Dr. Bernhard Siemon | Airborne Geophysics | Best Researcher Award

Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), Germany.

Bernhard Siemon is a distinguished physicist and geophysicist, specializing in airborne geophysics. He earned his Diploma in Physics (1986) and Ph.D. (1991) from the University of Göttingen, Germany. After gaining experience in private consulting and governmental research institutes, he joined the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) in 2001, where he currently leads the airborne geophysics unit. His expertise includes electromagnetic data inversion and the application of airborne geophysical data in groundwater, mining, and near-surface exploration. He is an active member of DGG (German Geophysical Society) and EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers).

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🎓 Education

Dr. Bernhard Siemon obtained his Diploma in Physics from the University of Göttingen, Germany, in 1986. He further advanced his academic journey by completing a Ph.D. in Physics at the same university in 1991. With a solid foundation in physics, Dr. Siemon has made significant contributions to research and development, applying his expertise in both theoretical and applied physics.

💼 Experience

Dr. Bernhard Siemon has been serving as the Head of the Airborne Geophysics Unit at the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) since 2001. In this role, he has played a key part in advancing geophysical exploration techniques and applications.

Prior to this, from 1991 to 2001, he worked as a Consultant and Researcher for private consulting firms and governmental research institutes, contributing his expertise in geophysics and applied physics to various projects in resource exploration and environmental studies.

🔬 Research Interests

Inversion of electromagnetic data for geophysical applications

Airborne geophysical surveying for groundwater, mining, and near-surface studies

Optimization of geophysical data acquisition for geological exploration

🏆 Awards & Recognitions

Recognized expert in airborne geophysics with contributions to major geophysical studies

Active member of DGG and EAGE, contributing to scientific advancements in geophysics

📚 Selected Publications

Benefits of an Airborne Electromagnetic Survey of Former Opencast Lignite Mining Areas in Lusatia, Germany

Journal: Water (2025)

DOI: 10.3390/w17071000

Co-authors: Olaf Cortés Arroyo, Silvio Janetz, Erik Nixdorf

Focus: Utilization of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys to assess environmental and groundwater conditions in former lignite mining areas.

Locating Skarns with Magnetic Survey Data, Geyer, Erzgebirge: Optimizing Data Acquisition Procedures

Journal: Geophysical Prospecting (2022)

DOI: 10.1111/1365-2478.13231

Co-authors: Hernan Ugalde, William Morris, Yuleika Madriz, Moritz Kirsch, Richard Gloaguen, Michael Schneider, Markus Schiffler, Tristan Fréville, Marc Munschy

Focus: Enhancing geophysical data acquisition methods for efficient skarn deposit detection.

Airborne Electromagnetic, Magnetic, and Radiometric Surveys at the German North Sea Coast Applied to Groundwater and Soil Investigations

Journal: Remote Sensing (2020)

DOI: 10.3390/rs12101629

Co-authors: Malte Ibs-von Seht, Annika Steuer, Nico Deus, Helga Wiederhold

Focus: Integrating multiple airborne geophysical techniques for coastal groundwater and soil studies.

Airborne Electromagnetic and Radiometric Peat Thickness Mapping of a Bog in Northwest Germany (Ahlen-Falkenberger Moor)

Journal: Remote Sensing (2020)

DOI: 10.3390/rs12020203

Co-authors: Malte Ibs-von Seht, Stefan Frank

Focus: Mapping peat thickness using AEM and radiometric surveys for ecological monitoring.

Airborne and Ground Geophysical Mapping of Coastal Clays in Eastern Friesland, Germany

Journal: GEOPHYSICS (2019)

DOI: 10.1190/geo2014-0102.1

Co-authors: Costabe S., Voß W., Meyer U., Deus N., Elbracht J., Günther T., Wiederhold H.

Focus: Geophysical techniques for identifying coastal clay deposits and subsurface structures.

Ms. Claudia Elijas-Parra | Structural Geology | Best Researcher Award

University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Claudia Elijas-Parra is a PhD student in Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh, specializing in the rheology of dense unsteady granular flows with shear gradients. Her research focuses on understanding granular temperature and the contact network in complex flows, particularly in pyroclastic density currents, to refine large-scale volcanic hazard models. With expertise in high-performance computing and numerical modeling, she contributes to advancing our knowledge of volcanic processes and geophysical flows.

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🎓 Education

Claudia Elijas-Parra is a PhD candidate in Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh, researching pyroclastic density currents using numerical modeling and high-performance computing. She holds a First-Class Honours MEarthPhys from the same university, with work on geomechanical risk and geophysical flow modeling. She completed her secondary education at Institut Pons D’Icart, Spain, with a 9.7/10 grade and spent an exchange year in London.

💼 Experience

Claudia Elijas-Parra is a PhD candidate in Geophysics at the University of Edinburgh, specializing in numerical modeling of pyroclastic density currents. She holds a First-Class Honours MEarthPhys and has experience as a Tutor & Demonstrator in mathematics, programming, volcanology, and seismology. Previously, she worked as a Research Assistant on catastrophic rock failure and interned to improve hybrid learning strategies. She completed her secondary education in Spain with a 9.7/10 grade and spent an exchange year in London.

🔬 Research Interests

🌋 Granular Flow Rheology – Understanding the dynamics of unsteady shear flows in pyroclastic density currents
💻 High-Performance Computing – Numerical simulations using MFIX-DEM, ParaView, COMSOL Multiphysics
🌍 Volcanic Hazard Assessment – Improving the boundary conditions of large-scale volcanic models
🧱 Rock Mechanics & Failure – Investigating microcrack evolution in deforming porous rocks

🏆 Awards & Grants

🏅 Overseas Research Visit & Conference Fund – E4DTP (2023) (Cities on Volcanoes 12, Guatemala)
🏅 12th SAGES Small Grant – SAGES (2023) (Cities on Volcanoes 12, Guatemala)
🏅 Small EPS Grant – University of Edinburgh (2023) (Cities on Volcanoes 12, Guatemala)
🏅 Certificate of Achievement – University of Edinburgh (2023) (Top Student in Earth Science Masters)
🏅 Small EPS Grant – University of Edinburgh (2022) (Summer Research Internship)

📚 Publication & Conferences

📄 Elijas-Parra et al. (2025). Controls on shear band orientation in deforming porous rocks: insights from improved microcrack segmentation method. 🔗 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2025.105404

🎤 Tectonic Studies Group (TSG) Annual Meeting (Burlington House, London, 2022)

Quantifying crack network evolution during failure of a porous rock

🎤 Cities on Volcanoes 12 (CoV12) (Antigua, Guatemala, 2022)

Basal flow rheology of pyroclastic density currents: Implications for large-scale modeling in volcanic hazard assessment