Irmela Sach

Biography

Irmela Sach (nee Schlegel) studied Environmental Sciences with a minor in Meteorology and Climate Sciences (Bachelor of Science) at the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg from 2012 to 2015. This was followed by a Master of Science degree in Climate and Enviromental Sciences at the University of Augsburg from 2015 to 2018. Since 2018, Ms. Sach is working as a Research Scientist at the Research Centre for Human Biometeorology (ZMMF) of the German Meteorological Service (DWD) in Freiburg in cooperation with the Federal Environmental Agency in Berlin. She is doing her doctoral research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Andreas Matzarakis and Prof. Dr. Andreas Christen with collaboration of the Chair of Environmental Meteorology, University of Freiburg.

Research interests

Within the scope of her doctoral thesis in the field of human biometeorology, Ms. Sach is working on the analysis of meteorological and air quality influences (thermal Environment, air quality and allergenic pollen) on human health (morbidity and mortality due to respiratory and ischemic heart diseases as well as mental disorders). Based on the retrosepctively determined correlations, it is estimated how climate change will affect these apsects of human health by the end of the 21th century.

Publications

Articles in peer-reviewed journals

• Schlegel, I., Muthers, S., Mücke, H.G., Matzarakis, A., 2020. Comparison of Respiratory and Ischemic Heart Mortalities and their Relationship to the Thermal Environment. Atmosphere, 11(8), 826.
• Schlegel, I. C., Matzarakis, A., 2019. A New Approach for Generating Human Biometeorological Information Based on Gridded High-Resolution Data (Basic Data of Test-Reference-Years). Atmosphere, 10(6), 334.

Additional publications 

• Schlegel I, Muthers, S., Mücke, H-G., Matzarakis A. 2021. Einfluss des Klimawandels auf die Morbidität und Mortalität von Atemwegserkrankungen. Umwelt & Gesundheit | 04/2021, Umweltbundesamt. https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/einfluss-des-klimawandels-auf-die-morbiditaet
• Schlegel, I., Mahlau, A., Diegmann, V., Matzarakis, A., 2017: Einfluss der Elektromobilität auf die CO2-Bilanz und Luftqualität am Beispiel von Berlin. Gefahrstoffe - Reinhaltung der Luft, 77, No. 9 September 2017. 
• Schlegel, I., Kossmann, M., Matzarakis, A., 2017: Stadtklimatische Untersuchungen der sommerlichen Wärmebelastung in Stuttgart als Grundlage zur Anpassung an den Klimawandel. Abschlussbericht der Stadtklimastudie des Deutschen Wetterdienstes über die Stadt Stuttgart 
• https://kommunalwirtschaft.eu/images/presse/pdf/710744b77c300d6473769392147bbcf7-Stadtklimaprojekt-Stuttgart.pdf

Conference contributions

• Schlegel, I., Muthers, S., Mücke, H-G., Matzarakis, A. 2020: Relationship between weather and the occurrence if respiratory and ischemic heart diseases in Germany. Symposium on Challenges of Applied Human Biometeorology, University of Freiburg, 2-3 March, 2020.
• Schlegel, I., Matzarakis, A. 2020: Heat stress and cold stimulus considering short-term acclimatization – analysis for cities and health resorts. Symposium on Challenges of Applied Human Biometeorology, University of Freiburg, 2-3 March, 2020.
• Matzarakis, A., Schlegel, I., Muthers, S., Mücke, H-G. 2020: Effects of weather and climate change on respiratory mortality/morbidity in Germany. American Meteorological Society, 99th Annual Meeting, 6-10 January, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
• Matzarakis, A., Schlegel, I., Muthers, S., Mücke, H-G. 2019: Effects of weather and climate change on respiratory mortality/morbidity in Germany. American Meteorological Society, 99th Annual Meeting, 6-10 January, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
• Schlegel, I., Matzarakis, A. 2018: Application of Test Reference Years basic data for human biometeorological issues. European Meteorological Society, Annual Meeting 2018, 3-7 September, Budapest, Hungary.