This first American-German conference on changing Earth and its impact on human habitat is designed to provide a high-level platform for transnational interdisciplinary exchange, cooperation and joint research projects. The conference will establish networks and intensify already existing contacts for junior scientists from both countries in the geosciences and related fields. The organizers believe that this meeting will stimulate discussion on future challenges and research directions in Earth System Science. In particular, the conference will explore the couplings between geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere and their impact on earth surface processes and the human habitat. Keynote lectures and poster presentations will provide the basis for group discussions and informal presentations. After the meeting the German Research Council encourages participants to submit proposals for joint projects and future meetings of research groups. The conference will cover three general topics which all relate to the interactions between components of the earth system: 1. Earth and Fire: Internal and external earth processes and relations to human habitats 2. Water and Life: Organismic control of water cycle and water quality 3. Air and earth, water, life: Changing climate.
The conference will be held in Washington, DC in April, 2004.
