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(04.03.24) In collaboration with Dr. Manish A. Mamtani, former Alexander von Humboldt fellow, Professor, Department of Geology & Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kharagpur and President of the International Association for Structural Geology & Tectonics (IASGT), the DFG Office India invited Prof. Daniel James Frost, Chair of Experimental Geosciences, Deputy Director of the Bavarian Research Institute of Experimental Geochemistry & Geophysics (BGI), University of Bayreuth to visit India. Prof. Frost is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of experimental petrology and minerology. Amongst other recognitions, Prof. Frost was awarded in 2016 the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Award of the DFG for his studies on the formation, structure and development of planets that have fundamentally expanded the knowledge of the structure of the earth’s crust and core and their development over time. The Leibniz Award is bestowed by the DFG every year to exceptional scientists and academicians, working in Germany, for their outstanding achievements in their respective fields of research. The DFG organizes the Leibniz Lecture series delivered by these awardees, who also act as German research ambassadors, at locations all over the world.

During the week-long stay from 24th February till 2nd March 2024, Prof. Frost visited the Geology departments of the University of Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, Jadavpur University and Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bangalore and delivered a series of talks and interacted with fellow scientists and researchers. 

The lecture tour started with the visit to the Department of Geology, University of Delhi on Saturday 24th February 2024 where he delivered a talk on “Diamond formation and the Earth's deep cycle of volatiles” which was very well received by the faculty and students of the department. This was followed by his participation in the IASGT workshop "Deformation Mechanisms, Processes and Fabric Analysis in Earth Materials from The Global to The Nano Scale - Methods and Applications" (26-28 February 2024) at IIT-Kharagpur. During the workshop, Prof. Frost delivered the Leibniz Lecture titled "The Experimental Study of The Rheology of Mantel Rocks". The lecture was followed by the Dinner Reception hosted by the German Research Foundation and was attended by more than 300 guests including the participants of the IASGT workshop and other researchers and professors of IIT-Kharagpur.

Thereafter, Prof. Frost visited the Department of Geological Sciences, Jadavpur University, delivered another talk and interacted with fellow scientists and students. In Bangalore, Prof. Frost visited the Center for Earth Sciences, IISc Bangalore and discussed his research with various colleagues at the institute.

Dr. Franziska Langer, Director DFG Office India and Dr. Vaibhav Agarwal, Deputy Director DFG India Office accompanied Prof. Frost on this visit. Dr. Langer highlighted to the researchers in all of the institutions the various collaborative opportunities through DFG funding schemes and also explained about the history and the significance of the Germany’s prestigious “Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Award”.