Talks & BBQ 2026: Meet the "Faculty for Exploration"!
© A. Straub-Kaserer
On May 28, 2026, the faculty once again invites staff and alumni to a joint Talks & BBQ evening at the NIG. Alumni Sándor Békési (Vienna Museum) and Ute Sattler (Geothermal Development Advisor at OMV), as well as astrophysicist Anne Hutter and geographer Ugur Öztürk, will speak about their respective research and professional contexts.
The Talks & BBQ 2026 – Meet the “Faculty for Exploration” will take place on May 28, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in the NIG, Lecture Hall 4C, and, weather permitting, on the rooftop terrace afterward—all alumni and staff of the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography, and Astronomy are cordially invited!
Following the presentations, the winners of the student photo contest “Snapshots of Exploration” will be honored.
- When: Thu, 28.05.2026, 17:00
- Where: Lecture Hall 4C, NIG, Universitätsstraße 7, 1010 Wien
Glimpses of the "Talks & BBQ" 2026
On May 28, 2026, the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography, and Astronomy held its annual Talks and BBQ event—this time at the NIG. © Heidi Weinhäupl
Dean Rainer Abart started by welcoming the approximately 75 alumni, staff members, and students' representatives to Lecture Hall 4C. © Peter Haberer
Meike Levin-Keitel, Deputy Director of the Department of Geography and Regional Studies, welcomed the guests on behalf of the department. © Peter Haberer
Ann-Marie Stark from the Alumni Communications Team introduced the University of Vienna’s alumni community and its activities. © Peter Haberer
The first lecture was given by Anne Hutter, tenure-track professor at the Department of Astrophysics, on the topic “A Puzzle from the James Webb Space Telescope: Too Many Bright Galaxies in the Early Universe?”. © Peter Haberer
Ugur Öztürk, tenure track professor at the Department of Geography and Regional Studies, then spoke on “Climate Stress, Infrastructure Limits, and Urban Landslide Risk.” © Peter Haberer
© Peter Haberer
The first alumni talk was given by Ute Sattler, Geothermal Development Advisor, on the topic “Of branching rivers and volcanoes that went extinct too soon – Geothermal Energy in Austria.” © Peter Haberer
There were questions from the audience following each presentation. © Peter Haberer
Sándor Békési from the Wien Museum concluded the discussion on the topic “A Dual Perspective on Space: Environmental and Urban History in the Museum.” © Peter Haberer
Vice Dean Franz Kerschbaum then announced the winners of this year’s student photo contest organized by the Faculty. © Peter Haberer
First, the winners of 4th through 10th place were invited to the front—among them astronomy student Sepideh Abdollahihashjin for her photo “A Night of Stars and Practice” ... © Peter Haberer
..., Valentin Thierer, also from the field of astronomy, for “Stellar Swan” ... © Peter Haberer
... as well as Elisa Kainz for “Between Ice and Water.” © Peter Haberer
Next came the photos of the winners: Clemens Wagner took third place with his photo “Political (Physio-)Geography.” © Peter Haberer
Lorin Helwig took second place with “Vertical Slums.” © Peter Haberer
First place went to Niklas Kastius, who was unfortunately unable to attend, for “Wanderer Above the Clouds of the Midnight Sun.” © Peter Haberer
One of the two Special Awards for diversity went to Peter Haberer for his photograph “Drag me through the caves”. © Kaz Rummler
Peter Haberer (left) took the photo together with Linus Altersberger (right) based on an idea by the latter. © Kaz Rummler
The second Special Award for Diversity went to doctoral student Katharina Halbwidl for her photo “Hidden Diversity.” All winning photos are also available at fgga.univie.ac.at/en/snapshotswinner2026. Congratulations to all the winners! © Peter Haberer
At the BBQ that followed, the participants enjoyed the pleasant summer evening overlooking the rooftops of Vienna... © Heidi Weinhäupl
... and the catering by Rosa & Marie.
© Heidi Weinhäupl
We’re already looking forward to the “Talks & BBQ – Meet the Faculty for Exploration” in 2027! © Heidi Weinhäupl
Programme
17:00 Welcome
- Welcome words
- Rainer Abart, Dean Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy
- Katrin Qerreti, Alumni Communications UNIVIE
Talks
- A Puzzle from the James Webb Space Telescope: Too Many Bright Galaxies in the Early Universe?
Talk Anne Hutter (Tenure Track Professorship Data Science Pathways to Galaxy Evolution) - Climate Stress, Infrastructure Limits, and Urban Landslide Risk
Talk Ugur Öztürk (Tenure Track Professorship Geohazards in the Human-Environment System) - Von verzweigten Flüssen und zu früh erloschenen Vulkanen – Geothermie in Österreich
Alumni-Talk Ute Sattler (Geothermal Development Advisor, OMV) - Der doppelte Blick auf den Raum: Umwelt- und Stadtgeschichte im Museum
Alumni-Talk Sándor Békési (Wien Museum, Co-Kurator der Dauerausstellung 1945-1989 sowie der aktuellen Donauinsel-Ausstellung)
Snapshots Photo Competition
Award ceremony for the winners of the Faculty's Photo Competition 2026
approx. 18:30 Get-together and BBQ
We are looking forward to welcoming you!
Invitation
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