Like many others, Christoph Holst spends the time between the years with his family. The professor of engineering geodesy at the Technical University of Munich (TU) will certainly always think of what is going to be exciting for him in January: he will set up a laboratory for geodesy on the Ludwig-Bölkow-Campus in Ottobrunn. Geodesy is the science of measuring the earth. It is important to Holst that his students can also do a lot of practical work. “The laboratory should play an important role in this,” says the 35-year-old. In general, it should have been an exciting year for him. In November he just took over the management of the chair for engineering geodesy, which is located in both Munich and Ottobrunn.
Holst already knows exactly what the research facility should look like in the 170 square meter hall. “I want to set up a testing and calibration laboratory with different elements,” he says. Among other things, it should contain fields with coordinates and test objects. In essence, it should be about checking geodetic measuring systems for their accuracy and being able to adjust them better.
One of Holst’s research focuses is on advanced methods for geodetic monitoring of various objects. In this context, the scientist is working on measuring techniques in order to be able to precisely determine the deformation of radio telescopes with a diameter of up to 100 meters that can result from their movement and falsify the signals. Such telescopes are used to measure the rotation of the earth. He is also working with colleagues from the TU on a project in which the dangers from the Alpine region can be assessed. Specifically, they are monitoring the Hochvogel mountain, where a gap is getting bigger and bigger. “We want to be able to better monitor natural hazards with various measurement methods and also be able to foresee them,” he says.
Holst learned his tools at the University of Bonn. There he studied geodesy and geoinformation with a focus on engineering geodesy, later he did his doctorate there. From 2015 onwards he headed a research group dealing with terrestrial laser scanning, for example. Today he is also a member and consultant in several specialist commissions on engineering geodesy. Before the construction of the geodesy laboratory starts in January, he and his family will first explore the area. As he says, they only moved to Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn in August. There is still a lot to discover.
For many people, the time between the years is also a time of new beginnings. In this series, the SZ presents some of them.