FRANKFURT. Nico Wunderling’s research focuses on the dynamics of interacting tipping elements in the Earth system, particularly in the context of global warming. Using tools from complex systems theory, network science, and Earth system modeling, he investigates how global warming undermines the stability of these elements and potentially trigger tipping cascades. A key focus of his work is the Amazon rainforest, a central planetary biodiversity that is being threatened by the combined pressures of global warming, deforestation, and land use change. His research involves close collaborations, including with the Senckenberg Institutes and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) – especially within the framework of the Earth Resilience Science Unit (ERSU). Wunderling has also been a visiting researcher through the ERSI initiative at Princeton University’s High Meadows Environmental Institute (Levin Lab).
C3S Founding Director Prof. Juliane Engel: “We are delighted to welcome Nico Wunderling, a recognized expert in climate research, to C3S. His work at the interface of Earth system science and network science demonstrates the immense potential of an interdisciplinary approach. Especially in light of the modeling planned at C3S – which aims to explore the interaction of Earth-Nature-Society-Human – this perspective is of critical importance.”
Her colleague Prof. Christoph Burchard, C3S Founding Speaker, adds: “His research focuses on tipping elements that are crucial to the climate system’s stability. In his widely acclaimed studies, Wunderling has shown how fragile these elements can become under the growing pressures of the Anthropocene – thereby making an essential contribution to climate science. We are excited to have him with us at C3S.”
The Center for Critical Computational Studies (C³S) at Goethe University Frankfurt combines two key research priorities in its profile: On the one hand, it critically examines computational methods, advancing them methodologically while also reflecting on their ethical dimensions. Research teams explore topics such as critical data science, the ethics of data processing, science and technology studies, as well as philosophical and historical perspectives on digital technologies. Particular attention is given to advanced simulation methods and the challenges of modeling complex predictions in the life and social sciences, with innovative approaches bridging classical network analysis and deep learning. On the other hand, C³S employs computational modeling to gain a deeper understanding of planetary transformations – especially in the context of global warming and the biodiversity crisis. This involves analyzing the intricate interdependencies between geophysics, ecosystems, and society, developing critical solution pathways, and investigating so-called tipping elements in the Earth system in order to simulate the dynamic interplay between societal and ecological change. Through this integrative approach, C³S aims to foster both methodological innovation and socially relevant insights into the interdependencies between digitalization, democracy, and planetary transformation.