Farewell to long-standing honorary professor for climate change at HNEE

Companions and colleagues bid farewell to Prof Dr Manfred Stock today as he retired after 15 years of teaching in the Faculty of Forest and Environment at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE). Prof. Dr Stock has left a significant and lasting impression, particularly on students on the international Global Change Management course.

Prof Dr Stock has taught hundreds of students from all over the world about the importance and complexity of the global climate system. The former co-director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung, PIK) was particularly involved in the international Master's programme "Global Change Management" (GCM), which was founded at HNEE in 2006. In a virtual farewell ceremony, colleagues honoured his outstanding and pioneering work and thanked him for his trusting collaboration.

Prof Dr Günther-Wilhelm Vahrson, President of HNEE: "The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) as a cooperation partner of HNEE has given many students access to international research projects. Prof. Dr Stock has made them understand the world of climate modelling".

Prof. Dr. Martin Welp, Head of the GCM programme: "The scientific foundations of climate change are Manfred Stock's core competence. Climate change has a significant political dimension. Manfred Stock also stands for continued dialogue with social actors and decision-makers. The students have benefited enormously from this".

Prof. Dr Pierre Ibisch, programme director during the founding of the Master's degree programme GCM: "Manfred Stock was one of the first people outside the university with whom we talked about the idea of an international degree programme on global change. His enthusiasm and personal support, as well as the subsequent partnership with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), not only gave us a huge boost, but also signalled the start of a new phase of cooperation for the university."

GCM alumnus, Gino Garcia, remembers: "Prof Stock taught us the complexity of the physical principles of climate change with great patience, commitment and conviction. He gave us a deeper scientific understanding of the human footprint."

HNEE's cooperation with PIK to offer the GCM degree programme will continue. Dr Fred Hattermann (Hydroclimatic Risks working group) is now ready to further develop the cooperation with HNEE made possible by Prof. Dr Stock and to become involved in teaching.