My research focuses on developing a chlorophyll fluorescence sensor based on the pulse amplitude modulation method. The goal is to design a sensor that operates using energy harvested from solar cells. It is intended to be low-cost and miniaturized to enable large-scale measurements in forests.
Project B1.2b, Laboratory for Electrical Instrumentation and Embedded Systems
Julian’s research focusses on the spatio-temporal patterns of soil respiration in the ECOSENSE forest. He also investigates the difference between heterotrophic and autotrophic components of soil respiration. For his research, he is using manual chamber based respiration measurements but also in-situ measurements of soil CO2 concentration in combination with soil temperature, soil water content and soil water potential which is all logged together by a RaspberryPi.
Project A1.1, Chair of Soil Ecology
With my PhD research project I explore Ecohydrological fluxes in a forest ecosystem at high spatio-temporal scales. I developed a sensor network comprising throughfall sampling boxes and troughs, stem flow samplers, soil moisture sensors and sap flow sensors to continuously monitor all components of the forest water balance.
Project A2.1a, Chair of Hydrology
I am a PhD candidate in the field of plant ecophysiology at the chair of Ecosystem Physiology. My research mainly focuses on water and carbon fluxes in natural forest ecosystems and how those are influenced by changing meteorological conditions and interactions with other tree species. In the EcoSense project, I investigate gas exchange, VOC fluxes and carbon stable isotopes on the leaf level using a novel in-situ multi-cuvette laser spectroscopy system as well as tree water status, radial growth and capacitance on the stem level using sap flow sensors, dendrometers and microtensiometers. Combining those results will significantly advance our knowledge of key ecophysiological processes and related stress responses of temperate trees.
Project A3.1, Chair of Ecosystems Physiology
My research involves developing and tuning machine learning models to process and analyze collected data. These models aim to transform raw data from various sensors to robustly serve diverse research tasks such as interdependency analysis, forecasting, etc.
Project C4.2, Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis
As part of the ECOSENSE-Project (SFB-1537), Yasmina Frey works on developing a lightweight robust leaf-cuvette with an active actuation mechanism. Leaves react to any change in their environment with a change in the released gas mixture. Hence, the cuvette will be minimally invasive to allow for natural and undisturbed conditions. The aim is to design a multi-cuvette network to measure gas exchange on a leaf scale in a forest ecosystem throughout a whole vegetation period.
Project A3.2a, Laboratory for Microactuators
I am a PhD candidate in the ‘ECOSENSE’ project, affiliated with the Chair of Sensor-based Geoinformatics and the Chair of Remote Sensing and Landscape Information Systems. As a remote sensing enthusiast, I perform regular drone flights on our field site using multispectral cameras and LiDAR sensors. My research focuses on capturing forest structures, assessing tree vitality and detecting stress. My work contributes to a better understanding of ecosystem dynamics by linking forest morphology to plant-physiological processes, hydrological variables, and improving process-based model simulations for carbon and water fluxes.
Project B2.1, Chair of Remote Sensing and Landscape Information Systems
Timo Gerach earned his Master of Science in Microsystems Engineering from the University of Freiburg in 2020. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the same institution within the ECOSENSE research project at the Department of Microsystems Engineering. His research focuses on developing energy-autonomous soil probes, with a particular emphasis on harvesting energy using thermoelectric generators to convert temperature gradients between soil and air into usable electrical energy.
Project A1.2a, Laboratory for the Design of Microsystems
Shahab’s research focuses on developing multifunctional, compact, and lightweight tunable optics for advanced light manipulation. He is designing a device for integration into the Fluorescence LiDAR system of sub-project B2, aiming to enable focusing and beam steering within a single component.
Project B2.2a, Laboratory for Microactuators
Development of a probe for below-ground measurement of CO2 in the forest floor and suitable sensors based on the measurement principle of photoacoustics. Pulsed infrared radiation excites a sound wave in the CO2, which is measured with a microphone. After calibration, the gas concentration can be deduced from the microphone signal.
Project A1.2b, Laboratory for Gassensors
Johannes Klueppel received the M.Sc. degree in embedded systems engineering from the University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, in 2022. He is currently a PhD student in the ECOSENSE SFB at the Department of Microsystems Engineering at the University of Freiburg. His research focuses on environmental sensing and intelligent embedded systems, particularly multi-spectral and fluorescence sensors. He is very enthusiastic about new sensor technologies for environmental monitoring to fight forest dieback.
Project B1.2a, Laboratory for the Design of Microsystems
Chair of Sensor-based Geoinformatics
My research explores the interactions between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere, with a particular focus on soil-plant-atmosphere dynamics, biogeochemical cycles, and forest ecophysiology. I am also interested in how these processes influence human society through ecosystem services, climate regulation, and environmental sustainability.
Chair of Ecosystem Physiology
Project C4.1, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology – Campus Alpin
My research project at ECOSENSE is to develop a laser absorption spectrometer for the detection of the main isotopes of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). As environmental changes affect the 13C isotope discrimination of the trees, monitoring these in the forest can help to improve our understanding of the forest ecosystem. By combining the laser spectrometer with the micro-cuvettes, the ECOSENSE A3.2 project could provide spatial and temporal measurements of the isotopic ratio of CO2 in tree crowns.
Project A3.2b, Laboratory for Gassensors
Energetic and passionate Material Scientist and a Chemist. Currently working on fabricating stable, superhydrophobic and self-cleaning surface for Ecosense sensors. The concept of ultrahydrophobic surfaces is so intriguing and its application in various field makes it very promising field of research
Project C2, Laboratory for Chemistry & Physics of Interfaces
My task within the EcoSense project is to develop a device capable of detecting a volatile trace gas called isoprene. This trace gas plays an important role for plants in different stress responses, such as heat or drought. Hence, we want to use it to examine whether the trees at our field site are healthy or stressed. In a nutshell, I am building a tree thermometer.
Project A4.2, Laboratory for Gassensors
Uttunga Shinde is currently a PhD. associate in the ECOSENSE SFB at the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) at University of Freiburg, Germany. Her research interests lies particularly in developing ultra-low-power environmental energy-autonomous wireless sensor nodes. This includes designing efficient power management (self-starting DC-DC converters) systems for thermoelectric generators and developing maximum power point tracking algorithms for energy-harvesting circuits including, both thermoelectric generators and photovoltaic cells. In order to achieve the highest energy efficiency and reliability in harsh environmental conditions, she is also responsible for the hardware and software implementation of the wireless sensor nodes.
Project C1.1, Laboratory for the Design of Microsystems
I’m working on developing a low-power wireless communication to for the sensor nodes in the ECOSENSE project. Additionally, I design a resilient and persistent LoRa mesh-network to ensure reliable data collection from the sensors used in ECOSENSE.
Project C1.2, Laboratory for Electrical Instrumentation and Embedded Systems
My research primarily focuses on leaf-level chlorophyll fluorescence in forest canopies. I investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics of chlorophyll fluorescence to gain insights into the photosynthetic efficiency of trees and to detect stress impacts under changing climate. For this, we will use a novel sensor system that provides continuous data with high spatial and temporal resolution. Linking this data to carbon and water fluxes, as well as to remotely sensed chlorophyll fluorescence, will provide a more detailed understanding of tree and forest dynamics.
Project B1.1, Chair of Ecosystem Physiology
Project A4.1a, Chair of Environmental Meteorology
Project C3-INF, Chair of Hydrology
I am an Electronic Control Engineer dedicated to advancing portable Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology. My work involves designing and optimizing these systems for field deployment, particularly in forest environments, to facilitate non-invasive analysis of plant physiology. This research aims to enable precise monitoring of processes such as water distribution and sap flow within branches, contributing to a deeper understanding of plant behavior in situ.
Project A2.2, KIT – Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT)
My research focuses on developing a UAV-based LiDAR sensor for remote sensing of chlorophyll fluorescence in plant canopies. This includes the design and development of the sensor’s system, along with studying photosynthesis. The project also involves assessing the sensor’s ability to detect plant stress, with potential applications in environmental monitoring.
Project B2.2b, INATECH – Chair for Monitoring of Large-Scale Structures
