In our introductory session, you will:

• meet our team
• get an overview of our course and lecture structure
• try out our Engagement Lab
• and have the space to ask any questions you may have

With the help of satellite data, we can communicate, navigate from A to B or gain important insights into climate change. We owe numerous innovations and future technologies to space research. In short: without space, our modern life would look very different!

The talk will highlight how important space is for sustainable life on Earth and on the challenges that space must face in order to become more sustainable.

Chiara Manfletti holds a degree in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London, a masters degree in space studies from the International Space University in Strasbourg and a PhD from RWTH Aachen. She worked for the German Aerospace Center, DLR, as a research engineer in the field of liquid rocket propulsion and later joined the European Space Agency in 2016, where she was Head of Policy and Programmes Coordination at ESA. In March 2019 she was nominated the first President of the then just founded Portuguese national space agency, Portugal Space. Today she is Professor of Space Mobility and Propulsion at the Technical University of Munich in Germany and CEO of Neuraspace.

    Shared Session with Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences

AI-enabled technologies have huge potential to enable climate action, from digital twins that model the Earth to algorithms that help us run the future of energy systems and transportation networks. But AI systems, especially the rise of deep learning and large language models, also raise sustainability concerns linked to the natural resources they consume such as electricity and water, and the carbon emissions they produce. All of this begs the question: can AI help save the planet?

Johannes Leon Kirnberger is a policy advisor for AI and sustainability at the AI Unit of the OECD Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). He previously led the program on climate action and biodiversity preservation at the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) and the International Centre of Expertise in Montreal on AI (CEIMIA). Johannes is a member of the UNEP Expert Group on Digital Tech for Circular Economy, advises the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the green and digital “twin transition” and serves as guest lecturer at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) on climate change and AI policy. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from ESCP Business School, a Master of International Public Management from Sciences Po, and a Master in International Affairs, Energy and Environment from Columbia University.

    Shared Session with Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of synthetic chemicals, which are also widely known as “forever chemicals”. They are used in various household, commercial and industrial products due to their unique properties of oil, water and stain repellency. As researches increasingly underscores the mobility, persistence and potential toxicity associated with these emerging contaminants, significant concerns for environmental and human health have been raised.

The European Green Deal commits to achieving a zero-pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment, where the urgent need to address risks from persistent and mobile hazardous chemicals are specifically mentioned. Development of advanced modelling techniques for identification of sources and pathways of water pollution is an essential prerequisite to facilitate the implementation of effective EU regulatory instruments and pollution control measures in river basin management. This is particularly required for substances as PFASs, as available monitoring data are limited for substances beyond PFOA and PFOS, and the mechanisms of transport for different PFAS substances via environmental pathways are not fully understood.

This talk will focus on the identification of emission sources, pathways and fate of PFASs related to urban waste water as well as to the Upper River Danube and its tributaries. Further on, it will highlight which conclusions can be drawn from these investigations on the risk of exceedance of thresholds of human and environmental health as well as on the effectiveness of different measures and concepts to control PFAS pollution in the aquatic environment.

Matthias Zessner is a full professor at the Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management at TU Wien. He holds a degree in Environmental Engineering and earned his PhD in 1998 with a focus on nutrient and heavy metal fluxes in wastewater. His research areas include water quality, river basin management, trace substance monitoring, and phosphorus recycling. Since 2020, he has been a full professor, following his role as an associate professor since 2005. Zessner is also a faculty member of the Vienna Doctoral Program on Water Resource Systems at TU Wien.

Join us for an exclusive evening at the Münchner Kammerspiele, crafted especially for the TUM Environmental Lecture Series community! Immerse yourself in a unique program that invites you to explore the world of theatre, enjoy a delicious vegetarian meal, and take part in a thought-provoking conversation on the future of our planet.

Event Highlights

• 6:00 pm – Behind-the-Scenes Tour
  Get a glimpse of what goes on behind the curtains with a guided tour through the backstage of the iconic Kammerspiele theatre.

• 7:00 pm – Vegetarian Dinner
  Join us in the theatre’s cozy cantine for a delicious vegetarian meal at a special price of just 7€. Connect with fellow attendees over good food in an inspiring setting.

• 8:00 pm – Participative Talk “Narratives for Our Planet”
  The highlight of the evening: a participative dialogue titled Narratives for Our Planet, featuring renowned authors Lukas Bärfuss and Maja Lunde. Known worldwide for her “Climate Quartet” series, Maja Lunde explores the unsettling possibilities of a future without bees, scarce drinking water, vanishing forests, and what happens to human relationships when the world is a polluted, hostile place. Together, Bärfuss and Lunde will discuss the power of literary imagination as a tool for change, blending scientific facts, compelling storytelling, and the freedom of poetic expression to shed light on our planet’s hidden realities.

Registration

The following program items are only available to a limited number of participants:

• Guided tour of the theatre
• Vegetarian dinner (€7)

Unlimited registration:

• Admission to the talk for TUM students (€5): the cost will be covered by the organization of the Environmental Lecture Series! 🙂 Another reason for you not to miss it!
  • If you are not a TUM student but would like to attend this inspiring talk, you can buy tickets (€15) directly from the Kammerspiele website.

Registration is only possible via Moodle, as this is a special offer for TUM students. However, you still have a chance to join our waiting list. Please email us to let us know which sessions of this program you would like to attend: rivo@fs.tum.de

Join us for this special session and find yourself in Geovania, a continent facing societal, environmental and political problems.

As part of a group work, you and your team members take over the political leadership of one of Geovania’s countries in order to tackle these challenges. Perhaps you will be the next President of Amarana, or perhaps you will make a good Executive Minister? As good political leaders, you and your team will aim to ensure food supply for your people, develop your industries, decide on a strategy for energy transition to finally reduce carbon emissions… – and all of that in an international setting. Just a hint: negotiating with your neighbouring countries will be key.

To keep you fuelled throughout the game – a 3-hour session, we’ll be offering pastries, bread, and sandwiches from Foodsharing.

Curious about Geovania and its issues? Find out more in the trailer below or visit the game’s website.

The simulation game will be introduced by Prof. Miranda Schreurs, who was one of the key collaborators in the development and structure of the game. Miranda Schreurs (PhD University of Michigan) is Chair of Climate and Environmental Policy at the Bavarian School of Public Policy, Technical University of Munich. She investigates environmental movements, green politics, and climate policy making both comparatively and internationally. She has lived and researched in Europe, the United States and Asia. She also specializes on the politics surrounding the disposal of highly radioactive waste. In 2011, Prof. Schreurs was appointed by Chancellor Angela Merkel as a member of the Ethics Committee for a Secure Energy Supply. In 2016, she was appointed by the German Bundestag as a member of a committee established to bring citizens’ voices and ensure greater transparency in the search for a disposal site for highly radioactive waste. She was a member of the German Council on the Environment (2008-2016) and served both as Vice Chair and Chair of the European Advisory Council on Environment and Sustainable Development. She was a Fulbright Fellow to Japan and Germany and spent three years studying at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She also worked as a professor of comparative politics at the University of Maryland. From 2007 to 2016 she was Director of the Environmental Policy Research Center and Professor of Comparative Policy at the Free University of Berlin.

A hidden reality to us, a daily torture to them: industrial animal agriculture. Out of sight, out of mind trillions of farmed animals suffer around the globe hidden away in stalls, cages or laboratories – for our food. Animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of climate change and the loss of biodiversity. Maybe more so, it’s a real threat to our health as well as to the societal and natural order. With simply granting all animals basic rights, we can establish a harmonious agricultural system worldwide and unfold a just and sustainable future – for all. Want to find out what you can do?

After several years of experience in campaigning for animal rights in Germany and China, Julia Weibel dedicated herself to sustainable development cooperation and sustainable agriculture. As a campaigner for animals in agriculture, she supports PETA Germany in exposing animal suffering and establishing new ways for animal-free and sustainable agriculture in Germany.

What if reefs could speak? What would they say? Who are their friends? The fish, sea turtles, dolphins? And are we humans part of their circle? Or do they secretly blame us for the pollution, warming waters, and relentless noise that push them to the brink? In this talk, the reef becomes a spokesperson for other marine ecosystems and animals in Kenya. Through its eyes, we’ll discover the hidden beauty, loss, and resilience of the delicate web of life beneath the waves — a world we often overlook. But the reef is tired. This is not just a call for conservation; it’s a plea to truly listen. The reef and its ocean neighbors know what they need to survive. All we need to do is pay attention.

About Cindy Saru Chorongo: I am a Marine Scientist honored with a Marine Conservationist Award for my dedication to the field. I hold a BSc in Marine Resource Management and am currently pursuing an MSc in Sustainable Resource Management at the Technical University of Munich. As Vice Chairlady and founding member of Shimoni SeaTurtle Watch, I lead efforts to protect sea turtles in Kenya’s Wasini Channel. Beyond turtles, I specialize in restoring coral, mangrove, seagrass, and seaweed ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean. I’m deeply committed to community engagement, coordinating environmental education programs to raise awareness. With expertise in creating accessible, visually compelling content using tools like CANVA and social media, I make complex marine issues understandable for diverse audiences, including children. As an advanced certified Coral Restoration Diver with 400+ documented dives, I am experienced in both land and underwater restoration projects. Gaining local and international recognition, with features in media outlets such as Radio Rahma, ORAIMO, Voice of America, and BBC. Driven by a passion for healthier oceans, I continue to push for change and sustainability in marine conservation.

    Shared Session with Protect the Planet

Where: Münchner Zukunftssalon (Goethestraße 28) or online

TBA

The lecture is going to focus on mining waste, specifically tailings, including their definition, generation, properties, and management challenges. It will introduce the circular economy concept in tailings management, discussing legislation, recycling, and case studies of successful initiatives. The session will emphasize the importance of reusing materials to reduce environmental impacts and outlines future steps for integrating circular practices in mining, highlighting academia’s role in fostering innovation and research for sustainable mining practices.

Laís Resende is a Principal Engineer at Vale, specializing in the development of sustainable business solutions and products derived from mining waste. Since 2015, she has led multiple initiatives, which allowed Vale reusing around 2,1 million tons of tailings so far. Her significant achievements include establishing the Vale ore-sand business; planning, launching and operating the first industrial tailings brick factory; developing sustainable high-purity quartz, proppant and countryside pavement from tailings; building the first experimental road made from tailings; helping the creation of 2 Vale Circular Economy Startups. Laís holds a degree in Mining Engineering and a master’s degree in Mining, Material, and Metallurgical Engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Additionally, she completed a specialization in green transition at Cambridge University. Last year, Amira recognized her as one of the top innovators in the mining industry. She also is inventor of 2 patents. For Laís, the circular economy is not just a sustainable business strategy; it is a pathway to a better future and the ongoing viability of mining.

Archaeological artefacts that have been hidden deep within the ice of the Norwegian mountains for the past 7000 years have been melting out. The rapid change in the glaciers and ice patches of Norway in the past 20 years have given archaeologist a unique opportunity to study a new context and landscape. We established the Glacial archaeology program to rescue this knowledge. It is known to the public as Secrets of the Ice. The key themes of our work that will be presented are:

• Unprecedented Preservation: The cold conditions in ice can perfectly preserve organic materials, providing invaluable insights into past technology and human activity.
• Climate change: As ice melt due to climate change, new sites are uncovered, prompting both excitement and concern about what we might lose in the future.
• Interdisciplinary Approach: The field combines archaeology, biology, and climate sciences, showcasing how diverse expertise can contribute to understanding our history.
• Public dissemination: The rapidly disappearing ice and recovery of lost artefacts is a tangible story to inform the public about how the changing climate really is different now than in the past thousands of years.

Overall, our work underscores the urgency of studying these sites before they vanish, while also reflecting on our relationship with the environment and the impact of climate change.

Julian Post-Melbye is an archaeologist at the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo. He has been working on the Glacial Archaeology Program since 2011. Within the program he is the main artefact expert. For the past decade he has also been leading archaeological excavations related to hunting, transportation and outfield resources in the Norwegian valleys and mountains.

Projections show that the world population will grow to more than 9 billion people by 2050. Goals 2 and 3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals embrace the provision of sufficient and nutritious food for the growing population to promote human health and wellbeing. Major crops such as cassava, maize, potato, rice, and wheat are rich in starch and together they provide more than 60% of the carbohydrate calories consumed worldwide, but they have a poor micronutrient content. People for whom these crops are the primary staple food receive enough calories, but they are often malnourished because these staple foods do not contain enough of the necessary vitamins and minerals such as iron for a healthy diet. To date, 1.6 billion people worldwide suffer reduced productive capacity due to iron-deficiency anemia. Achieving higher micronutrient content for health and nutrition is often not possible with available breeding germplasm, especially in rice. We are employing genetic engineering and genome editing strategies to increase the iron and vitamin content of polished rice grains for improving human health.  For example, we increased iron and zinc in rice grains to dietary relevant levels, and combined iron and zinc with essential vitamins. Multi-year field trials and feeding experiments with these biofortified rice lines demonstrate that the micronutrient traits are stable and bioavailable.

Wilhelm Gruissem was Professor at the University of California at Berkeley, USA, from 1983-2000 and Director of a collaborative research program with Novartis from 1998-2000. In 2000 he became professor at ETH Zurich, where he built the Functional Genomics Center Zurich that he led as Director from 2001 to 2017. In 2008 he founded the company Nebion. From 2006 to 2010 he was President of the European Plant Science Organization (EPSO) and from 2012-2015 President of the Global Plant Council. In 2018, he became a Distinguished Chair Professor and Yushan Fellow at National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan. In addition to his long-term research on plant systems biology, he directs a biotechnology program on trait improvement in cassava and rice.

Honors & Awards

• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Sciences
• Chancellor’s Professorship, University of California at Berkeley
• Anniversary Prize of the Eiselen Foundation Ulm, Germany
• Fellow and Corresponding Member, American Society of Plant Biologists
• Storer Lecture, University of California, Davis
• Skidmore College Distinguished Visiting Scientist
• Shang Fa Yang Award, Academia Sinica Taiwan
• David W. Beach Memorial Award, Purdue University
• Highly cited researcher, Thomson Reuters, 2015, 2016
• Yushan Scholar, Ministry of Education, National Chung Hsing University (since 2018)
• Hsien-Wen Li Lecture, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
• Listed among the top 2% scientists in the world for lifetime achievements

Join us for a unique behind-the-scenes tour of Munich’s wastewater management system!

This excursion offers an exclusive opportunity to learn about the history and daily operations of the city’s drainage infrastructure, guided by experienced sewer workers. Together, we will discover the evolution of wastewater management in Munich, the challenges of modern drainage, and the vital role of sewer workers in keeping the city safe and clean.

Important Details:

• Meeting Point: we’ll gather at the corner of Akademie-/Ecke Türkenstraße (near the U3/U6 Universität stop).
• The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and is completely free of charge
• Please wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and clothing that you don’t mind getting a little wet. For safety and hygiene reasons, only those with sturdy footwear will be allowed to enter.
• Due to health risks, the tour is not recommended for those with a weakened immune system, anyone currently unwell, or pregnant participants.
• Unfortunately, the entrances are not wheelchair accessible.

This excursion is only available for a limited number of participants. Registration will be available soon.

    Shared Session with Protect the Planet

TBA

The talk will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to deep-sea biology (oceanography, ecology, biodiversity);
• What are ocean minerals? (types, history/summary of scientific knowledge about them);
• Human interest in ocean minerals (history of interest, proposed applications, methods of extraction, management of resources);
• Potential environmental and social impacts of ocean mineral extraction;
• Do we need deep-sea minerals? (mineral supply and demand and the development of technology);
• A way forward (drafting of regulations and reaching consensus).

Dr. Oliver Ashford is a marine biologist, explorer and intelligence analyst working at the science to policy interface. He is committed to the description, understanding and sustainable management of marine biodiversity. His research covers topics including deep-sea ecology and taxonomy, understanding of human impacts on marine environments, use of remote sensing methods to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, ocean climate solutions, and the relationship between ocean health and human health. Currently based at World Resources Institute, he works closely with governments, IGOs, NGOs and industry to advise on the protection and sustainable use of marine environments.

Oliver holds a PhD in Deep-Sea Ecology from the University of Oxford, an MSc in Taxonomy and Biodiversity from Imperial College London, and a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. He undertook postdoctoral studies at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, has authored over 25 scientific publications, and has presented his work in Europe, North America, Central America and Africa.

Oliver currently lives in the UK with his wife, young son and two cats. In his spare time he enjoys surfing, sailing, fencing and playing violin and guitar.

During this short talk we will take a dive into the wildlife trafficking world. What is wildlife trafficking? Why does it happen? What are the drivers? Why does it matter and what are the impacts and facets of wildlife trafficking? And finally how each person can contribute to end this horrendous practice. 

Originally a kid passionate about animals and nature, Juliana earned a BSc in Biological Sciences, followed by a MSc and a PhD in Genetics, all from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. During her academic career she got interested in issues pertaining wildlife trafficking and did her PhD in collaboration with the US FWS National Forensics Laboratory, interested in origin assignment of birds seized from the illegal trade. During this process, she was nominated  TED Fellow/Senior Fellow 2009-2012 and later Nat Geo Emerging Explorer in 2014. She was awarded the Courage Prize for Women in Science and Exploration by Wings WorldQuest in 2016 and received the Partnerships for Conservation award by Interpol’s Wildlife Crime Work Group in 2023. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Freeland branch for South America and part of the Steering Committee of the Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime.