EarthWISE – Widening Interdisciplinary Science and Education on the Earth System is part of the accompanying project funded by the Volkswagen Foundation as part of Dr. Valerie Graw’s junior professorship at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB). It is coordinated and carried out in partnership with the Universidad del Azuay (UDA) in Cuenca, Ecuador. At UDA, the activities are coordinated by Prof. Dr. José Jara. The project was launched on March 2, 2026, in Cuenca and forms the basis for further joint academic collaboration and international student exchanges, which are scheduled to take place annually through 2030.

The focus is on the interactions between the various spheres of the Earth system—including the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, and anthroposphere. By combining different scientific perspectives, EarthWISE examines complex environmental issues at the interface between human activities and the natural processes and dynamics of the Earth system.

A key goal of EarthWISE is to strengthen interdisciplinary and international education and to involve students in joint research and teaching projects at an early stage. The project creates opportunities for international academic experiences, collaborative learning, and the exploration of students’ own research questions. Bachelor’s and master’s theses can also be conducted as part of the project.

An important component of EarthWISE is its international summer schools, where students from Ecuador and Germany learn, conduct research, and gain practical experience together. Each summer school focuses on a new topic at the intersection of humans and the environment, combining theoretical content with practical fieldwork and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The 2026 Summer School in Ecuador focused on water and environmental processes in the UNESCO Cajas Biosphere Reserve near Cuenca. Students from UDA and RUB collaborated on topics including hydrology, biodiversity, ecosystem dynamics, geographic information systems (GIS), and remote sensing. As part of the fieldwork, the team investigated runoff, water quality, soil moisture, and microclimate, among other factors, and collected georeferenced environmental data.

This international exchange will continue in Germany in 2027. The next Summer School will take place in March in Bochum and will focus on the topic of water in a post-industrial region shaped by mining. The Summer School is integrated into the curriculum of the Department of Geography at Ruhr University Bochum as an elective-required module.

By combining interdisciplinary teaching, international exchange, practical field research, and student research projects, EarthWISE creates opportunities to bring together diverse scientific perspectives and strengthen international collaboration in the study of our changing Earth system.