University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management & WasserCluster Lunz

Univ.Prof. Thomas Hein started as full professor at the Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management in 2017 and is managing director of WasserCluster Lunz since 2008. He successfully finished his PhD about river floodplain interactions, the importance of connectivity and the effects of restoration on fundamental ecosystem processes at the University of Vienna in 2000 and received the habilitation in Limnology, with a specialization in biogeochemistry of aquatic ecosystems at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna in 2007. He initiated a working group on biogeochemistry and ecohydrology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna and the WasserCluster Lunz. He was elected as president of the IAD (International Association for Danube Research) from 2011 to 2016 and is currently vice-president until 2022. He is an active member of several professional international organizations and networks. He was a Fulbright scholar in 2016/2017 in USA.

The research interests of Prof. Thomas Hein are aquatic ecosystem – human interactions in riverine landscapes, with a focus on water – sediment interactions, aquatic – terrestrial linkages, ecosystem restoration and the coupling between society and ecosystems in riverine landscapes, viewing them as socio-ecological systems. The investigations are ranging from the modification of nutrient and carbon dynamics, greenhouse gas production to changes in biodiversity in riverine landscapes and link these changes in ecosystem processes to ecosystem management, such as waterway management or river restoration measures. The Danube region is a key research area of Thomas Hein and the Danube River is one of his favorite rivers, especially the floodplains of the Nationalpark Donau-Auen.

Underlying principles of his research are connectivity, resilience and aspects of co-evolution of riverine landscapes. He has received research grants from national and international funding organizations such as the FWF and the European Commission and worked together with many national and international organizations including research institutes, NGOs, enterprises in the transport and energy production sector as well as governmental organizations such as the ICPDR (International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River) in research projects and the implementation of research results. He is coordinating the Doctoral School HR21 at BOKU, a CEEPUS network about ecosystem research, and is actively involved in international teaching programs at the master and PhD level. He is also supervising several international students at Msc and PhD level, with a focus in Africa. He authored more than 90 publications in scientific journals and more than 70 conference proceedings, book chapters and other scientific articles.