Born 1962, in Freiburg (Germany). Diploma in Physics at Karlsruhe University (1988), PhD in Physics at Heidelberg University (1990), scientific staff member at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (1990-1996), research visit at General Atomics, USA (1991-1992), Habilitation in Experimental Physics at Augsburg University (1996), Professor for Electrotechnical Engineering and Plasma Research at Stuttgart University (1996-1999), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (since 1999), since 2003 Honorary Professor (Physik) at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich.