About
Matthias Forkel is an environmental scientist and Junior Professor for Environmental Remote Sensing at TU Dresden, Germany. His main research interest is the development and application of optical and microwave satellite observations, and global ecosystem models to quantify changes in land ecosystems, vegetation and the carbon cycle and their feedbacks with the climate. He aims to combine the specific advantages of satellite observations and ecosystem models through model-data integration and machine learning approaches to predict climate impacts on vegetation phenology, productivity, carbon cycling, and disturbances.
Matthias' research group at TU Dresden
Professional research experience
- since 09/2019 | TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany | Junior-Professor for Environmental Remote Sensing, Faculty for Environmental Sciences
- 2016-2019 | TU Wien, Vienna, Austria | PostDoc at the Department of Geodesy and Geoinformation, Climate and Environmental Remote Sensing Group
- 2011-2015 | Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany | PhD candidate, later PostDoc at the Department of Biogeochemical Integration
- 2009-2010 | Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany | Scientific assistant at the Department for Earth Observation
Education
- 2015 | PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) | Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany | Thesis: Controls on Global Greening, Phenology, and the Enhanced Seasonal CO2 Amplitude – Integrating Decadal Satellite Observations and Global Ecosystem Models
- 2008-2010 | M.Sc. | Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany | Master degree in Geoinformatics
- 2005-2008 | B.Sc. | Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany | Bachelor degree in Geography
Awards and scholarship
- 2018 | Best Paper Award by the Faculty of Mathematics and Geoinformation of TU Wien | Awarded paper: Forkel et al. 2017 GMD
- 2016-2018 | Living Planet Fellowship by the European Space Agency
- 2016 | Beutenberg Campus Science Award, Jena, Germany | Best PhD thesis in Life Sciences and Physics in 2015
News
Selected tweets from @MatthiasForkel
Human and climate drivers of global biomass burning variability: Variability of #fire more dependent on human factors in areas with medium to large burned area. Paper led by @EmilioChuvieco with @hantson_stijn @mrc_trc et al. using @esaclimate data https://t.co/iKrN8vZI7b pic.twitter.com/mQv9TflBhE
— Matthias Forkel (@MatthiasForkel) March 20, 2021
How to observe agricultural drought with remote sensing in south-eastern Europe? A review of the current state and future directions: https://t.co/btkuMpiBgb @ESA_EO @EO_OPEN_SCIENCE DryPan project together with @EODC_GmbH @geodepartment @Intersucho https://t.co/VY9DE8Hvcp
— Matthias Forkel (@MatthiasForkel) October 28, 2020
A new way to study tree water dynamics and physiological #phenology at large scales? Backscatter from C-band satellites likely sensitive to the spring reactivation in temperate deciduous broadleaved forests https://t.co/hLhXPRrctC
— Matthias Forkel (@MatthiasForkel) August 23, 2020
Great work by @IsabellaMar7! @geodepartment pic.twitter.com/MTHLr00VZT
Global ecosystems and fire: impacts of fire on global tree cover better understood but fire models are uncertain about effects on ecosystem productivity and carbon turnover https://t.co/ZmBSJiJTY3
— Matthias Forkel (@MatthiasForkel) May 16, 2020
New #firemip paper by @GLasslop @SandyHarrisonRe et al.
We constrained a global #ecosystem model with dynamic vegetation with #satellite observations on greenness, sun-induced fluorescence, #biomass, land cover and fire: https://t.co/eU0Qak44nL
— Matthias Forkel (@MatthiasForkel) December 10, 2019
The results ... pic.twitter.com/z728ungtMX