Rector of Heidelberg UniversityCurriculum Vitae
Prof. Dr rer. nat. habil. Dr h.c. Bernhard Eitel
Dr h.c. Comenius University Bratislava
Rector of Heidelberg University
Personal Information
Born in 1959 in Karlsruhe.
Education
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1994 | Habilitation, Department of Geography, University of Stuttgart Habilitation Title: "Kalkreiche Decksedimente und Kalkkrustengenerationen in Namibia: Zur Frage der Herkunft und Mobilisierung des Calciumcarbonats." ("Calcium-Rich Cover Beds and Calcrete Generations in Namibia: On the Origin and Mobilization of the Calcium Carbonate") |
1989 | Doctorate, Department of Geography, University of Stuttgart (with Honours) Dissertation Title: "Morphogenese im südlichen Kraichgau unter besonderer Berücksichtigung tertiärer und pleistozäner Decksedimente. Ein Beitrag zur Landschaftsgeschichte Südwestdeutschlands." ("Morphogenesis in the Southern Kraichgau with Respect to the Tertiary and Pleistocene Cover Beds: A Contribution to Landscape History in Southwest Germany") |
1980–1986 | Staatsexamen, Geography and German, University of Karlsruhe (TH) |
Academic Career
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Since 2001 | Full Professorship (C4) of Physical Geography, Heidelberg University |
2001 | Offered full professorship of Physical Geography, University of Bayreuth (declined) |
2000 | Offered full professorship (C4) of Physical Geography, University of Göttingen (declined) |
1995 | Professor (C3) for Physical Geography, University of Passau |
1989–1995 | Akademischer Rat (Associate Professor), Department of Geography, University of Stuttgart |
1989 | Scientist at the Department of Geography, University of Stuttgart |
1986–1989 | Scientist at the Department of Geography and Geoecology, University of Karlsruhe (TH) |
Functions in academic self-administration
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Since 2007 | Rector of Heidelberg University |
2006–2007 | Vice Dean for Earth Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences |
2005–2006 | Spokesman of the University Senate |
2004–2006 | Dean of the Combined Faculties of Natural and Mathematical Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences |
2002–2004 | Vice Dean for Earth Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences |
Memberships (Selection)
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Since 2021 | Chairman of the 4EU+ European University Alliance |
Since 2021 | Member of the Board of Directors of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) |
Since 2019 | Member of the Governing Board of the 4EU+ European University Alliance |
2018–2020 | Chairman of the Baden-Württemberg state Rectors' Conference |
Since 2017 | Vice Chairman Council Science Media Center Germany (SMC) |
2016–2018 | Vice Chairman of the Baden-Württemberg state Rectors' Conference |
2012–2014 | Spokesman of the German U15, a strategic interest group for outstanding research universities with top medical faculties |
2006–2007 | Member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Research Group (AK) on Geomorphology (Deutscher AK für Geomorphologie in der DGfG e.V.) |
2005 | Commission Member of the State of Niedersachsen Commission for the Evaluation of Research in the Departments of Geography in the State’s Universities |
2004–2009 | Member of the UNESCO-IGCP 500 Management Group “Westerlies and Monsoons: Impacts of Climate Change and Variability on Dryland Environments, Hydrology and People” |
2004–2007 | Committee Member of the Heidelberg Geographic Society (Heidelberger Geographischen Gesellschaft [HGG]) |
2002 | Steering Committee Member of the GeoUnion (Alfred-Wegener-Stiftung) |
2002–2007 | Member of the Executive Commission of the International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG)-Working Group on “Interaction between Fluvial, Aeolian and Lacustrine Processes in Arid Regions” |
2002–2006 | Chairman of the Research Group on Geomorphology in the German Society for Geography |
2002–2004 | Chairman of the Heidelberg Geographic Society |
1994–2002 | Member of the Supervisory Board for the Research Group on Geomorphology in the German Society for Geography |
Awards & Distinctions
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2021 | Awarded with the Gold Medal of Charles University in Prague |
2021 | Awarded with the “Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star” of the state of Japan for the many years of commitment to the founding and build-up of HeKKSaGOn, a German-Japanese university consortium |
2019 | Awarded with the “Pro Universitate” medal of the Semmelweis University Budapest for the promotion of scientific exchange and partnership between the universities of Budapest and Heidelberg |
2016 | Honored by the Geological Society of America with the “Farouk El-Baz Award for Desert Research” for pioneering achievements in researching the environmental history of deserts |
2015 | Awarded honorary doctorate by the Comenius University in Bratislava |
2011 | “Ordre des Palmes Académiques” (highest grade) by the French Republic for significant contributions to the French higher education system |
2010 | Member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, National Academy of Sciences |
2009 | Elected as corresponding member of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) |
2008 | Member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) |
Areas of Research
Geomorphology, Soil Geography, Geoecology, Geoarchaeology, Arid Environments and Dryland Research, in particular in Europe, the Arctic, Southern Africa, South America, China (Xinjiang).
Selected Publications
- Eitel, B. (2000): Different amounts of pedogenic palygorskite in South West African Cenozoic calcretes: Geomorphological, palaeoclimatical and methodological implications. – Z. Geomorph. N. F. Suppl.-Bd. 121, S. 139–149.
- Eitel, B., Eberle, J. & Kuhn, R. (2002): Holocene environmental change in the Otjiwarongo thornbush savanna (Northern Namibia): Evidence from soils and sediments. – Catena 47: 43–62.
- Eitel, B., van der Borg, K., Eberle, J. & Megies, H. (2002): Late Pleistocene / Early Holocene glacial history of northern Andréeland (Northern Spitsbergen / Svalbard Archipelago): evidence from glacial and fluvio-glacial deposits. – Z. Geomorph. N. F. 46: 337–364.
- Eitel, B., Hecht, S., Mächtle, B., Schuhkraft, G.,Kadereit, A., Wagner, G. A., Kromer, B., Unkel, I. & Reindel, M. (2005): Geoarchaeological evidence from desert loess in the Nazca-Palpa region, southern Peru: Palaeoenvironmental changes and their impact on Pre-Columbian cultures. – Archaeometry 47: 137–185.
- Eitel, B., Kadereit, A., Blümel, W. D., Hüser, K. Lomax, J. & Hilgers, A. (2006): Fluvial deposits in the Upper Hoanib river catchment, northwestern Namibia: New evidence of environmental changes before and after the Last Glacial Maximum at the eastern Namib Desert Margin. – Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 234: 201–222.
- Eitel, B. & Mächtle, B. (2009): Man and environment in the eastern Atacama Desert (Southern Peru): Holocene climate changes and their impact on Pre-Columbian cultures. In: Reindel, M. & Wagner, G.A. (ed.): New Technologies for Archaeology, Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp. 17–37.