Born 1965, in Eutin, Germany. Study of Physics (1985-1991) and Ph.D. (1994) at Kiel University, guest scientist in Nancy, France (1992-1994), Stockholm, Sweden (1995) and Marseille, (1996). Habilitation (1998), venia legendi (1999), Professor of Experimental Physics at University of Greifswald since 1999. Director at Greifswald Branch of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics since 2001.