Prof. Dr. Michael Krautblatter

Academic Career and Research Areas

Michael Krautblatter has been conducting research into natural hazards, landslides and permafrost systems since 2004. His main research areas focus on the non-invasive quantification and monitoring of permafrost in unstable rock and soil slopes, the quantification of magnitude, frequency and interconnectivity of landslides and the anticipation of landslides based on thresholds, mechanical models and an understanding of the systems involved. Theory, field, laboratory and modelling based research is currently being performed within the framework of international projects in the Alps (i.e. the Zugspitze) and in Arctic environments. The current focus of the new TUM landslides group is the long, mid and short term anticipation of landslides in alpine regions.

Michael Krautblatter studied geography and geology in Passau, Durham and Erlangen. As a postgraduate, he conducted research at the Universities of Erlangen, Oxford and Bonn. He received his PhD (summa cum laude) for his work on permafrost in alpine rock walls and their destabilisation from the University of Bonn. He subsequently continued his academic career in Bonn where he lectured on geomorphology and environmental systems, established a “PermaSlope” research group with PhD students and set up a permafrost laboratory.