Senior Researcher · Institute for Global Water Security
Dr. Benjamin Poschlod
Climate & Hydrology Extremes · Compound Events · Urban Flood Risk
- Address
-
Hamburg University of Technology
Institute for Global Water Security
Harburger Schloßstraße 22a, 21079 Hamburg
- Office
- Building HS22a, Room 1012
- Phone
- +49 40 30601 2371
- benjamin.poschlod(at)tuhh.de
- Profiles
Research
My research focuses on how climate change reshapes hydrometeorological extremes —
from floods and droughts to compound events — and what this means for cities,
ecosystems, and risk management. I combine statistical climatology, hydrological
modelling, and large-ensemble climate simulations to quantify and understand rare
and severe events, assess their future trajectories, and support applied risk assessment.
Open to Collaboration — I welcome new scientific
collaborations, open data sets, or co-authorship on topics within my
research themes.
Beyond academia, I already work with public authorities in the
water and climate sector, insurers, and consultancies —
and I am happy to discuss applied projects or advisory roles.
At a glance
Research Themes
Precipitation Extremes & Return Levels
Estimating the frequency and severity of extreme rainfall events — and how they intensify under climate change — using high-resolution regional climate models and statistical extreme value theory. Results can inform engineering standards and catastrophe risk models.
Compound Events
Understanding when multiple hazards co-occur or cascade — concurrent heat and drought, combined storm surge and heavy rainfall — and how their joint probability changes with warming. Contributing to the international CompoundNET community (formerly EU COST Action DAMOCLES).
Urban Water Risks & Adaptation
Mapping urban pluvial flood risk at high resolution, combining hazard data with exposure and social vulnerability indicators. Exploring governance barriers and adaptation pathways for cities, with Hamburg as a primary case study (CLICCS C1 and Trans4Heat [funded by the Helmholtz Institute for Climate Service Science]).
Hydrological Extremes — Floods & Droughts
Using large hydrological model ensembles to separate climate-change signals from internal variability in river floods and low-flow events, with a focus on Bavarian catchments and broader European river systems.
Methods & Tools
Regional Climate Model Large Ensembles (SMILEs)Convection-Permitting ModelsExtreme Value StatisticsCopula-based Compound Event AnalysisHydrological ModellingHigh-resolution Risk MappingTemporal DisaggregationCrop Suitability Modelling
Awards, Recognition & Community Engagement
