HIGH-ARCTIC - Günter Köck´s Research Page
My professional career rests on two pillars: environmental research and the coordination of international research programmes.
Since the early 1980s I have been involved in numerous environmental toxicology-related research projects. All these projects were carried out in my position as research scientist and lecturer at the Institute of Zoology and Limnology of the University of Innsbruck (Austria).
My research activities include
- ·effects of metals on aquatic ecosystems
- ·environmental physiology and ecotoxicology of freshwater fish
- ·fish as indicators of environmental pollution
- ·aquatic invertebrates as bioindicators of metal contamination of aquatic ecosystems
- ·climate change in Alpine and Arctic regions
Since 1997 I have focussed my research activities on the Austrian-Canadian research cooperation “HIGH-ARCTIC - Fish from sensitive ecosystems as bioindicators of global climate change”. Since 2010 my research is carried out as associate scientist at the Institute of Interdisciplinary Mountain Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW-IGF) in Innsbruck (Austria).
From 2004 - 2022 I was the coordinator of the international research programmes (e.g. UNESCO „Man and the Biosphere - MAB“, Global Change, Geo/Hydro Sciences) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna (Austria). I have been officially retired since July 1, 2024.
Besides my passion for the Arctic, there is a second one, namely UNESCO´s "Man and the Biosphere (MAB)“ Programme with its World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).
As coordinator of international research programmes and closely involved in protected area networks such as the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO´s MAB Programme, it was my concern from the beginning to make scientific findings accessible to a wider scientific community. As one of the two founding editors of the scientific journal eco.mont – Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management, I was able to put this into practice.
In addition to my regular public relations and media work I give numerous popular-scientific talks about arctic and mountain research as well as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in schools and within public education schemes (e.g. “Science goes School”).
For about three years now, I have been quite intensively involved in the activities of the "World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves (WNMBR)". Being a "MAB enthusiast", I will of course continue to make my expertise available to UNESCO's MAB program and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves after my retirement.
Current professional activities:
Member of the Advisory Group of the World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves (WNMBR)
Member of the EuroMAB Steering Committee 2019-2024
Advisor to the current Austrian delegate to the 36th Meeting of the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO´s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC 2024)
Member of two UNESCO missions to Bhutan (February 2020 and May 2023) to support the establishment of the Kingdom's first biosphere reserve
Member of the Board of Trustees (Nationalpark-Kuratorium) of the „Hohe Tauern“ National Park
Member of the Plenary "Forum Landschaft, Alpen Pärke" of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT)
Chair of ISCAR´s Working Group for Protected Areas (ISCAR-P)
Member of the Advisory Board of ABOL (Austrian Barcode of Live Initiative)
Past professional activities (selected):
Founding editor of the scientific journal “eco.mont - Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research” (2009-2024)
Chair of the International Scientific Board for the 5th and 6th International Symposium for Research in Protected Areas (2013 and 2017)
Austrian delegate to the European Alliance of Global Change Research Committees
Delegate to the ISCAR -International Scientific Committee for Alpine Research (2004-2022)
Member of the Scientific Board of the „Hohe Tauern“ National Park (2011-2022)
Member of the Sonnblick Observatory Scientific Advisory Board
Austrian delegate to the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO´s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC) from 2004-2023
Member of the Austrian Delegation for the 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th, 39th and 40th General Conferences of UNESCO
Vice-Chair of the UNESCO MAB Programme (2004, 2010, 2012, 2020)
Vice-Chair and Rapporteur of the UNESCO MAB Programme (2020)
Member of the Scientific Council at the Venice-based UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe-BRESCE (2009-2011)
Member of the Austrian UNESCO Commission
Rapporteur of the Open-ended UNESCO-MAB Working Group for Thematic Networks
Member of the EuroMAB Steering Committee 2013-2017
Member of the “Working Group UNESCO World Heritage” of the Alpine Convention
Chair of the EUROMAB Working Group for EXPO 2015
Chair of the Expert Meeting on “MAB Research Site” at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris (2011)
Chair of UNESCO Panel 3: Science and knowledge networks for sustainable development (2008)
Awards:
2000: Canada Award of the University of Innsbruck
2010: "Silberner Hahn" and "Goldener Hahn" for the book "Planet Austria" (best Public Relation project)
2010: The Canadian Government´s "Go for Gold" honorary medal for exceptional contributions to Canada-Austria Relations
2011: Gourmand World Cookbook Award in the category “Sustainable food” for the cookbook "A Connoisseur´s World - The Austrian Biosphere Reserves"
2013: Designation "Official Austrian UN Project of the Decade for Sustainable Development 2005-2014" for the project "Enjoying diversity / Vielfalt genießen"
