Dr Gülin Gençoğlu Korkmaz is passionate about fieldwork and wants to pass on this enthusiasm to her students. The new research assistant at the Institute of Mineralogy also brings these experiences into the lecture theatre, the laboratory, the mineralogical collections and the research and teaching mine at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Even before her first laboratory session in the upcoming winter term, the new staff member talks about her motivation for moving from the mountains and volcanic fields of central Turkey to the foothills of the Ore Mountains.
What story does a rock formation tell? How was a mineral formed? And how can we use these insights for the future? Gülin Korkmaz finds the answers to these questions out in the field: “Nature is my laboratory. Days-long excursions in the mountains or across extinct volcanic fields with steep paths, overnight stays in tents and countless measurements – I’m always up for it! Fieldwork gives me fresh motivation, brings real ‘aha’ moments, and sparks unexpected ideas… And there, in the field, my students understand mineralisation in the real world!”
The geoscientist combines her enthusiasm for fieldwork with university teaching: “For me, the field is an excellent classroom – and my favourite classroom!” Students shouldn’t just learn in theory – from textbooks and scientific publications – but also in practice, says the new staff member. Using collections, state-of-the-art microscopes, in the mine and, of course, in the field. “Here at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the conditions for studying mineralogy are excellent. I’m looking forward to getting to know the Freiberg students in my first English-language seminar!”
Mineralogy degree course stands out for its high proportion of practical work
Various geoscience collections, the university’s own research and teaching mine, modern laboratories and computer suites, as well as a drill core repository and a lithotheque, have been integrated into the training of mineralogy students from the very outset. “Alongside numerous field trips, field, industrial and laboratory placements, these resources ensure that the degree programme has a practical yet fundamentally oriented focus,” says Gerhard Heide, Professor of General and Applied Mineralogy and head of Gülin Korkmaz’s new department. “The fact that Dr Korkmaz has already gained extensive teaching experience in Turkey and at the University of Heidelberg is of great value to our teaching activities at the Institute of Mineralogy. She can get straight to work in the English-language courses, and she will soon be leading tutorials and seminars in German as well.”
The excellent reputation of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg and the historic mining town of Freiberg precedes them both, says Gülin Korkmaz: “Here, you are surrounded by geology and mineralogy, living in the heart of a World Heritage region that cherishes mining traditions.” She is looking forward to working with the Freiberg students, with whom she will be describing and analysing minerals in detail during her first practical session.
Dr Gülin Gençoğlu Korkmaz studied geology and mineralogy at the Universities of Ankara and Selcuk. She completed her PhD at Konya University in 2019 and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Heidelberg University and as an assistant professor at Konya University until 2026.
