Welcome

Who I am

I was born on 12. August 1972 in Wetzlar, the town of optics. I grew up with an older sister and an older brother in a home full of interest in natural science and technology. I have been married since 2005.

As a physicist I am with the research & developoment department of a medium-sized company, and I am responsible for intellectual property and knowlegde management.

Besides job and family, I spend time with music and astronomy.

My astronomy

Since my childhood I have been fascinated by the Night Sky. I began reading about the stars, planets and galaxies. The interest in observing was boosted one night when my father showed me Jupiter through a little telescope on a shaky tripod. Since that day I have been an amateur astronomer.

My activities cover:

visual observation
astronomical education of children and grown-ups as a member of the Astronomische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Heuchelheim
writing articles for internet and amateur-astronomical journals

Besides that I'm a maker of amateur astronomical equipment such as an 16" mobile newtonian telescope.

My music

I love listening to music - and I also love making music!

My first instrument was a flute. The next instrument was an electronic organ, which came into our home due to my brothers interest, was the next instrument. In the early nineties I began to discover the guitar as a new instrument. Currently I'm taking the first steps into the world of guitar-making.

The more I have been discovering the guitar, the more I have begun to write music. The instrumental pieces I write sound like the following example: In Perseus Armen. Besides that, I write lyrics and songs with astronomical content.

University

A few factors made it possible for me to study: My parents, a few jobs and the university nearby. I worked in the I. Physical Institute in the field of solid state physics. More specifically, I used "optically detected magnetic resonance" which combines optical methods such as absorption or photo-luminescence with electon spin resonance. It allows to determine the properties and microscopic shape of defects in the lattice such as donors, acceptors, a.s.o.

Title of the Diploma-thesis:
"Charakterisierung laseraktiver Chromzentren in KZnF3"

Title of the PhD-thesis:
"Optisch detektierte magnetische Resonanz an intrinsischen Defekten und Akzeptoren in ZnO und GaN"
... more physics

Important projects

Magellan. This was a step into the world of entrepeneurship: together with a few colleagues I ran a little astronomy magazine which sold a few thousand copies per issue.
The Astro-AG Heuchelheim, an astronomy club. I maintain the website and I am part of the board.

Besides that ...

... I love hiking and walking in Nature,
... I love taking pictures,
... I enjoy mountaintops,
... I love walking along the Seashore,
... we love visiting historical places,
... and we love our friends worldwide.