Career objective statement

Highly motivated and skilled professional with more than 25 years of experience in water and climate research, education and project management contributing to the synthesis of Research, Development & Innovation and spearheading and promoting science towards policy and decision making for a sustainable societal, economic and environmental development in Africa and beyond.

5-year key achievements (selected)

• Leading the organization of two strategic network meetings in southern Africa (Stellenbosch) and East Africa (Nairobi) with high-level attendance from research, policy and private sector
• Lead for the organization of 9 regional workshops and 1 Summer School in southern Africa to facilitate BMFTR/WASA projects related to water security in southern Africa
• Keynote Speaker and Panelist at the African Regional Forum on Climate Change (2022), 25th Waternet (2025), 26th Annual Meeting of IUCEA (2026)
• Panelist at IWA (2025), IFAT (2025, 2026), IUCEA (2026) and other conferences (2021-2026)
• Lecturer for two "trainings for trainers" on advanced weather observation technologies
• Technical and Scientific Advisor to ZAMCOM, CUVECOM and OKACOM (2021-ongoing)
• Scientific and technical assessment of 88 projects under the SASSCAL 1.0 portfolio and leading the selection process for the SASSCAL 2.0 portfolio (as Director for Science and Technology at SASSCAL)
• Technical Advisor in the National Focus Group: Groundwater in Namibia
• Team Lead for the development of the ‘Namibian Strategy for Forest and Botanical Research (2026-2033), launched in August 2026
• Finalization of the Evaluation of the German "Strategy for the Internationalization of Education, Science and Research (2017-2021)" as a member of an Expert Panel (lead: climate change, global challenges), established by BMBF (2022)
• 11 Scientific Publications in highly ranked journals, 1 in review
• Team Lead for the FIA Quality of Science project assessing 22 CGIAR projects related to water and food security (2022-2025)
• Team Lead and Scientific Coordinator of the Refurbishment of 108 AWS for the SASSCAL Weathernet (WeNet, 2024/2025)
• Team Lead for the technical needs assessment for the development of an Early Warning and Information System for the Cuvelai catchment (2025/26)
• In-depth environmental and climate assessment and safeguard evaluation for the project: Urban Development in and around Lüderitz and Aus (2024)
• Programme Advisor to DAAD, BMFTR, PTKA, PT-DLR, African Development Bank, KfW (Namibia)
• Finalization of 14 projects for e.g. MEFT, CGIAR, WMO, FIA/GIZ, ILO, GIZ, MAWLR, BMBF/BMFTR, SASSCAL, DRFN
• Coordination of the Expert Advisory Group on GEOSS: Final report and recommendations presented at GEO Week, Accra, Ghana, 31 Oct – 5 Nov 2022
• Submission and granting of 11 project proposals to support water related research and capacity development in southern Africa and Africa (2021-2026)

Current work tasks at KIT

Coordinator WASANet
Coordinator Strategy Fund project FAST2Africa 
Scientific Advisor for Co-HYDIM-SA

• Coordination of the transfer and networking project WASANet integrating 7 water-related research projects funded under the BMFTR WASA programme
• Coordinating the development of an Africa strategy for KIT, expert for the water and climate research component (FAST2Africa KIT Strategy Fund project)
• Application for a DAAD Competence Centre for Applied and Responsible AI (in review)
• Scientific and administrative support for the Co-HYDIM-SA Project
• Development of collaborations and joint water and climate related research projects in Africa
• Lead and support in resource mobilisation (CS4RRA, SEWA, DAAD and others)
• Organization of regional workshops to promote research, capacity building and service development
• Water and climate change related research, hydrological modelling
• Establishment of a KIT Office in southern Africa (Namibia)

Work history (1995-2026)

Overall research interests

Ecosystem analysis, modelling, assessment and management:

• Assessment of risk, suitability, and vulnerability of terrestrial ecosystems (e.g. wetlands, forests, agricultural fields) due to natural and human-induced impacts and decision support to local and regional stakeholders, with particular focus on water security and climate change
• Integration of in-situ measurements, fine and coarse resolution data from different sources to observe and understand ecosystem dynamics across environments and scales in the context of global climate change and regional impacts on the environment and society
• Characterization and modelling of terrestrial ecosystems dynamics in the context of global climate change, human impacts and natural succession
• Supporting Integrated Water Resources Management activities and planning decision support systems
• Linking hydrological system modelling with vegetation and climate dynamic models

Landscape and eco-hydrological system analysis and modelling:

• Eco-hydrological process analysis of complex geo-systems at different spatial and temporal scales
• Regional modelling of distributed water and solute transport in different environments and land use systems
• Analysis and assessment of land management and climate change impacts on environmental system dynamics across spatial and temporal scales and adaptation options
• Processes controlling runoff generation mechanisms at the soil-vegetation-atmosphere interface

Spatial analyses and modelling of land surface parameters:

• Land change analysis (characteristics, drivers and factors of land dynamics)
• Spatial discrimination and regionalization approaches
• Management and modelling of spatial distributed heterogeneous geo-information
• Data modelling by spatial metrics, geo-statistics, and geographically weighted regression

Key publications (selected)

De Waal, J., Maranan, M., Fink, A., Watson, A., Bennet, A., Helmschrot, J. (2025): Validation of satellite precipitation estimates over the Western Cape region, South Africa. Journal of Hydrometeorology xx/x. Doi:  https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-24-0123.1. (IF: 2.9)

Kreibich, H., Sivapalan, M., AghaKouchak, A., Addor, N., Aksoy, H., Arheimer, B., … Blöschl, G. (2025). Panta Rhei: a decade of progress in research on change in hydrology and society. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2025.2469762. (IF: 2.22)

Watson, A., Birkel, C., Arciniega-Esparza, S., de Waal, J., Miller, J., Vystavna, Y., van Rooyen, J., Welham, A., Bong, H., Yoshimura, K., Helmschrot, J., Künne, A., & Kralisch, S. (2024). Evaluating input data sources for isotope-enabled rainfall-runoff models. Hydrological Processes, 38(9), e15276. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15276. (IF: 3.554)

Watson, A., Kralisch, S., Miller, J., Vystavna, Y., Gokool, S., Künne, A., Helmschrot, J., Arciniega-Esparza, S., Sanchez-Murillo, R., Birkel, C. (2024): Advancing isotope‐enabled hydrological modelling for ungauged calibration of data‐scarce humid tropical catchments Hydrological Processes. 38 (2):e15065. Doi: 10.1002/hyp.15065. (IF: 3.554)

Watson, A., Vystavna, Y., Kralisch, S., Helmschrot, J., van Rooyen, J., Miller, J., (2023): Development of an isotope-enabled rainfall-runoff model: Improving the capability to capture hydrological and anthropogenic change. Hydrological Processes. 37:e14819. Doi: 10.1002/hyp.14819. (IF: 3.554)

Speranza, C.I, Akinyemi, F.O., Baratoux, D., Benveniste, J., Ceperley, N., Driouech, F., Helmschrot, J. (2022): Enhancing the uptake of earth observation products and services in Africa through a multi-level transdisciplinary approach. Surveys in Geophysics. Doi: 10.1007/s10712-022-09724-1. (IF: 7,97)

Watson, A., Midgley, G., Ray, P., Kralisch, S., Helmschrot, J. (2022): How climate extremes influence rainfall-runoff model performance and uncertainty: implications for future climate change assessments for Mediterranean, Southern Africa. Frontiers in Climate 4:859303. doi: 10.3389/fclim.2022.859303.

Kapuka, A., Hlásny, T, Helmschrot, J (2022): Climate change research in southern Africa in recent two decades: Progress, needs and policy implications. Journal of Regional Environmental Change 22: 18 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-022-01886-3. (IF: 3.678)

Watson, A., Midgley, G., Künne, A., Kralisch, S., Helmschrot, J. (2021): Determining hydrological process variability using a multi-catchment model approach for the Western Cape, South Africa. Sustainability 2021, 13, 14058. DOI: 10.3390/su132414058. (IF: 3.251)

Merbold, L., Scholes R.J., Acosta, M., Beck, J., Bombelli, A., Fiedler, B., Grieco, E., Helmschrot, J., Hugo, W., Kasurinen, V., Kim, D.-G., Körtzinger, A., Leitner, S., López-Ballesteros, A., Ndisi, M., Nickless, A., Salmon, E., Saunders, M., Skjelvan, I., Vermeulen, A.T., Kutsch, W.L. (2021): Opportunities for an African greenhouse gas observation system. Journal of Regional Environmental Change. 2021: 104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-021-01823-w. (IF: 3.678)

López-Ballesteros, A., Beck, J., Helmschrot, J., Saunders, M. (2020): Harmonised observations of climate forcing across Africa: An assessment of existing approaches and their applicability. Environmental Research Letters 15, 075003. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab82ce (IF: 6.192)

Beck, J., López-Ballesteros, A., Hugo, W., Scholes, R., Saunders, M., Helmschrot, J. (2019): Development of a Climate Forcing Observation System for Africa: Data-Related Considerations. Data Science Journal, 18: 42, pp. 1–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-042. (IF: 0,85)

López-Ballesteros, A., Beck, J., Bombelli, A., Grieco, E., Lorencová, E., Merbold, L., Brümmer, C., Hugo, W., Scholes, R., Vačkář, D., Vermeulen, A.,Acosta, M., Butterbach-Bahl, K., Helmschrot, J., Kim, D.-G., Jones, M., Jorch, V., Pavelka, M., Skjelvan, I., Saunders, M., (2018): Towards a feasible and representative pan-African Research Infrastructure network for GHG observations. Environmental Research Letter 13, 085003. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aad66c (IF: 6.125)

Badjana, H.M., Renard, B., Helmschrot, J., Edjama, K. Afouda, A., Wala, K. (2017): Bayesian trend analysis in annual rainfall total, duration and maximum in the Kara River basin (West Africa). Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 13: 255-273.         https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2017.08.009  (IF: 3.21)

Ceola, S., Montanari, A., Krueger, T., Dyer, F., Kreibich, H., Westerberg, I., Carr, E., Cudennec, C., Elshorbagy, A., Savenije, H., van der Zaag, P., Rosbjerg, D., Aksoy, H., Viola, F., Petrucci, G., MacLeod, K, Croke, B., Ganora, D., Hermns, L., Polo, M.J., Xu, Z., Borga, M., Helmschrot, J., Toth, E., Ranzi, R., Castellarin, A., Hurford, A., Brilly, M., Viglione, A, Blöschl, G., Sivapalan, M., Domeneghetti, A., Marinelli, A., di Baldassarre, G. (2016): Adaptation of water resources systems to changing society and environment. A statement by the International Association of Hydrological Sciences. Hydrological Science Journal 61: 2803–2817, Doi: 10.1080/02626667.2016.1230674. (IF: 2.22)

Badjana, H.M., Olofsson, P., Woodcock, C.E., Helmschrot, J., Wala, K., Akpagana, K. (2017): Mapping and estimating land change between 2001 and 2013 in a heterogeneous landscape in West Africa: loss of forestlands and capacity building opportunities. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 63:15-23. Doi: 10.1016/j.jag.2017.07.006. (IF: 4.65)

Badjana, H.M., Fink, M., Helmschrot, J., Kralisch, S., Diekkrüger, B., Afouda, A., Wala, K. (2017): Hydrological system analysis and modelling of the Kara River Basin (West Africa) using a lumped metric conceptual model. Hydrological Sciences Journal 62: 1094-1113, DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2017.1307571. (IF: 2.22)

Steudel, T., Bugan, R., Kipka, H., Pfennig, B., Fink, M., De Clercq, W., Flügel, W.-A. & Helmschrot, J. (2015): Implementing contour farming practices to improve hydrological and erosion modelling in semiarid South Africa. Hydrology Research 2: 192-211. doi:10.2166/nh.2013.164. (IF: 1.75)

Revermann, R., Krewenka, K.M., Schmiedel, U., Olwoch, J.M., Helmschrot, J. & Jürgens, N. (eds.) (2018): Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa – assessments, changes, challenges, and solutions. Biodiversity & Ecology, 6, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek.

Helmschrot, J., Thompson, S., Kralisch, S. & Zander, F. (2018): The SASSCAL Data and Information Portal. In: Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa – assessments, changes, challenges, and solutions (ed. by Revermann, R., Krewenka, K.M., Schmiedel, U., Olwoch, J.M., Helmschrot, J. & Jürgens, N.), pp. 112-113, Biodiversity & Ecology, 6, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek. doi:10.7809/b-e.00312

de Clercq, W., Helmschrot, J., de Witt, M., Himmelsbach, T., Kenabatho, P., Kralisch, S., Liehr, S., Ferreira Baptista, L., Mogobe, O., Mufeti, P., Müller, I., Nyambe, I., Sichingabula, H.M., Teixeira-Pinto, A., Teixeira Pires, G.J.P., Hipondoka, M. & Wanke, H. (2018): Water research in southern Africa: Data collection and innovative approaches towards climate change adaptation in the water sector. In: Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa – assessments, changes, challenges, and solutions (ed. by Revermann, R., Krewenka, K.M., Schmiedel, U., Olwoch, J.M., Helmschrot, J. & Jürgens, N.), pp. 54-65, Biodiversity & Ecology, 6, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek. doi:10.7809/b-e.00305

Archer, E., Engelbrecht, F., Hänsler, A., Landman, W., Tadross, M. & Helmschrot, J. (2018): Seasonal prediction and regional climate projections for southern Africa. In: Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa – assessments, changes, challenges, and solutions (ed. by Revermann, R., Krewenka, K.M., Schmiedel, U., Olwoch, J.M., Helmschrot, J. & Jürgens, N.), pp. 14-21, Biodiversity & Ecology, 6, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek. doi:10.7809/b-e.00296