Currently visiting: Ugur Öztürk

In his research, Ugur Öztürk - expert on the intersection of natural hazards and urban activities at the GFZ in Potsdam - explores how human activities and natural processes overlap and sometimes clash. During the winter term 2024, the ERC Grant winner is visiting professor at the Department of Geography and Regional Research. In his seminar, he aims at inspiring students to consider the bigger picture in geosciences.

  • What is so fascinating about your research area?

Ugur Öztürk: My goal is to quantify the societal impact (e.g., urbanization) on shaping the natural environment through natural hazards and forming anthropogenically altered landscapes. The urban population has increased from 30% in 1950 to 50% today, and by 2050 it will reach 68%. For example, urban expansion and climate change are projected to increase the occurrence and impacts of rainfall-induced landslides. Exploring how human activities and natural processes overlap and sometimes clash is fascinating, creating unique challenges and insights that can shape sustainable urban development.

  • Which central message should your students remember?

Ugur Öztürk: I aim to inspire students to consider the bigger picture in geosciences. Understanding and addressing the causes of hazards requires integrating natural science with societal needs, as well as a proactive, interdisciplinary approach to research. One key takeaway from my lectures will be, "The intended future use of a natural landscape may change its inherent hazard status." and unfortunately we are as a society still far away from accepting and considering this aspect.

  • Why did you decide to do research and teach at our Faculty?

Ugur Öztürk: The University of Vienna is known for its interdisciplinary research environment, which provides a fantastic platform for connecting geoscience research with society through real-world applications. When Prof. Thomas Glade suggested me to hold a block course at the Department of Geography and Regional Research, I gladly accepted. I am eager to collaborate with colleagues and engage with students who bring diverse perspectives to studying natural hazards.

  • Which three publications characterise your work?

- Ozturk, U., Pittore, M., Behling, R., Roessner, S., Andreani, L., and Korup, O.: How robust are landslide susceptibility estimates?, Landslides, 18, 681–695, 2021.

- Ozturk, U., Bozzolan, E., Holcombe, E. A., Shukla, R., Pianosi, F., and Wagener, T.: How climate change and unplanned urban sprawl bring more landslides, Nature, 608, 262–265, 2022.

- Stein, L., Mukkavilli, S. K., Pfitzmann, B. M., Staar, P. W. J., Ozturk, U., Berrospi, C., Brunschwiler, T., and Wagener, T.: Wealth Over Woe: Global Biases in Hydro‐Hazard Research, Earth’s Future, 12, e2024EF004590, , 2024.

Thank you & welcome to our Faculty!

 

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Ugur Öztürk from the University of Potsdam and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) is currently visiting professor at the Department of Geography and Regional Research. © Uwe Lemgo

His research focuses on the intersection of natural hazards and urban activities, such as how socioeconomic factors contribute to landslide hazards in urban areas.

Image: Taken during a hike along a valley toward the Nilkantha peak during the same 2024 Himalayan Fieldschool. Badrinath (Uttarakhand, India) is visible downstream in the background. © Ankit Agarwal

In his seminar, he aims to inspire students to consider the bigger picture in geosciences: "Understanding and addressing the causes of hazards requires integrating natural science with societal needs, as well as a proactive, interdisciplinary approach to research."

Image: Ugur Öztürk explaining landslide terminology to students during the 2024 Himalayan Fieldschool near Joshimath, Uttarakhand, India. The main scarp of an ongoing landslide is visible in the background. © Ankit Agarwal