Current position

Senior Scientist | Remote Sensing Laboratories, Department of Geography, University of Zurich
October 2021 to present
Project title: TRISHNA – Science and Electronics Contribution’ (T-SEC)

Past positions

Postdoctoral Fellow | Remote Sensing Research Group, University of Bern, Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research
October 2018 to August 2021
Project title: ESA CCI+ Snow

Postdoctoral Fellow | Center for Glaciology, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK
SNFS Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship grantee
October 2017 to September 2018
Project title: High-resolution spatial and temporal variations in albedo of ablating ice – drivers, patterns and dynamics

Postdoctoral Fellow | Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS), University of Fribourg, Switzerland

Guest Scientist | World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), Zurich, Switzerland
June to September 2017


Higher education

PhD in Glaciology  |  University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Thesis title: State, changes and impact of glacier surface albedo in the Swiss Alps
Supervision: Dr Matthias Huss, Prof Dr Martin Hoelzle

MSc in Geography, Major Glaciology  |  University of Zurich, Switzerland & The University Centre in Svalbard, Norway
Thesis title: Investigations of state and changes in drainage system, thermal structure and dynamics of Tellbreen, a High Arctic glacier on Svalbard, using glacio-speleology
Supervision: Prof Dr Doug Benn (UNIS), PD Dr Michael Zemp (UZH)  

BSc in Geosciences, Major in Physical Geography and Meteorology | University of Basel, Switzerland
Thesis at the Snow and Avalanche Centre (SLF), Davos

Teaching

2019:   Capacity Building Workshop on Glaciology and Disaster Risk Reduction in Bhutan | Royal University of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan
2016:   Instructor | Specialization in Remote Sensing: Spectroscopy of the Earth System | University of Zurich
2014 – 2016:   Lecturer   | GG.0101 Introduction to geosciences | University of Fribourg
2014 – 2015:   Instructor | GG.0213 Introduction to atmospheric science | University of Fribourg

Technical skills

I have been an active member of research field work in the European Alps, Svalbard (NO), Westfjords (IS), Tien Shan (KG) and the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains (AK).

Fieldwork expertise includes, in no particular order:

  • glacier mass balance measurements using stake networks and snowpits
  • construction, deployment and maintenance of automatic weather stations
  • detailed ablation measurements using stake farms
  • albedo measurements using portable albedometer (e.g. CM7B)
  • field spectroscopy using ASD field spectrometer (e.g. FieldSpec4)
  • geomorphological mapping
  • ice cave mapping using standard speleological techniques
  • snow stratigraphy measurements and observations
  • ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys (mainly of winter snow)

I obtain my research results using various methodology and software:

  • mass balance modelling
  • timeseries and gridded data analysis
  • imaging spectroscopy and other image analysis tools (e.g. Spectral Angle Mapper)
  • various applications of high-resultion UAV data
  • Python, QGis, ArcGIS, ENVI, AgiSoft Photoscan, Adobe Suite, ...

Approved research projects

SNFS Agora
Running time: 08/2020 11/2022
Project title: From glacier to classroom: peer-to-peer communication to foster curiosity in science
Amount awarded: 58'034 CHF
Role: Principal Investigator
(http://p3.snf.ch/project-194500)

GCOS Switzerland Strategy 2017-2026
Running time: 08/2020 – 12/2021
Project title: Fractional snow cover time series (1981 – 2021) – a novel data set from space to support climate studies in Switzerland
Amount awarded: 146’040 CHF
Role: Deputy Principal Investigator

120% solution scheme, an equal opportunity measure of the Faculty of Science at University of Bern
Running time: 01/2020 – 06/2020
Project title: funding for a part-time student assistant for 6 months
Amount awarded: 4400 CHF
Role: Principal Investigator

Early Postdoc.Mobility fellowship awarded by the Swiss National Science Foundation
Running time: 10/2017 – 09/2018
Project title: High-resolution spatial and temporal variations in albedo of ablating ice – drivers, patterns and dynamics
Amount awarded: 70,300 CHF
Role: Principal Investigator
(http://p3.snf.ch/project-174888)

Arctic Field Grant awarded by Svalbard Science Forum
Running time. 08/2011 – 02/2013
Project title: Changes in dynamics, thermal state and drainage system of high arctic glaciers on Svalbard using glacio-speleological methods
Amount awarded: 7900 CHF
Role: Principal Investigator
(https://www.researchinsvalbard.no/project/7012)


Prizes, Awards, Fellowships

2019

  • COMET career program, University of Bern, 1000 CHF
  • Equality grant from institute of Geography, University of Bern, 540 CHF

2014, 2015, 2016        

  • Young researchers support, Swiss Snow, Ice and Permafrost Society, 600 CHF each

2014

  • IASC support for participation in workshop on “Quantifying Albedo Feedbacks and their Role in the Mass Balance of the Arctic Terrestrial Cryosphere”, ~700 CHF

2012                              

  • Swiss Academy of Science (SCNAT) Travel Grant, 800 CHF

2011                             

  • Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Höhlenforschung (SGH) Travel Grant, 1000 CHF

Outreach activities

  • Inspiring Girls Expeditions, steering committee member 2019 - 2020, http://www.inspiringgirls.org
  • Women on Ice, co-founder
  • Girls on Ice Switzerland, co-founder, instructor, program coordinator, http://www.inspiringgirls.org/switzerland
  • Explora 2016 (Open Day), organising and leading of the presentation and experiments of the Physical Geography at the University of Fribourg
  • Womens in Science and Technology (WINS), organising and leading of day-long stage for a group of female high school students at the University of Fribourg


Service to society

  • 2020 – present Board member of the Swiss Snow, Ice and Permafrost society (SIP)
  • 2019 – present Co-convener at the Swiss Geoscience Meeting
  • Reviewer for various journals (e.g. The Cryosphere, Cold Regions Science and Technology, Journal of Glaciology, Remote Sensing),
  • Member of scientific and organisation committee EARSeL Workshop on Land Ice and Snow, February 2020
  • 2019 – 2020 Steering committee member Inspiring Girls Expeditions
  • Member of the European Geoscience Union (EGU)
  • Member of the International Associations on Cryosphere Science (IACS)