About us

We are world leaders in driving and promoting increased understanding, high-quality learning and sustainable solutions concerning natural phenomena and their interaction with each other and societal development.

Our research and education is in Physical Geography, a wide-ranging scientific field dealing with the diverse physical and biological features of Earth, their characteristics, processes, patterns and interactions with humans. We study connected physical, chemical, biological, geological, environmental and social processes and changes in the world's land areas and their water, ice and geological formations, climate systems and ecosystems, in relation to each other and to human societies.

About our research and education

Sara Cousins, Head of the department.
Sara Cousins, Head of the department.

The department in numbers

  • Approximately 1,200 students study one of the department's subjects each year.
  • The department has about 110 employees and is part of the Faculty of Science at Stockholm University.
  • A total of 166 research articles were published (in peer reviewed journals) in 2022.
 

Prizes and awards

The following prizes and awards have been awarded to employees at the department in recent years.

Prizes and awards 2021

  • Gia Destouni is the only researcher from Stockholm University on the recent Reuters Hot List of the world's top-1000 climate scientists.
  • Johan Kuylenstierna was appointed Sweden's third most "Miljömäktigaste" in 2021.
  • Stefano Manzoni is one of six researchers at Stockholm University who are on the company Clarivate's list 2021 of the world's most cited researchers.
  • Ellen Berntell won 2nd prize for poster competition at the Bolin Centre Climate Research School PhD day,
  • Abhay Prakash won 3rd prize for oral presentation at the Bolin Centre Climate Research School PhD day,
  • Alexandra Hamm won first prize for her poster at the Regional Conference on Permafrost 2021. 

2020

  • Gia Destouni was awarded the Sigge Thernwall Grand Prize for research on sustainable infrastructure and the built environment.
  • Johan August Wahlberg Medal in gold to Professor Emeritus Margareta Ihse and to Professor Emeritus Karna Lidmar-Bergström for their great and pioneering contribution to research in physical geography.
  • Johan Kuylenstierna receives the Maternity Deed Medal 2020.
  • Hannah Watt's first prize winner at Climate Research School's PhD Day.
  • Stefano Manzoni was also this year one of the highly cited researchers, cross field category.

2019

  • Gia Destouni was Boussinesq Lecturer 2019 for the DutchBelgian Boussinesq Center for Hydrology, under the auspices of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.
  • Johan Kleman has been awarded Stockholm University's gold medal in the eighth size.
  • Daniella Guasconi first prize winner and Simon Larsson second prize winner for best presentation at Climate Research School's PhD Day.
  • Nina Roth won the poster competition at Climate Research School's PhD Day.
  • Stefano Manzoni is still one of the highly cited researchers, cross field category.
 

Annual report

Every year, the department's activities are summarized in an annual report. The latest can be downloaded from the link below.

Annual Report 2022

 

History

Geography was established as a subject at Stockholm University 1912, but it was not until 1929 before Professor Hans W: son Ahlmann took office. He was particularly interested in polar research and led several expeditions to the Arctic. Hans also started the department's research station in the subject of glaciology in Tarfala, next to Kebnekaise. Geography was established as a separate subject at Stockholm University as early as 1912, but it was not until 1929 before Professor Hans W: son Ahlmann took office. He was particularly interested in polar research and led several expeditions to the Arctic. Hans also started the department's research station in the subject of glaciology in Tarfala, next to Kebnekaise.

Near Hotellneset in Adventfjorden, summer 1896. Photo Otto von Knorring.
Near Hotellneset in Adventfjorden, summer 1896. Photo Otto von Knorring.

The subject Geography was divided in 1955 into the subjects Physical Geography and Human Geography. For a long time, the subject Quaternary Geology has been included in the subject Geology, which has long been studied at Stockholm University. In 2001, the departments of Quaternary Geology and Physical Geography were merged into the Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology. On 19 September 1997, the House of Earth Sciences was inaugurated and in 2015 the department was named the Department of Physical Geography.

The development of the department

 

The Geochronological Museum

The world-famous Geochronological Institute founded by Gerard De Geer has played a central role in geochronological research in the early 20th century. Today, a lot of material from the Geochronological Institute has been collected in the Geochronological Museum.

 

Our activities in the world

The Department of Physical Geographuy conducts research and teaching across the globe.

Our activities in the world
Our activities in the world

 

The links below shows a selection of our :

  • Current research projects
  • Doctoral theses
  • Field stations
  • Research facilities
  • Places for teaching

Our activity on the map

 Our activity showed on Google Earth

 

Contact

Head of Department
Deputy Head of Department
Head of Administration
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