Stefan Winkler appointed Adjunct Professor at the University of Canterbury
03/24/2026During a six-week research visit to New Zealand in February/March 2026, Associate Professor Dr Stefan Winkler from the Chair of Geomorphology at JMU Würzburg attended the 11th IAG International Conference on Geomorphology in Christchurch. In addition to conducting his own fieldwork in the Southern Alps in the Aoraki/Mt Cook area, he also supervised a student project together with colleagues from the Universitiy of Canterbury. In recognition of this long-standing collaboration, he was appointed Adjunct Professor at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch.
In early February 2026, the 11th International Conference on Geomorphology took place in Christchurch, New Zealand. The conference is organised every four years by the IAG (International Association of Geomorphologists), the international umbrella organisation for over 60 national geomorphology organisations. With over 900 participants, the conference was a great success and larger than previous editions. Associate Professor Dr Stefan Winkler from the Chair of Geomorphology at JMU Würzburg organised and chaired a session on glacial and periglacial processes in high mountains, in addition to delivering two presentations of his own. In his capacity as the official national representative of the DGGM (German Society for Geomorphology), he also took part in the board meetings and elections.
In the central Southern Alps in the Aoraki/Mt. Cook region, Professor Winkler has been carrying out regular fieldwork for over 25 years. One objective of this work is the detailed documentation and analysis of changes in high-altitude glaciers and their foredeeps. The long-standing glacial retreat continues unabated, and the foredeeps remain strongly shaped by highly dynamic paraglacial processes. The intensity of these processes is comparatively higher than, for example, in the European Alps.
For over 10 years, Professor Winkler has regularly supervised student projects on glacial morphological topics alongside colleagues as part of a specialised course programme at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. Most recently, in collaboration with Dr Kate Pedley, these projects focused on regional factors influencing morphometry and the development of kares, which play a key role in their palaeoclimatic interpretation. In recognition of this successful collaboration, he has now been appointed ‘Adjunct Professor’ at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Canterbury for an initial period of three years.
