Since 1990 Martin Kappa is scientific assistant at the chair in Physical Geography at the University of Mannheim with areas of responsibility in teaching and research. From October 1998 to November 1999 private lecturer at the University of Mannheim. Since 1st of October 2000 Professor at the University of Gottingen and Head of the Cartography, GIS and Remote Sensing Department.

Martin Kappa research interests include Remote Sensing / GIS in Climatology and Ecology, Field- and Laboratory-Spectrometry (ASD Field Spec), Assessment of natural landscape potential with IT-Methods and Ground-Truth-Data (Land Cover / Land Change), Land Cover / Land Use Change, Landscape degradation esp. in Dry Lands Health Geography:Geographical Determinants of Healthand Food Secruity.