Dr. Katharina Oemmelen Joins the Economic Geography Research Group
Dr. Katharina Oemmelen joined the Economic Geography Research Group as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer in August 2026. She was previously based at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction at UCL in London, where she pursued her PhD research on rural electrification in Madagascar while working as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant in the UCL Geography Department.
Hannan Asghar Joins Economic Geography Research Group under Collaborative Research Centre at University of Bonn
The Economic Geography Research Group is pleased to welcome Hannan Asghar as its new PhD researcher. Hannan joined the group in June 2026 as a PhD student in the project C02 “Energy Futures” in the Collaborative Research Centre “Future Rural Africa” (CRC228). He comes from Pakistan and has a background in climate and energy policy, field research, and development sector in Africa.
Herbert Murungi Joins Economic Geography Research Group under Collaborative Research Center at University of Bonn
The Economic Geography Research Group is pleased to welcome Herbert Murungi as its new PhD researcher. Herbert joined the group on 1 April 2026 as PhD student in the project C02 “Energy Futures” in the Collaborative Research Center “Future Rural Africa” (CRC228). He comes from Uganda, and has a strong background in energy economics, field research and development practice across East Africa.
Dr. Arne Rieber Joins the Economic Geography Research Group
Dr. Arne Rieber has been a postdoctoral fellow and research associate in the Economic Geography Research Group since October 2025. From July 2022 to September 2025, he completed his doctoral dissertation on the political ecology of water infrastructure in Kenya as part of the Collaborative Research Center “Future Rural Africa.”
2025 Dr. Hohmann Grant: Award Presented to Dr. Arne Rieber by the Cologne Geographical Society
On December 4, during its annual Christmas party, the Executive Board of the Society for Geography (GfE) in Cologne presented Dr. Arne Rieber with the certificate for this year’s Dr. Hohmann Grant for his research project “German Industrial Transformation: Geoeconomy and the Role of the State in the Chemical Industry.” Congratulations!
Visiting Professor Andrew Cumbers Gives Lecture at GIUB on the Remunicipalization of Infrastructure
As part of the “Wednesdays at GIUB” lecture series, a large audience—primarily students—gained insight into the work of Prof. Dr. Andrew Cumbers, visiting professor in the Economic Geography Research Group. In a talk titled “The Future of the Public and the Struggle for the Democratic Economy,” he examined current developments in municipal infrastructure within an emerging post-neoliberal economic order.
Dr. Frankline Ndi Receives the International Paper Award from the Department of Geography
Dr. Frankline Ndi, a member of the Economic Geography group led by Prof. Dr. Britta Klagge, has been awarded the International Paper Award of the Department of Geography, University of Bonn, together with Douwe van Schie from the Development Geography group.
Benedikt Walker Successfully Defends His Dissertation on the Political Economy of the German Hydrogen Economy
In May 2025, Benedikt Walker successfully defended his dissertation, titled “The German Hydrogen Sector in Global Production Networks: Structures, Agency, and Uneven Development,” at the Department of Geography at the University of Bonn. The dissertation was supervised by Prof. Britta Klagge, with Prof. Andrew Cumbers (University of Glasgow) serving as the second reviewer. Congratulations!