Experts & Consultants

Bioeconomy Council

The Bioeconomy Council is an independent advisory committee for the German federal government made up of 20 members. Its goal is to establish a cross-sectoral and bio-based economy in Germany that uses as few fossil raw materials as possible. The Bioeconomy Council is affiliated with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

State Advisory Board for Sustainable Bioeconomy

The Baden-Württemberg State Advisory Board for Sustainable Development advises the state of Baden-Württemberg on the implementation of the state's sustainable bioeconomy strategy. The knowledge of 18 experts is bundled in the committee.

Perspective Commission for the Establishment of Major Research Centers in Saxony

The Perspective Commission of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Free State of Saxony has the task of selecting innovative concepts for two new large-scale research centers in Saxony as part of an international ideas competition. The commission, with members from the fields of science, business, innovation, and society, reviews the concept outlines and makes recommendations on concepts worthy of funding.

Scientific Advisory Council for Agricultural Policy, Nutrition, and Consumer Protection on Health Issues

The Scientific Advisory Council for agricultural policy, nutrition, and consumer protection on health issues (WBAE) is attached to the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture and is an independent committee whose members work on a voluntary basis. It is interdisciplinary and is to support the Ministry in developing policies in this area. The Council has 18 members who are appointed by the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture for three years. They write reviews and position papers.

Scientific Advisory Council for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources

The Scientific Advisory Council for biodiversity and genetic resources advises the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in general and fundamental questions of preserving and sustainable use of biological diversity, in particular genetic resources, for nutrition, agriculture, and forestry as part of biological diversity as well as corresponding measures on the national, EU, and international levels.

Scientific Advisory Council Fertilizer Issues

The Scientific Advisory Council for fertilizer issues from the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture advises the ministry with position papers. On the basis of the Fertilizer Act, its members are appointed by the federal government.

Scientific advisory council on the National Action Plan for Plant Protection

Scientific advisory council on the National Action Plan for Plant Protection With the "National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products" (NAP), the German government is pursuing the goal of reducing the risks that can arise from the use of plant protection products for humans, animals, and the ecosystem. The scientific advisory council advises the government on the implementation and further development of the National Action Plan.

Scientific Advisory Council for the Vision 2028+ strategy process

The Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management wants to create new perspectives for agriculture and rural areas with its VISION 2028+ strategy process. The process is being guided by a scientific advisory council.

GLASS Panel - Global Land/Atmosphere System Study

The GLASS Panel is one of the highest committees of the World Climate Research Programme. GLASS stands for Global Land/Atmosphere System Study. The panel is coordinated by the international research project GEWEX (Global Energy and Water Exchanges). The GLASS panel looks at the development and evaluation of climate models with a focus on a new generation of land surface models.

BfR Commission for Biological Hazards and Hygiene

The BfR Commission for Biological Hazards and Hygiene advises the BfR as an honorary, scientific, and independent expert committee on possible hazards that may arise from biological agents. Until 2017: BfR Commission on Biological Hazards and BfR Commission on Hygiene.

United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) is tasked with promoting nuclear disarmament and disarmament of chemical and biological weapons.

Scientific working group for regulatory questions of the Federal Network Agency

The Scientific Working Group for Regulatory Questions (WAR) advises the Federal Network Agency independently on questions of general regulatory importance. The WAR is interdisciplinary and includes scientists active in many different subjects that are relevant for the activities of the Federal Network Agency. The WAR informs the Federal Network Agency of the results of its consultations in the form of publicly available position papers.

Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities

The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities is an association of recognized scholars. The members engage primarily in foundational research in the Humanities in cooperation with the universities of Baden-Württemberg.

DFG Senate Commissions

The senate commissions of the German Research Foundation (DFG) have the task of taking purely scientific positions on socially relevant questions with a relation to research. In areas with a high need of research, coordination, and multi-level structuring, it works on interdisciplinary approaches for the complex coordination, improvement of research infrastructure, and establishment of structures that promote research.

DFG Review Boards

The DFG Review Boards are democratically elected, scientific supervising instances for quality in research promotion. As representatives of their respective areas, they check whether experts have decided factually on DFG applications. In addition, the Review Boards advise other DFG committees on strategic issues.

DFG Review Board Economics

DFG Review Board Plant Science

Review Board Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine

DFG research group on the evolution of early terrestrial vertebrates

New DFG research group on the evolution of early terrestrial vertebrates – jointly at the University of Hohenheim and the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart (SMNS).
A key developmental step in the evolution of terrestrial vertebrates was the transition from water to land. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is setting up a new research group at the University of Hohenheim and the Natural History Museum Stuttgart (SMNS) to describe the histories of the animals and reconstruct the driving factors. The spokesperson for the new DFG research group on “The Evolution of Life Histories in Early Terrestrial Vertebrates” is Prof. Dr. Rainer Schoch. He heads Hohenheim’s Department of Palaeontology and the department of the same name at the Natural History Museum Stuttgart. The two institutions have been successfully working together for many years.

Prof. Dr. Rainer Schoch

German Agricultural Research Alliance (DAFA)

The German Agricultural Research Alliance (DAFA) is a joint initiative of German agricultural and nutrition research with more than 60 member institutions - universities, colleges, non-university research institutions, and federal and state research institutes. The network aims to improve the performance and international visibility of German agricultural research.

VDI expert committee Teaching and Research

The Association of German Engineers’ expert committee Teaching and Research represents the professors in the VDI area Max Eyth Association of German Engineers (VDI-MEG) consists of university and college professors of agricultural engineering as well as directors of scientific institutes of agricultural engineering in Germany.

VDI Expert Committee History of Agricultural Engineering

The expert committee History of Agricultural Engineering in the Association of German Engineers aims to preserve knowledge and technological specimens in the area of agricultural engineering. With contributions in the Annual Report on Agricultural Engineering and additional publications, traditions in industry and research and teaching are shown.

Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA)

The ICA is a network of more than 50 European life science universities. Its members address the bioeconomy and circular economy, agriculture and forestry, climate change, food production, sustainable use of natural resources, biodiversity, environmental protection, and rural development. The universities work together on the transition to a European and global sustainable bioeconomy. The University of Hohenheim has been a member of the network since 2021 after a break of several years.