Water Science Alliance — Joining forces
The scientific expertise of German water research is excellent in individual areas, but in particular, the national networking and international visibility of the entire field of research are inadequate. The Water Science Alliance establishes structures that help to better utilise the existing potential of German water research in the development and processing of complex and interdisciplinary research topics within thematic alliances. The complementarity of the research institutions (major research institutions and universities) results in synergies from the joint use of infrastructures, observatories, and large-scale equipment, as well as the promotion of young scientists, in addition to the sharing of expertise.
16th Water Research Horizon Conference 2026
Abstract Submission - deadline extended! Registration opened!
14 & 15 September 2026 | Berlin
Water Research Horizon Conference 2026, which will proceed jointly with DGL-Tagung in Berlin at Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) from September 14th, 2026 to September 15th, 2026, will host four thematic sessions. This year's conference will be entitled “Theoria cum praxi: zukunft | wasser | gestalten”, based on the famous principle by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
We invite you to submit an abstract for an oral or poster presentation within the 16th Water Research Horizon Conference (#WRHC2026) by 15th of June 2026.
Abstract Submission | Register now!
Water Science Alliance on LinkedIn
We are excited to announce our new LinkedIn presence! Follow us for exclusive insights into our events, announcements, and initiatives.
News
Award Dr. Stephanie Spahr awarded by the German Society of Water Chemistry
WSA congratulates Dr. Stephanie Spahr on receiving the Water Chemistry Society Award
IGB research group leader Dr. Stephanie Spahr received the German Society of Water Chemistry's Division Award. She was awarded during the annual conference “Wasser 2026” in Kiel. She was honored for her extensive work on chemical pollution in urban water bodies and on the treatment of stormwater for use as a water resource whithin her research group "Organic Contaminants".
Read more in the article by the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB).Comment on the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report
WSA Comments the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report
The board of Water Science Alliance e.V. comments on the UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report. The report introduces “bankruptcy” as a new narrative. It emphasizes the need for science-based, interdisciplinary adaptation to structural water deficits and long-term impacts. The WSA has supported this agenda for years. It is important to make water accounting transparent, clearly prioritize water use, strengthen governance, and integrate social, environmental, and economic aspects. The report calls for a reorientation of water management to remain within biophysical limits and underscores the urgency of action. We invite the water research community to jointly propose sustainable, actionable scientific solutions.
Read commentGlobal Change Ecology WSA member appointed to professorship at Ruhr University Bochum
WSA congratulates Prof. Dr. Linda Weiss on her professorship at RUB
WSA member Linda Weiss strengthened the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at Ruhr University Bochum on January 1, 2026, with her Global Change Ecology professorship. On January 28, 2026, she gave her inaugural lecture entitled “Molecular Mechanisms of Phenotypic Plasticity: Adaptive Responses Meet Global Change.” We congratulate her on this important calling and look forward to working together within the Water Science Alliance.
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