Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung

The ZiF cooperation group "Volcanoes, Climate and History", led by Prof Dr Ulf Büntgen (Cambridge University), has been researching the possible effects of volcanic eruptions on climate, environment and society at ZiF since the end of 2021. Archaeologists, historians, climate scientists, palaeoscientists and a volcanologist discuss this in regular workshops, together with other experts.

A special feature of the research group is the participation of artist Anna Guðjónsdóttir, who grew up in Iceland and has experienced a close proximity to volcanoes. During the workshops, she repeatedly conducted artistic experiments with the scientists and enriched their perspectives accordingly.
Within the group and in the workshops, curiosity and openness towards different perspectives and approaches always played a central role in the search for new and positive contemporary possibilities for human action.
With the exhibition "Curiosity Unbound", the members of the "Volcanoes, Climate and History" group are exploring this boundless curiosity under the artistic direction of Anna Guðjónsdóttir. A dialogue between the fellows becomes visible in which the independent, the personal, meets scientific and artistic thought.

Images of the exhibition opening at the beginning of 2024:
(Universität Bielefeld/P. Ottendörfer)