Persönliche Seite von Prof. Norbert Frank Norbert Frank

Prof. Dr. Norbert Frank

Universität Heidelberg
Institut für Umweltphysik
Im Neuenheimer Feld 229 (4th floor, room 420)
69120 Heidelberg
Germany

Phone: +49 6221 54 6332
Email: norbert.frank ( at ) uni-heidelberg.de

Prof. Norbert Frank

Curriculum Vitae

Tabelle

10/2023 – 10/2025
Geschäftsführender Direktor, Institut für Umweltphysik, Universität Heidelberg
12/2012 – present
Brücken-Professor, Institut für Umweltphysik und Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Heidelberg
01/2023 – present
Mitglied des DFG Ausschuss für Wissenschaftliche Geräte und Informationstechnik
08/2011
Habilitation, Université Versailles St. Quentin, Frankreich
10/2002 – 11/2012
Wissenschaftler und Gruppenleiter, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climate et de l' Environnement, CEA, CNRS, UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvette, Frankreich
09/2001 – 10/2002
Postdoktorand,  Marie-Curie Fellow, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climate et de l' Environnement, CEA, CNRS, UVSQ, Gif-sur-Yvette, Frankreich
01/2000 – 02/2001
Postdoktorand, DFG-Eigenstelle - Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Heidelberg
06/1997 – 12/1999
Postdoktorand, DFG-Auslandstipendiat, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, USA
03/1997 – 05/1997
Postdoktorand, Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Forschungstelle Radiometrie, Heidelberg
02/1997
Dissertation, Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften (Radiometrie und Archäometrie) sowie Institut für Umweltphysik, Universität Heidelberg
02/1993
Diplom, Physik, Universität Heidelberg
Norbert Frank on google.scholar

Forschungsprojekte

Tabellenfilter

Tabelle

CO-Koordinator; PI-Mitantragsteller; PA- Partner
[k€]
2023-2025
DFG
Searching the proposed Northern Source of the MPT start of the 100-ka climate cyclicity is a project to detect the change in Northeast Atlantic weathering patterns off Ireland to affirm or reject the hypothesis of changing Regolith ice sheet base to favor a large northern hemisphere ice sheet (CO)
150
2022-2025
DFG
Investigating climate change during the period of Maya collapse is a project to reconstruct hydroclimate variability on the Yucatan peninsula during the past 3000 years to test hypothesis on the role of recurrent dry episodes impacting the stability of the Maya culture (CO)
250
2022-2025
DFG
Quantifying post Little-Ice-Age freshwater discharge using 234U–(P)SST–14C is a project to demonstrate the usefulness of the 234U/238U ratio in seawater to infer freshwater fluxes to the ocean in the Caribbean  (CO)
250
2019-2023
DFG
Radiocarbon in speleothems II – the soil carbon cycle and climate (CO)
258
2019-2023
DFG
Deep-Atlantic Interhemispheric Water Mass Competition since the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (ODP 1063 versus ODP 1094/1090) (CO)
175
2019
Wilhelm und Else Heareus Stfitung
Workshop and Group retreat: Projectmanagement
5
2017-2020
DFG
Atlantic radiocarbon calibration using cold-water corals (CO) (Project to develop benchmark marine radiocarbon calibration records using cold-water corals from the Gulf of Cadiz, Mauritania, and Angola)
277
2017-2020
DFG
Cruise proposal ATHENA M151 (RV Meteor) (CO) (Research cruise to study cold-water corals of the temperate East Atlantic Seamounts using RV Meteor and the MARUM ROV SQUID)
346
2017
DFG
Cruise proposal UFO M141-2 (RV Meteor) (CO) (Research cruise to study U isotopes in the eastern north Atlantic waters and across the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea.)
Use of Vessel
2017-2020
DFG
MIS-11 Variation in Atlantic Deep Water Nd Isotopic Composition across MIS11 (CO) (Project on the spatial variability of Nd-Isotopes in the deep western Atlantic spanning at high temporal resolution climate stage MIS11 to confirm or reject recent observations on strong Labrador Sea influences on deep water flow)
85
2015-2018
DFG
Tropical Indian Ocean and East African seasonality during the Holocene: orbital forcing and ocean atmosphere interactions. (IndoOrb) (Coordinator - Prof. Miriam Peiffer, University Kiel) (PA)
5
2016-2019
DFG
The seawater 234U/238U ratio in the past (CO) (Project to develop benchmark records of past seawater U-isotopes using cold-water corals from the Gulf of Cadiz and the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the presently available U-series data from tropical and deep sea corals)
211
2015-2018
DFG
Fluid inclusion water isotopes in speleothems using CRDS - understanding carbonate d18O responses to climate variability (PA) (Involved in the chronology of speleothems as well as the speleothems general geochemical composition and the use of water isotopes through CRDS analysis: Coordinator: Dr. Tobias Kluge, IUP Heidelberg)
15
2016
DAAD
Exchange Fellowship for Freya Hemsing at Oxford University (PA - Involved in the planning and supervision of the exchange project with University Oxford to conduct Ba/Ca and Ba-Isotope analysis on seawater and cold-water corals) (Coordinators - MSc Freya Hemsing and Prof. G. Henderson)
12
2014-2017
DFG
Hydrology Influenced Variation of the 14C Reservoir Ages in Speleothems and Reconstruction of Atmospheric 14C Levels (PI) (Reconstruction of radiocarbon levels in U-series dated speleothems. This project is a joined project with Dr. Jens Fohlmeister at the time at University Potsdam)
271
2014-2017
DFG
900ka Variation in Deep Water Nd Isotopic Composition in IODP core 1063 (CO) (Project on the temporal variability of Nd-Isotopes in the deep western Atlantic spanning at high temporal resolution the past 900 thousand years)
196
2014-2016
DFG
Spatial Analyses of the Atlantic Circulation during Heinrich Events (PI) 
(This project concerns the study of the 231Pa/230Th ratio in marine sediments from the time of ice sheet collapses one and two some 20 to 30 kyr before present. It is the prolongation of a project coordinated jointly by Prof. A. Mangini and Dr. Jörg Lippold) (the coordinator of this project was Dr. J. Lippold)
63
2013
HCE
Climate, GIScience and Archaeology of a small travertine body in Southern Germany (PI): Project on the 3D detection and climate evolution of calcareous tufa formations in southern Germany including their archeological significance regarding the retreat of the Roman Empire
12.5
2013–2016
DFG
DFG Ocean Circulation between the Last Glacial and Interglacial – high resolution Nd Isotope stratigraphy on IODP/ODP cores from the Atlantic (PI):
This project concerns the study of the 231Pa/230Th ratio in marine sediments from the past glacial to present spanning a large spatial area in the North An partly South Atlantic. The project is coordinated together with Dr. Jörg Lippold (CO)
180
2011
CNRS
CNRS Cruise proposal: Iceland Coral Ecosystems - Climate and Thermocline Ocean Circulation (CO): 
Planning and coordination of a cruise to collect seawater and cold-water corals south of Iceland with the French research vessel N/O Thalassa and the remotely operated vehicle Victor 6000 provided by IFREMER
1300
2010–2012
CNRS
CNRS LEFE: Iceland Coral Ecosystems: Climate and ocean circulation (CO) (Project to reconstruct cold-water coral ecosystem dynamic and water mass exchange off south Iceland using U-series dating and numerous geochemical tracers)
35
2009–2012
EU
HERMIONE: Hotspot Ecosystem Research and Mans Impact on European Marginal Seas (PI):
Integrated European project involving studies of cold-water coral ecosystems and mans impact through fishery, climate change and pollution. Involved in the dating of cold-water coral reef accumulations and the use of geochemical tracers to study the corals environmental conditions) (CO - Prof. A. Weaver, Southhampton, UK)
32 (3500)
2008–2011
EU
EPOCA: European project on Ocean acidification (PA): 
Project on the observation and consequences of present, past and future ocean acidification due to anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions; CO - Prof. Jean Pierre Gatusso, Villefranche sur Mer, France
60 (6000)
2008–2011
CNRS
CNRS LEFE/Phare: Paleo-pH Calibration (PA): Involved in the geochemical study of tropical and cold-water corals using Boron Isotopes to trace pH. Development of mass spectrometric protocols and standards and correction model for coral vital effects (CO - Dr. E. Douville)
5
DFG - GEPRIS Seite von Prof. Norbert Frank

Preise und Ehrungen

  • Lehrpreis der Fakultät für Physik und Astronomie (2018)
  • Preis für aussergewöhnliche Leistungen der CEA (2009)
  • EU Marie-Curie Stipendium (2001) (100 k€)
  • DFG Individuelles Internationales Austauschstipendium (1997) (32 k€)

 

Bilder aus meiner Forschung

Toughts about Achievements

When I think about my personal achievements after so many years in science and teaching, one stands out above all: I did not give up. Despite countless rejection letters and many critical voices along the way, each “no” became a reason to try harder. Every skeptical comment became a motivation to critically reassess my thinking—either to change direction or improve my ideas until I could convince even my strongest opponents.

I have not become a particularly clever, successful, or visible scientist when compared to some of my brilliant early-career peers. But I take pride in my work, and I am honoured to hold a professorship at the prestigious Heidelberg University.

My path has not been straightforward. I started out with a teacher who didn’t believe I should even attend high school due to my struggles with reading, writing, and managing anger. During my university studies, I often felt inadequate and doubted whether I would ever succeed—until my master's project, where I not only finished with distinction but also made breakthroughs that fueled my confidence.

In my PhD, I became a respected expert in dating “dirty” carbonates and investigating early human history. I helped push my mentor’s team into new scientific fields and technologies, gaining recognition in the process. Still, I consider my two most significant achievements to be the establishment of two fully funded, state-of-the-art geochemistry laboratories: one at LSCE in France, and one at the IUP in Heidelberg.

Securing funding and setting up these LA-MC-ICPMS facilities—each with multiple mass spectrometers and improved clean lab environments—was a long and difficult process, often met with resistance. Yet today, these labs are thriving research hubs, worth many millions of euros in third-party funding, and instrumental to hundreds of scientific discoveries. More importantly, they have trained hundreds of students over the past 15 years.

But my greatest achievement is, without doubt, my passion for teaching. Despite my nervousness and lack of natural teaching talent, I have always dreamed of inspiring students to explore our environment with curiosity and wonder. Perhaps, at times, I have succeeded. I’ve long since stopped counting the extra hours I’ve invested in mentoring, guiding, and building a supportive environment for student growth—and I do not regret a single second of it.