Engineering Geohazards RWTH Aachen University

Overview

Society worldwide repeatedly finds itself the victim of destructive natural forces due to extreme natural events. High economic losses, the loss of human life, and the endangerment of social structures are challenges that have to be overcome on a regular basis. Predicting the effects of these forces in terms of their extent, space, time, and intensity and minimizing their consequences is a central, interdisciplinary challenge at a local, national, and global level.

The intensities of extreme exogenous natural events (storms, storm surges, heavy rainfall) are increasing, but endogenous natural events (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions) also regularly occur, causing varying degrees of damage. Complex chains and cascading catastrophes that follow an initial extreme natural event are often of no less intensity (tsunamis, mass movements) and cumulative in their extent.

Careers

The interdisciplinary and international skills acquired during this Engineering Geohazards course of study from RWTH Aachen University open up a wide range of employment opportunities for students:

• National and international institutions, e.g. Federal Office for Civil Protection, EU, UNO, ASEAN

• Globally active development and aid organizations

• Companies in the insurance and reinsurance industry, construction, environmental consulting, engineering offices

• Administration

• Research institutions

International students can transfer their academic knowledge to their home countries and use their skills in a sustainable and responsible way in their academic and political everyday life.