004 Post-sedimentary transformation of lateral moraines: tributary tongue basins of Kvíárjökull (Iceland) (in collaboration with Dr. Andrew Russell, Keele University, Great Britain) (German Research Foundation, DFG IT 14/11-1, 14/11-2)
  • 1999–2005 Lateroglacial valleys in the Karakoram Mountains: distribution, genesis and morphodynamics of the lateroglacial sediment landscape (German Research Foundation, DFG IT 14/2-1; IT 14/2-2)
  • 1997 Late and postglacial debris accumulations as settlement locations in the Karakoram Mountains (DAAD Grant, Pakistan)
  • 1993–1998 Transglacial debris development in subtropical high mountain regions (Hindukush, Karakoram, Himalaya) (DAAD Grant, Nepal 1994/1995)
  • 1992–1994 Natural hazards for temporary and permanent settlements in the Karakoram Mountains


Education

Studies at Universities of Berlin, Göttingen, London

Research/Teaching at Universities of Keele (Great Britain), Sapporo (Japan), Santiago de Chile (Chile), University of Heidelberg (Germany)

Habilitation 2005: The lateroglacial valleys in the Karakoram Mountains: Distribution, genesis and morphodynamic of the lateroglacial sediment landscape. University of Göttingen

PhD 1998: The debris accumulations in High Asia – a geomorphological inventory and typology of postglacial debris accumulations in the Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalaya. (summa cum laude) University of Göttingen

Diploma Thesis 1994: The natural hazard potential in the valley of Shimshal, NW-Karakoram. University of Göttingen


Professional work

  • 2023–ongoing Scientific Research Scientist (Department of Physical Geography, Institute of Geography, University of Göttingen)
  • 2018–2022 Academic Research Scientist (Institute for Environmental Sciences and Geography, University of Potsdam; teaching representation Prof. Dr. Wiggering)
  • 2015/2016 W2 Substitute Professor (High Mountain Geomorphology, Institute of Geography, University of Göttingen)
  • 2014/2015 W3 Substitute Professor (Landscape Ecology, Institute of Geography, University of Göttingen)
  • 2012/2013 Research fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Feodor Lynen Return Fellowship)
  • 2010/2011 W3 Substitute Professor (Department of Geography, South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg)


Research scientist at foreign universities

  • April 2011 – March 2012: Escuela Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Andres Bello; Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile (Feodor Lynen Fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)
  • February – August 2010: Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile (Feodor Lynen Fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)
  • March – September 2006: Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo (Japan) (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, JSPS)
  • April 2003 – April 2004: Earth Surfaces Processes Research Group, Keele University (Great Britain) (German Research Foundation, DFG)

Internships and Study: University College of London (UCL, Great Britain), University of Calcutta (India), Royal Geographical Society (RGS) in London (Great Britain), Northeastern Planning Commission in Chicago (USA) (1990/1991)


Awards

  • 2012: Feodor Lynen Return Fellowship (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)
  • 2011: Appointment as “Außerplanmäßige Professorin”
  • 2009: Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)
  • 2006: Hans-Bobek Prize of the Österreichische Geographische Gesellschaft (habilitation thesis)
  • 2005: First habilitation of a female scientist in Geography at the Faculty of Geosciences and Geography in Göttingen
  • 2004: Poster prize of the German Working Group for Geomorphology (AK-Geomorphologie), conference in Heidelberg
  • 1994: 2nd Humboldt–Ritter–Penck Prize of the Society for Geography in Berlin (GfE) (diploma thesis)
Research areas Iturrizaga