Dr Birgit Terhorst is Professor of Physical Geography and Soil Science at the Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Wuerzburg, Germany. She has held various lecturing and professorship positions in institutions in soil science and geography. Dr Terhorst conducts research on geography, natural hazards and landslides, geoinformatics (GIS), geoarcheology, soil science, and quaternary research. She has over 150 publications in international journals and is supervising numerous research projects. Her completed research projects include geophysical methods for the analysis of mass movements; gravitational mass movements in Mexico under the influence of climate change and anthropogenic use; slope stability and danger zones in northern Bavaria: a study on causes, process and risk; and monitoring procedures in active landslide areas, among many others.