Michal Ben-Israel

Hi There!

I'm Michal (/Mixa:l/), and I’m a bio-geomorphologist, which means I'm focused on studying the relationship between Earth's surface and living organisms. 

I'm especially interested in the intersection of microbial life and surface processes. My research integrates geomorphology, geochemistry, and microbial ecology to understand how landscape evolution and ecosystem development interact over time.

I am currently a Helmholtz Global Fellow and Scientist at the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany, working in Section 4.7 – Earth Surface Process Modelling. My work focuses on how microbial communities influence weathering, soil formation, and landscape evolution, and how these processes can be incorporated into quantitative models of Earth surface dynamics.

I'm always happy to chat about the connections between life and landscapes, and how small critters and big processes work together to shape the surface of our planet.

Feel free to reach out via email or on social media!