Research

Herbert Fischer became Head of the Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK) at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe in 1986 and at the same time Professor at the University of Karlsruhe. He is author of more than 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers on atmospheric physics and chemistry, in particular significant publications on remote sensing of atmospheric parameters and on stratospheric ozone depletion. In the last decade his research interest is related to the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere. Herbert Fischer has developed the unique MIPAS experiment which has measured the global distributions of more than 30 climate- and environment-relevant trace constituents from satellite ENVISAT from 2002 until 2012.

In July 2012, the International Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) awarded the William Nordberg Medal to H. Fischer as first German scientist for his extraordinary achievements in atmospheric research.

Career

• 2009 Official retirement
• 1993 Call to a professorship (C4) at the Technical University of Berlin in connection with the position as a director of the Institute for Space Sensors of the DLR
• 1986-2009 Extension of the scientific area of the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK) with respect to "Trace constituents in thestratosphere" and "Remote Sensing of atmospheric parameters"; Research fields: Exchange between earth surface and atmosphere, transport of atmospheric traceconstituents, physics and chemistry in the tropopause region and in the stratosphere
• 1986 Appointment to a professorship (C4) at the University of Karlsruhe
• 1986 Appointment to a director of the IMK at the Research Center Karlsruhe and the University of Karlsruhe
• 1986 Habilitation at the LM-University in Munich in the field "Meteorology"
• 1974 PhD-Graduation at the LM-University in Munich (Dr. rer. nat., Faculty of Physics)
• 1969-1986 Scientific employee at Meteorological Institute of LM-University in Munich
• 1961-1969 Study of physics at the Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich, Diploma examination in February 1969

Functions

(Selection)

• since 2010 Chairman of the Environmental Physics Division (EPD) of the European Physical Society (EPS)
• since 2009 Chairman of the board of directors of Reinhard-Süring-Foundation
• 2006-2010 Chairman of the board of directors of the German Meteorological Society
• 2002-2007 Spokesman of the great Research Programme ATMO of the Helmholtz Gemeinschaft (HGF)
• 2000-2007 Spokesman of the research programme “Atmosphere and Climate” of the Helmholtz Gemeinschaft (HGF)
• 2000-2004 President of the International Radiation Commission (IRC) of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS)
• 1999-2000 Chairman of the Acting Group of the Scientific Technical Committee of the Research Center Karlsruhe
• 1994-1998 Chairman of the Working Group “Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and the Climate System” of the German Research Fund (DFG)
• 1991-1997 Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for Global Application (Earth Observation)
• 1988-2007 Advisor in various committees of the European Space Agency (ESA), in particular in the field “Earth Observation”
• 1988-1998 Member of the Senate Commission for Atmospheric Sciences of the German Research Fund
• 1976-1984 Co-experimenter of the LIMS-instrument of NASA aboard the american NIMBUS-7 satellite

Honours and Memberships

(Selection)

• 2020 Honorary member of the German Meteorological Society
• 2013 Johannes-Georgi-Preis of the German GeoUnion as appreciation for the pioneering work over decades in atmospheric research
• 2012 William-Nordberg-Medal of the International Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) for excellent achievements in remote sensing and atmospheric research
• since 2005 Honourable member of the International Radiation Commission (IRC) of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS)