BACKGROUND

Torsten holds a diploma degree (MSc) in Civil Engineering and conducted his PhD at the Bergische University Wuppertal, Germany, with a thesis on extreme water waves (freak waves) and numerical simulations of nonlinear wave propagations in mid 1999. He has a broad expertise in the disciplines of coastal engineering and protection measures, hydraulic engineering, water resources and hydrology. In early 2005, he completed the process of a Habilitation and since then possesses a so-called “Privatdozentur (PD)” (Readership) in Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources in Civil Engineering that enables him to award PhD degrees to scholars in the respective field.

He conducted basic and applied research projects in the disciplines of Coastal Engineering and Water Resources, published extensively in refereed journals and has more than 12 years experience in lecturing at undergraduate and graduate level, as well as supervising PhD candidates. He gave a vast number of presentations at national and international workshops and chaired sessions at conferences. Torsten was a long-term visiting scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and achieved various short-term research visits at other academic institutions.

He joined the Leibniz University Hannover in March 2007, Germany, to take over the chair and vacant director post of the renowned Franzius-Institute for Hydraulic, Waterways and Coastal Engineering. He remains closely attached to UNU-EHS as Project Director for two main research projects and Senior Academic Adviser to the institute.

WORKING AREA AT UNU-EHS

At UNU-EHS, Torsten continues to support the Institute’s role in the German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS), especially in the associated capacity building work package and in a recently granted project called “Last-mile – Evacuation”. In addition, he is a member of ICG's workgroup on "risk and vulnerability assessment" for the set-up of an end-to-end tsunami early warning system in the Indian Ocean under the co-ordination of IOC-UNESCO.

Torsten is focal point for:

• Environmental risks; particularly flood-related hazards in flood plains, estuaries and deltas;
• Inundations in coastal zones and the adjacent hinterland;
• Tsunamis, storm surges and coastal protection measures;
• Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), Governance issues in integrated flood risk management.

PROJECTS

• German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS)
• Numerical Last-mile Tsunami Early Warning and Evacuation Information System (Last-mile – Evacuation)

PUBLICATIONS

Kongko, W.; Schlurmann, T. (2009): The July 17, 2006 Java Tsunami: Tsunami Modeling and its Characteristic Modes Based on the Hilbert-Huang Transformation. Congress of the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society (AOGS), Singapur (accepted for publication).

Goseberg, N.; Schlurmann, T. (2009): Highly Resolved Tsunami Inundation Study for Padang, Western Sumatra Using a Multi-Hazard Approach. Congress of the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society (AOGS), Singapur (accepted for publication).

Stahlmann, A.; Hildebrandt, A.; Schlurmann, T. (2009): Investigations on Scour Development at Offshore Wind Energy Converters in the German Offshore Test Site alpha ventus. 33rd Biennial congress of the International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research (IAHR), Vancouver (accepted for publication).

Hildebrandt, A.; Stahlmann, A; Schlurmann, T. (2009): Field Data Derived from Offshore Wind Energy Converters – Assessment and Correlation of Dynamic Wave Loads. 33rd Biennial congress of the International Association of Hydraulic Engineering and Research (IAHR), Vancouver (accepted for publication).

Sriram, V.; Sannasiraj, S.A.; Sundar, V.; Schlenkhoff, A.; Schlurmann, T. (2009): Quantification of Phase Shift in the Simulation of Shallow Water Waves. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids.

Haake, G.; Rolfes, R.; Schaumann, P.; Huhn, H.; Schlurmann, T.; Lohaus, L.; Achmus, M. (2009): Research on Support Structures in the German Offshore Wind Farm alpha ventus. Proc. of the European Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition.

Kongko, W.; Schlurmann, T. (2009): The July 17, 2006 Java Tsunami: Tsunami Modeling and the Possible Causes of the Extreme Run-up, European Geosciences Union, Session SM4.2/NH6.2: Earthquake and Tsunami Early Warnings.

Schlurmann, T.; v. Lieberman, N.; Woltering, S.; Bauermeister, U.; Sigrist, V. (2009): Risikobewertung und Risikomanagement. HANSA – International Maritime Journal, 146, Nr. 4, pp. 101-104.

Schlurmann, T.; Spahn, H.; Siebert, M. (2008): Maßnahmen, Strategien und "Lessons learned" zur Ausbildung und Schulung von Wissenschaftlern, Partnerorganisationen und der gefährdeten Bevölkerung im Rahmen des Deutsch-Indonesischen Tsunami Frühwarnsystems (GITEWS). Konferenzbeitrag zum 9. Forum Katastrophenvorsorge des DKKV, Offenbach, Germany.

Schlurmann, T. (2008): Risikobewertung und -management in der Katastrophenvorsorge. Notfallvorsorge, Walhalla Verl., Nr. 4, pp. 22-24

Escher, J. and T. Schlurmann (2008). On the Recovery of the Free Surface from the Pressure within Periodic Traveling Water Waves. Journal of Nonlinear Mathematical Physics, Vol. 15, 2, pp. 50-57

Spekker, H., Schlurmann, T. (2008). Hydrodynamisch-numerische Simulation von Niederschlag und Abfluss in tidebeeinflussten Gewässern am Beispiel des Hochwasserschutzplans Wümme. Beitrag zum Tag der Hydrologie 2008, Hannover, Germany

Birkmann, J. and T. Schlurmann (2007). Numerical Last-Mile Tsunami Early Warning and Evacuation Information System. GEOTECHNOLOGIEN Science Report No. 10, pp. 62-74

Spekker, H., Schlurmann, T. and C. Paesler (2007). Innovative technologische Lösungsansätze zum Hochwasserschutz vor dem Hintergrund des Klimawandels. Konferenzbeitrag zum 8. Forum Katastrophenvorsorge des DKKV, Karlsruhe, Germany

Schlurmann, T. and M. Dätig (2005). Carrier and Riding Wave Structure of Rogue Waves. Chapter 2 in: Hilbert-Huang Transforms in Engineering Application. Eds.: Norden Huang and Nii Attoh-Okine, pp. 29-58, CRC press, USA.

Harms, J. and T. Schlurmann (2005). Time-variant net-mass transport beneath breaking waves, Proc. 29th Intern. Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE2004), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Vol. 1, pp. 441-453.

Schlurmann, T. (2005). Forschungsansätze zur Erstellung eines Tsunami-Frühwarnsystems im Indischen Ozean. Mitgliederrundbrief des Landesverbands Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz und Saarland der Deutschen Vereinigung für Wasserwirtscahft, Abwasser und Abfall (DWA).

Schlurmann, T. (2005). Time-frequency analysis methods in Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering. Habilitationsschrift, Fachbereich D - Bauingenieurwesen, Bergische Universität Wuppertal.

Dätig, M. and Schlurmann, T. (2004). Performance and Limitations of the Hilbert-Huang Transformation with Short Application to Irregular Water Waves. Ocean Engineering, Elsevier Science Ltd., Vol. 31 (14-15), pp. 1783-1834.

Sundar, V., Roopsekhar, K.A., Schlurmann, T. and M.R. Abbasi, (2004). Probability Distribution of Wave Force on Pipelines Near a Sloping Boundary Parallel and Normal to Wave Direction. Coastal Engineering Journal (CEJ), Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), World Scientific, Vol. 46 (1). pp. 93-117.

Roopsekhar, K.A., Abbasi, M.R., Sundar, V. and T. Schlurmann (2003). Probabilistic Description of Wave Forces on Pipelines Normal to Shoreline Near a Sloping Boundary, 6th Intern. Conference Conference on Coastal and Port Engineering in Developing Countries (COPEDEC2003).

Schlurmann, T., Bleck, M. and H. Oumeraci (2003). Wave Transformation at Artificial Reefs described by the Hilbert-Huang Transformation. Proc. 28th Intern. Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE2002), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Vol. 2, pp. 1791-1803.

Dätig, M. and T. Schlurmann (2003). Visualization of deep-water breaking waves using a High-Speed Camera. Proc. 6th Intern. Conference on Coastal and Port Engineering in Developing Countries (COPEDEC2003).

Schlurmann, T. (2002). Spectral Frequency Analysis of Nonlinear Water Waves derived from the Hilbert-Huang Transformation. Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (JOMAE), American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Vol. 124 (1), pp. 22-2.

Schlurmann, T. (2002). Nearshore Resonant Modes of the Adreanov Tsunami. Proc. 6th World Multiconference on Systematics, Cybernetics and Informatics (SCI2002), Vol. XIV, pp. 299-303.

Schlurmann, T., Dose, T. and S. Schimmels (2002). Characteristic Modes of the 'Adreanov Tsunami' based on the Hilbert-Huang Transformation. Proc. 4th Intern. Symposium on Ocean Wave Measurement and Analysis (WAVES2001), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Vol. 2, pp. 1525-1534.

Munko, S., Oertel, M, and T. Schlurmann (2002). Seeping Flow in the Unsaturated Soil Zone to adjust a Fibre Optic Temperature Measurement System in a Dam. Proc. 5th Intern. Conference on Hydroscience & Engineering} (ICHE2002), pp. 567-575.

Oertel, M, Munko, S., and T. Schlurmann (2002). Calculations on the Amount of Drainage Water in a Dam from long-term Hydrological Databases. Proc. 5th Intern. Conference on Hydroscience & Engineering (ICHE2002), pp. 576-588.

Dose, T. and T. Schlurmann (2002). Extrapolating Rating Curves by Numerical Modeling. Proc. 5th Intern. Conference on Hydroscience & Engineering (ICHE2002), pp. 711-724.

Schlurmann, T. (2002). Zu Gast auf dem Subkontinent - Bericht der Indienexkursion mit Studierenden des Bauingenieurwesens. Bergische Blätter, Heft 31.

Lengricht, J., Schimmels, S., Schlurmann, T. and K.-U. Graw (2001). Whole field velocity mapping in waves. Proc. International Conference in Ocean Engineering (ICOE2001), Vol. 2: Marine Hydrodynamics, pp. 95-102.

Dose, T. and T. Schlurmann (2001). Calculations of Discharge by using the Water Surface Slope under Free Flow Conditions. Proc. 28th Congress of Intern. Assosociation for Hydraulic Research (IAHR2001), Vol. D, pp. 179-182.

Schlurmann, T. (2001). Spectral Frequency Analysis of Nonlinear Water Waves derived from the Hilbert-Huang Transformation. Proc. 20th Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering Conference (OMAE2001), Vol.: Safety & Reliability, S&R 2166.

Schlurmann, T. (2000). The Empirical Mode Decomposition and the Hilbert Spectra to analyze embedded characteristic oscillations of extreme waves. In: Rogue Waves, Eds.: M. Olagnon & G. Athanassoulis, Editions Ifremer, pp. 157-165.

Schlurmann, T., Lengricht, J. and K.-U. Graw (2000). Visualization of Freak Wave Breaking in Intermediate and Deep Water Depth. 28th Int. Conf. on Coast. Eng. (ICCE2000), American Society of Civil Engineers. (ASCE).

Schlurmann, T., Graw, K.-U. and J. Lengricht (2000). Spatial Evolution of Laboratory Generated Freak Waves in Deep Water Depth. Proc. 10th Annual Intern. Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference (ISOPE2000), Vol. III, pp. 54-59.

Schlurmann, T., Schimmels, S. and T. Dose (2000). Spectral Analysis of transient waves using Wavelet Spectra (Morlet) and Hilbert Spectra (EMD). Proc. 4th Intern. Conference on Hydroscience & Engineering (ICHE2000), pp. 1113-1122.

Schlurmann, T. (1999). Nichtlineare Interaktionsprozesse multichromatischer Wellengruppen und das Ausbreitungsverhalten von Freak Waves. Dissertation, Fachbereich D - Bauingenieurwesen, Bergische Universität Wuppertal.

Schlurmann, T., Dose, T., Schimmels, S. and A. Schulz (1999). Sluice Gate Efficiency on the Headwaterlevel of a Flood Control Reservoir by Physical and Numerical Modeling. Proc. 28th Congress of Intern. Assosociation for Hydraulic Research (IAHR1999), Vol. 1, pp. 372-377.

Kaldenhoff, H. and T. Schlurmann (1999). Freak Wave Simulation. Proc. 2nd German-Chinese Joint Seminar on Recent Developments in Coastal Engineering, Vol. 1, pp. 65-77.

Schlurmann, T. and H. Kaldenhoff (1999). Spatial and Time-dependent Evolution of Extreme Waves in Intermediate and Deep Water Depths. Proc. Hydralab workshop, pp. 227-237.

Dose, T., Kaldenhoff H. and T. Schlurmann (1999). Conception of Breakwaters with Active Force Dissipation by Hydraulic Jets. Proc. Hydralab workshop, pp. 295-395.

Koola, P.M., Schlurmann, T. and H. Kaldenhoff (1999). Multifunctional wave absorbing breakwaters with extreme force dissipation. Proc. 5th Intern. Conference on Coastal and Port Engineering in Developing Countries (COPEDEC1999), Vol. 3, pp. 2231.

Schlenkhoff, A. and T. Schlurmann (1998). Could small-scale modeling attempts with a moveable bed contribute to understand hydrodynamic and sediment transport processes? Wasserbaukolloquium Dresden '98, Institut für Wasserbau und Technische Hydromechanik, TU Dresden, Germany.

Coco, G., Larroude, P., Schlurmann, T. and M. Walgreen (1998). Bed-flow and bed-surf mechanisms in the surfzone - morphological evolution of the coastline due to sediment transport driven by longshore currents. Advanced Study Course on Hydro- and Morphodynamic Processes in Coastal Seas, European Commission (MAST III).

Schlurmann, T. (1998). Wavemaker theories – physical and mathematical investigations on the energy distribution of regular gravity waves generated by different wavemaker mechanisms. Advanced Study Course on Hydro- and Morphodynamic Processes in Coastal Seas, European Commission (MAST III)

Schlurmann, T. (1998). Wasserversorgung in Ballungsgebieten. Output: Magazin der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, Heft 3.

Schlurmann, T. (1998). Hochwasser im Ruhrgebiet? Bergische Blätter, Heft 4.

Schlurmann, T. (1998). Hydromechanik Übungsklausuren im Internet, Bergische Blätter, Heft 19.

Gutachter, Technical committees & Session Organizer

Reviewer for the Journal of Sound and Vibration, Elsevier Science, Ltd.

Intermittent Reviewer for the Proceedings Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences of the Royal Society London, UK

Member of the Technical Committee for the International Conference in Ocean Engineering (ICOE), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM), INDIA and session organizer: ''Offshore Structures''

Member of the Technical Committee for the 12th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference (ISOPE), Kitakyushu, JAPAN