Hans-Peter Schmidt

Current Activity: Hans-Peter Schmidt is director of the Delinat-Institut for Ecology and Climate Farming in Valais (Switzerland). He studied Visual Communication and Philosophy in Hamburg; then years of travelling and working as journalist and translator followed. Since 2003, he occupied different teaching positions at Goethe-Institute in Brussels, College of St. Maurice and University Bern. After extended studies on the influence of Ecology for the cultural rise and fall of the Ancient Orient, he decided to explore the archaeology of experience and founded together with his wife the experimental wine garden Mythopia in Valais. In 2009, Mythopia became the research centre of the new founded Delinat Institute. With his institute he develops concepts for the remediation of agronomic ecosystems, the improvement of cityscapes through biodiversity and carbon sequestration. He works on the integration of renewable energy production into landscape and is consultant to the WWF for renewable energy and nutrient cycles. Rapidly, the Delinat Institute became one of the leading research centres for the use of biochar and is consultant to more than 100 European vineyards that follow its ecological guidelines and certification scheme. Hans-Peter Schmidt chairs the Biochar Science Network Switzerland and is Board Member of the European Biochar Foundation. He is editor of the Ithaka Journal for Ecology and Viticulture.

Education: 1992 — 1997
Study of Visual communication and philosophy, Hamburg, Germany
Career: since 2009
Director of the Delinat-Institute for ecolgy and climate farming, Valais, Switzerland; since 2009
Editor of the Ithaka-Journal; 2004
Founder of mythopia (ecological farm), Valais, Switzerland; 2003 — 2008
Various teaching positions in religious studies, philosophy, German literature at University Bern, Switzerland; Goethe-Institute in Brussels, Belgium; College de St. Maurice, Switzerland; 1997 — 2008
Work as publicist and translator in Brussels, Berlin, Provence, Valais

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