Prof. Dr.

Wolfgang Volkheimer

Wolfgang Volkheimer spent many decades researching as a geologist and paleontologist in his beloved adopted home of Argentina, contributing significantly to the development of both disciplines, especially as they related to research in Argentina.

In the memory of his colleagues and employees, Wolfgang Volkheimer is honored for his professional qualities – in addition to holding many senior posts in Argentinian institutions, he conducted constant field research and spent a great deal of time traveling with colleagues, in Argentina in particular. He was one of the pioneers in paleontological research in his adopted country, supervised numerous doctoral students, initiated a variety of national and international projects and was involved as author or co-author in over 100 publications. Even after retirement, he continued to work as a scientist at CONICET.

Wolfgang Volkheimer received his education in philosophy and sociology; he traveled from Argentina to Germany to hear lectures at the Frankfurt School.

In addition to the many professional honors he earned, people who knew him repeatedly emphasize his human wisdom and warmth. He will remain in our memory as a great scientist, teacher and mentor.

Two species (a genera of dinosaur Volkheimeria chubutensis ^{[1]¹Volkheimeria – Bonaparte 1979 (sauropod). In: fossilworks - Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. URL: http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=38661 (Stand: 27.7.2018)}^{[2]²Jelting, Uwe: Volkheimeria chubutensis. In: Dinodata.de. URL: http://dinodata.de/animals/dinosaurs/pages_v/volkheimeria.php (Stand: 27.7.2018).}^{[3]³„Volkheimeria“. In: Wikipedia (DE). URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkheimeria (Stand: 27.07.2018)}, and a species of microflora Cymatiosphaera volkheimerii [Quattrocchio] ^{[4]⁴Martínez, Marcelo A.; Quattrocchio, Mirta E.; Prámparo, Mercedes B.: Análisis palinológico de la Formación Los Molles, Grupo Cuyo, Jurásico medio de la cuenca Neuquina, Argentina. In: AMEGHINIANA (Rev. Asoc. Paleontol. Argent.) - 42 (1): 67-92. Buenos Aires, 30-03-2005. Available online: http://www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/article/viewFile/874/1628 (Stand: 27.07.2018).} ) were named after him.

Vita

Born in Kempten in Allgäu, Germany on December 29, 1928

Died March 23, 2018 in Mendoza, Argentina

Education and professional trajectory

University studies in natural sciences, specializing in geology and paleontology at the University of Münster, doctorate

1957
Emigrated to Argentina. Received Argentinian citizenship. Recognition of his doctorate at the Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Specialized in the fields of palaeoclimatology, palaeostratigraphy and environmental sciences.

1958–1967
Geologist at the Instituto Nacional de Geología y Minería (National Institute for Geology and Mineralology). Intensive accumulation of scientific knowledge on regional geology.

ab 1967
Researcher at CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas – the State Institute for Scientific and Technical Research) at the palaeobotanical department of the Argentinian Natural History Museum Bernardino Ricadavia (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia).

1976
Manager of the palaeobotanical department of the Argentinian Natural Museum Bernardino Rivadavia.

1984
Foundation of a independent research group within CONICET in the fields of bio-stratigraphy and palaeoecology (PRIBIPA) in Mendoza.

1993–2011
Director of the geology and palaeontology at the IANIGLA Institute (CRICYT/CONICET), Mendoza.

1994 – 1998
Director of the Argentinian Museum of Natural History Bernardino Rivadavia, Buenos Aires.

Teaching activities

1965–1967
Assistant Professor at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA): Historical and regional geology and palaeoclimatology

1982–1985
Professor at the University of Rio Cuarto (UNRC): Palaeontology

1988–1995
Professor at the Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS) at Bahía Blanca: Argentinian geology

Supervising doctorate candidates, researchers and scientific staff

International Project

1993–1998
Southern hemisphere paleo and neoclimates (IGCP/IUGS/UNESCO)

1985–1989
The cretaceous era in Latin America (IGCP/IUGS/UNESCO)

1995-1996
Scientific manager of research cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany

National Projects

Manager of national projects (PID, PIP, PMT-PICT/BID), among other works

1985/1991
Evolución Geológica del Macizo Norpatagónico y Cordillera Norpatagónica [Geological evolution of the Northern Patagonian Massif and the Northern Patagonian Ridge]

1992/2005
Palinoestratigrafía y Palinofacies de Formaciones Geológicas del Oeste Argentino y Patagonia [Palinostratigraphy and Palinofacies in Western Argentina and Patagonia]

2005/2011
Cambios paleoclimáticos y paleoambientales vinculados con la Biodiversidad: Palinoestratigrafía y tafonomía de formaciones del Mesozoico y Cenozoico del Norte y oeste de Argentina y áreas relacionadas de la patagonia [Paleoclimatic and paleo-environmental changes related to biodiversity: palinostratigraphy and taphonomy of formations of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic in the North and West of Argentina and areas associated with Patagonia]

1995–1997

Conception and initiation of the project “Atlas der Geochemie, Biodiversität und Umweltverschmutzung der Metropolregion Buenos Aires (AMBA) und damit verbundener Gebiete. A regional approach.” (Atlas of the geochemistry, biodiversity and environmental pollution in the Buenos Aires metropolitan zone (AMBA) and associated areas. A regional approach.): interdisciplinary project at the Argentinian Natural History Museum Bernardino Rivadavia, in cooperation with the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and the National University of the River Plate (UNLP). Project canceled for budgetary reasons – despite international interest in project results and advanced planning in the design of its multidisciplinary research.

Subsequent development and realization of a similar project in Mendoza: Atlas Geoquímico y de Contaminación ambiental de los Oasis Norte, Centro y Sur de la Provincia de Mendoza [Atlas of the geochemistry and of environmental pollution of the northern, central and southern oases of the province of Mendoza] as part of the CRICYT/CONICET program. Presentation of the widely recognized research results as part of the International Soil Conservation Organization Conference (ISCO) in 2000.

Distinctions

Prizes and Awards

1983
Prize of the “Fundación Konex” in botanics and palaeobotanics (PREMIO KONEX Ciencia y Tecnología/Diploma al Mérito [the KONEX Prize in Science and Technology/Certificate of Merit])

Species named for him

The dinosaur genus Volkheimeria chubutensis ^{[5]⁵Volkheimeria – Bonaparte 1979 (sauropod). In: fossilworks - Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. URL: http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=38661 (Stand: 27.7.2018)}^{[6]⁶Jelting, Uwe: Volkheimeria chubutensis. In: Dinodata.de. URL: http://dinodata.de/animals/dinosaurs/pages_v/volkheimeria.php (July 27, 2018).}^{[7]⁷„Volkheimeria“. In: Wikipedia (DE). URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkheimeria (July 27, 2018)}
Microflora Cymatiosphaera volkheimerii (Quattrocchio) ^{[8]⁸Martínez, Marcelo A.; Quattrocchio, Mirta E.; Prámparo, Mercedes B.: Análisis palinológico de la Formación Los Molles, Grupo Cuyo, Jurásico medio de la cuenca Neuquina, Argentina. In: AMEGHINIANA (Rev. Asoc. Paleontol. Argent.) - 42 (1): 67-92. Buenos Aires, 30-03-2005. Available online: http://www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/article/viewFile/874/1628 (July 27, 2018).}

Obituaries

Quattrocchio, Mirta Elena: Wolfang Volkheimer. Semblanza. [Obituary] URL: http://aargentinapciencias.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Resenas/R-tomo2-2/3.3-SEMBLANZA-WolfgangVolkheimerResN2-2-2014-4.pdf (Status as of: July 27, 2018).
Scafati, Laura: Dr. Wolfgang Volkheimer (1928–2018). A biographical sketch. Div. Paleobotanics, MACNBR/CONICET, Buenos Aires 2008. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwj77cia6b7cAhXHIpoKHRYtDPoQFjAAegQIABAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Frevista.macn.gob.ar%2Fojs%2Findex.php%2FRevMus%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F582%2F496&usg=AOvVaw0qQ1rmRNvszxoGfL3swzkG (Status as of: July 27, 2018)
Asociación Geológica Argentina: Fallecimiento Dr. Wolfgang Volkheimer. URL: http://www.apaleontologica.org.ar/single-post/2018/03/26/Fallecimiento-Dr-Wolfgang-Volkheimer?lang=es (Status as of: July 27, 2018).

Research

Links and publications

Publications

More than 100 Publications in renowned specialist journals as author and co-author, including:

1987
Bioestratigrafía de los Sistemas Regionales del Jurásico y Cretácico de América del Sur [Biostratigraphy of regional Jurassic and Cretaceous systems in South America] (1987)

1988
Cuencas Sedimentarias del Jurásico y Cretácico de América del Sur [Sedimentary basins of the Jurassic and Cretaceous basins in South America] (1988)

2000
Southern Hemisphere Paleo- and Neoclimates. Key sites, Methods, Data and Models.

Links

WOLFGANG VOLKHEIMER DIRECTOR BETACAM314-03 – Monday, November 14. 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zESPaW_65o, July 27, 2018.
Wolfgang Volkheimer’s profile on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wolfgang_Volkheimer
Volkheimer, Wolfgang; Rauhut, Oliver W. M.; Quattrocchio, Mirta E.; Martinez, Marcelo A.: Jurassic Paleoclimates in Argentina, a review. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina, 63(4), 549-556. Buenos Aires, 2008. URL: http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-48222008000400008&lng=es&tlng=en (Status as of: July 27, 2018).

Notes:

Volkheimeria – Bonaparte 1979 (sauropod). In: fossilworks - Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. URL: http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=38661 (Stand: 27.7.2018)
Jelting, Uwe: Volkheimeria chubutensis. In: Dinodata.de. URL: http://dinodata.de/animals/dinosaurs/pages_v/volkheimeria.php (Stand: 27.7.2018).
„Volkheimeria“. In: Wikipedia (DE). URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkheimeria (Stand: 27.07.2018)
Martínez, Marcelo A.; Quattrocchio, Mirta E.; Prámparo, Mercedes B.: Análisis palinológico de la Formación Los Molles, Grupo Cuyo, Jurásico medio de la cuenca Neuquina, Argentina. In: AMEGHINIANA (Rev. Asoc. Paleontol. Argent.) - 42 (1): 67-92. Buenos Aires, 30-03-2005. Available online: http://www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/article/viewFile/874/1628 (Stand: 27.07.2018).
Volkheimeria – Bonaparte 1979 (sauropod). In: fossilworks - Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. URL: http://fossilworks.org/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=38661 (Stand: 27.7.2018)
Jelting, Uwe: Volkheimeria chubutensis. In: Dinodata.de. URL: http://dinodata.de/animals/dinosaurs/pages_v/volkheimeria.php (July 27, 2018).
„Volkheimeria“. In: Wikipedia (DE). URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkheimeria (July 27, 2018)
Martínez, Marcelo A.; Quattrocchio, Mirta E.; Prámparo, Mercedes B.: Análisis palinológico de la Formación Los Molles, Grupo Cuyo, Jurásico medio de la cuenca Neuquina, Argentina. In: AMEGHINIANA (Rev. Asoc. Paleontol. Argent.) - 42 (1): 67-92. Buenos Aires, 30-03-2005. Available online: http://www.ameghiniana.org.ar/index.php/ameghiniana/article/viewFile/874/1628 (July 27, 2018).