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Sandur (Credit: Miloš Rusnák, distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

GM Geomorphology Division on Geomorphology

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European Geosciences Union

Division on Geomorphology
gm.egu.eu

Division on Geomorphology

President: Kristen Cook (Emailgm@egu.eu)
Deputy President: Ronald Pöppl (Email)
ECS Representative: Romano Clementucci (Emailecs-gm@egu.eu)

Geomorphology is the scientific study of land-surface features and the dynamic processes that shape them. Besides focusing on the diverse physical landscapes of the Earth, geomorphologists also study surfaces of other planets. Understanding landform history and dynamics, and predicting future changes through a combination of field observations, physical experiments, and numerical modelling is at the heart of geomorphology. The division brings together research on processes that build topography trough e.g. the effects of tectonic forces as well as processes that modify the terrain such as weathering, erosion through running water, waves, glacial ice, wind and gravitational forces. Division members also study the impact of humans on geomorphological processes and investigate how geomorphological knowledge can be applied to solve problems of relevance to societies.

Latest posts from the GM blog

When Mud Flows Behave Like Glaciers: Discovering the Secrets of Azerbaijan’s Mud Volcanoes

Introduction When people hear the word „volcano“, they usually think of a magmatic volcano with impressive pyroclastic eruptions or lava flows. However, mud volcanoes are different. Mud volcanoes erupt what we call mud breccias, a mixture of gas, water, and fine sediments. The eruptions generally occur due to deep generation of hydrocarbons and gravitational instability of rapidly buried, buoyant sediments. In Azerbaijan, where more than 400 kilometre-sized mud volcanoes exist, they literally shape the landscape. Mud volcanoes can, like their …


TopoToolbox webinar recap & resources

Our TopoToolbox webinars on June 2 and 3 were a success with ~90 participants! The webinars covered the functionalities of TopoToolbox 3 and its integration into both MATLAB and Python, and highlighted tools including GraphFlood and TRANSECT. Be sure to check out the TopoToolbox gallery, which hosts example workflows contributed by TopoToolbox users and developers. Thanks again to the conveners, Wolfgang Schwanghart, Dirk Scherler, William Kearney, Boris Gailleton, and Bastien Mathieux. In case you missed it, here are the recordings: …


Save the date: TopoToolbox Workshop, June 2-3

Save the dates for our upcoming webinar series on TopoToolbox, organized by the GM ECS Team and convened by Wolfgang Schwanghart, Dirk Scherler, William Kearney, Boris Gailleton, and Bastien Mathieux. The webinar will take place on June 2 and 3, from 16:00 to 18:00 CEST, in a Zoom meetings format. The webinar will be a two-part event introducing TopoToolbox 3, its MATLAB and Python interfaces, and examples of topographic analysis workflows. The second session will be more practical, with demos …


EGU26 Geomorphology: The Social & Networking Shortlist

The wait is almost over! Next week, the geomorphology community descends on Vienna for our annual week of science. While the halls will be packed with oral sessions, posters, and PICOs, the informal exchanges between sessions offer a vital space for networking and new ideas. To help you navigate the busy week ahead, we’ve curated a shortlist of the Geomorphology Division’s top social and networking events. Whether you’re here to present groundbreaking findings, hunt for a new collaborator, or just …

Recent awardees

Maarten G. Kleinhans

Maarten G. Kleinhans

  • 2026
  • Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal

The 2026 Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal is awarded to Maarten G. Kleinhans for impactful research in fluvial and coastal biogeomorphology through analog and numerical modeling.


Dongfeng Li

Dongfeng Li

  • 2026
  • Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award

The 2026 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Dongfeng Li for outstanding and extensive contributions to our understanding of high mountain and cold region erosional processes, and sediment dynamics.


Christopher D. Clark

Christopher D. Clark

  • 2025
  • Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal

The 2025 Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal is awarded to Christopher D. Clark for fundamentally advancing the understanding of glacial landscapes, landforms, and geomorphological processes.


Jana Eichel

Jana Eichel

  • 2025
  • Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award

The 2025 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Jana Eichel for outstanding and innovative work on the feedbacks between plants and geomorphic processes in high mountains.


Jil van Etten

Jil van Etten

  • 2025
  • Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award

The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Jil van Etten Periglacial puzzles: Unravelling environmental controls on solifluction lobe morphometry


Jonah McLeod

Jonah McLeod

  • 2025
  • Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award

The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Jonah McLeod Planform as a Dominant Control on Sediment Intermittency: Global Analysis of River Transport Patterns


Leona Repnik

Leona Repnik

  • 2025
  • Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award

The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Leona Repnik Historical photogrammetry for DoDs in deglaciating environments: challenges and opportunities

Current issue of the EGU newsletter

In our June issue, it's Pride Month and we dive into new discoveries for estuarine mixing and hydrological process modelling. A guide to accessing support for EU-based researchers is available on our YouTube channel and don't miss your chance to join our free EGU peer review training!

All this and much more, in this month's Loupe!

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