Connecting Geographers to Dr. Andreas Linsbauer: Transdisciplinary Lessons in Science Communication

Dr. Andreas Linsbauer is a glaciologist and storyteller working at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Since he was a child, he has cared greatly for the environment. He recalls learning about reducing waste in school and his concern for emissions in his youth, sparking his commitment to the health of the environment.

“Since I have memories, I am taking care about (sic) the environment”

He started his career as a primary school teacher before getting his degree in geography. Dr. Linsbauer credits one of his geography professors – a glaciologist as well – with setting him on the path to where he is today. After receiving his PhD in glaciology and discovering writing research papers was not the most effective way to reach people, he turned his focus towards climate action through storytelling. In Dr. Linsbauer’s experience, for those outside the scientific community, graphs and scientific data are not enough to paint the picture of the reality of our climate. Therefore he works as part of an interdisciplinary team using virtual reality technology combining art and science to immerse users in a visual storytelling of climate change through glacial melt.

“Emotions are the currency of meaning … Proximity creates concern”

Glaciers are important to Swiss people year-round through skiing and hiking, and shape the iconic landscape of their beloved Alps. By using the cultural importance of glaciers, Dr. Linsbauer hopes that his team’s projects will motivate the public to care about our climate and push action forward.

For example, Expidition 2 Grad (Expedition 2 Degrees in English) is a VR simulation guiding the user on a journey through time of the Aletsch Glacier. Featuring narration by John Tyndall, a pioneering physicist who researched the greenhouse effect, users are shown the glacier’s recession from the industrialization of the 1800s to now as well as projected recession into the future at a two, three, or four degrees of warming simulation. By allowing users to watch the disappearance of the glacier as if they were there, Dr. Linsbauer is able to illicit an emotional response, a response that then becomes action.

Though Expedition 2 Degrees  was successful, Dr. Linsbauer wanted an experience that was collaborative and interactive for the public. The result was the IceAgeCam which is located on the scenic viewpoint of Felsenegg overlooking the city and lake of Zurich with a beautiful view of the Alps. Historically this area was glaciated. A screen shows users this historic landscape and allows them to interact with it by either pumping in or removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The experience guides users through the natural fluctuations in CO2 levels over the past 800,000 years and showcases the unnatural fluctuations caused by humans in present day. By following the prompts on the screen, users are able to directly connect the condition of the glacier to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This encourages them to not only participate in learning about the effects of CO2 on glaciers, but engages their curiosity and generates conversations on how we all can be involved in protecting our environment.

During Dr. Linsbauer’s presentation Science + Art = Action at UVIC I was fortunate enough to experience Glacier Lifelines, the most recent project created by his team. I put a VR headset on and found myself on a glacier. I was instructed to perform tasks associated with glacial monitoring like drilling and using an ablation stake to measure the rate of glacial melt. This experience allows users to select from four chapters: irrigation, hydropower, glacier monitoring, and disaster risk reduction. Dr Linsbauer worked with UNESCO and local partners in Central Asia to create this effective tool for teaching people about glaciers in Central Asia and how climate change and melt will affect their communities. In my short experience with Glacier Lifelines, I learned about what it takes to monitor glaciers effectively and started to feel connected to the glacier. By standing on the glacier itself, I was motivated to care for it. 

“The youth is the future”

Currently, Dr. Linsbauer works in glacial monitoring and as a lecturer of geography education at the University of Zurich. He hopes in the future his children, students, and those influenced by these projects will reflect the same commitment to mitigating the effects of climate change. With these and other projects, Dr. Linsbauer works towards inspiring people through storytelling to engage with climate action. He admits that though things are moving slowly, they are moving. He believes in the power of youth to carry the torch, creating better and brighter futures in the face of climate change.

Dr. Andreas Linsbauer is a geographer and glaciologist at the University of Zurich. His projects and further information about current glacial monitoring can be found on the University of Zurich website.

Mica Lynch is an undergraduate geography major with a special interest in journalism. Her goal is To inspire geographers at UVIC to become familiar with leading climate thinkers outside the department, fostering an interdisciplinary understanding climate change and activism. She is currently undertaking a directed study with Teresa Dawson, exploring improved communication around climate change issues and action.

You can reach Mica at m.lynch2003@outlook.com. She welcomes suggestions for new features in this series.

Mica Lynch © 2025