Spokesmen of the Geothermal Energy Working Group

The interests of the Geothermal Working Group are represented within the German Geophysical Society (DGG) by an elected spokesperson. The spokesperson is invited to attend DGG Executive Board meetings as a guest, reports on the Working Group's activities at the DGG General Assembly, organizes regular meetings, and coordinates other activities. The first spokesperson of the Geothermal Working Group was elected at its inaugural meeting in fall 2015. The term of office is two years. The Steering Committee supports the spokesperson in the Working Group's scientific and technical activities.

In September 2026, Dr. Carsten Lehmann was elected as the new spokesperson of the Geothermal Working Group. He succeeds Prof. Dr. Thomas Kohl, who had held the position since 2017 and continues to serve as a member of the Steering Committee.

Speaker

Dr. Carsten Lehmann – Stadtwerke Münster

Dr. Carsten Lehmann is Project Manager for Renewable Heat at Stadtwerke Münster, where he oversees the deep geothermal energy project. He studied geophysics at the University of Münster and subsequently earned his doctorate in marine seismology in Bremerhaven. He has served as spokesperson of the DGG Geothermal Working Group since September 2026.

Speakers’ Circle

Prof. Dr. Thomas Kohl – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Prof. Dr. Thomas Kohl holds the Chair of Geothermal Energy and Reservoir Technology at the Institute of Applied Geosciences at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). His research focuses on the geothermal utilization of the deep subsurface and the characterization of geothermal reservoirs. He served as spokesperson of the Geothermal Working Group from 2017 to September 2026 and has since continued as a member of the Steering Committee.

Dr. Steffen Abe – Institute for Geothermal Resource Management (igem)

Dr. Steffen Abe is a geophysicist and has been a research scientist at the Institute for Geothermal Resource Management (igem) since 2013. He studied geophysics at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and earned his doctorate at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Following research positions at University College Dublin and RWTH Aachen University, his research at igem has focused primarily on geomechanics and induced seismicity.

Dr. Jérôme Azzola – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Dr. Jérôme Azzola is a seismologist in the Geothermal Energy and Reservoir Technology Research Group at KIT. He leads research activities on innovative sensing methods for seismic monitoring, particularly fiber-optic sensing technologies (Distributed Acoustic Sensing, DAS) and participatory approaches. He coordinates the RUBADO research project (funding code 03EE4076A) and is responsible for seismic monitoring in the DeepStor and GeoLaB research projects.

Dr. Abolfazi Komeazi – Goethe University Frankfurt

Dr. Abolfazl Komeazi is a seismologist at Goethe University Frankfurt, where he also earned his doctorate. His research focuses on seismic monitoring of geothermal systems, particularly through the use of innovative fiber-optic sensing technologies (DAS) and machine learning-based methods for seismic data analysis. At Goethe University Frankfurt, he coordinates the AGENS research project, which focuses on the development and application of advanced seismic monitoring methods for deep geothermal energy facilities.

Prof. Dr. Gregor Hillers – University of Helsinki / Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Prof. Dr. Gregor Hillers is a seismologist whose research focuses on the analysis of natural and anthropogenic seismic wavefields. His primary research interests include the application and development of seismic array technologies, seismic data processing, and numerical modeling to investigate and monitor geophysical processes. Particular emphasis is placed on the characterization of fault zones and geothermal reservoirs, as well as the investigation of induced seismicity and interactions between geoenergy systems and their surrounding environments.