Since February 2025, Sofia Haag has been part of the Earth Observation Research Cluster (EORC) at the University of Würzburg, where she works as a research scientist within the EO4CAM project and is currently pursuing her PhD. Her doctoral research focuses on hydrological processes related to heavy precipitation events and their impacts on landscapes and water systems.
Sofia studied Geography (B.Sc.) at the Heidelberg University before pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Physical Geography – Geosystem Change and Protection at the University of Würzburg. Her Master’s thesis analyzed heavy precipitation events in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve and explored event-based hydrological modelling approaches.
Prior to joining the EORC team, Sofia gained practical experience through internships at an engineering company working on heavy precipitation risk management and at the Bavarian State Office for the Environment (LfU) in the department for flood protection and alpine natural hazards.
Within EO4CAM, her research aims to better understand surface runoff processes during heavy rainfall events and their implications for hydrological risk. Her work integrates hydrological modelling with Earth observation data to improve our understanding of runoff dynamics and their potential impacts, including soil erosion and land-use related changes.
Sofia recently presented her research on surface runoff modelling at the Tag der Hydrologie 2026 in Kassel, highlighting the importance of improved modelling approaches to address increasing pressure on water systems under climate variability and changing land use.
Through her work, Sofia contributes to advancing interdisciplinary research linking hydrology, remote sensing, and georisks, helping to improve our understanding of water-related hazards in a changing climate.
