I studied Physics at the University of Münster in Germany, originally with the intent of becoming an astronomer (astronomy and space in general have fascinated me since elementary school). However, Astronomy at the University was shut down shortly after I started, and I ended up for my diploma thesis at the Institute for Planetology (in the Geoscience Departement), which is involved in Solar System research. I stayed there for my PhD, analyzing cometary dust returned to Earth by NASA's Stardust mission. Since 2008, I am working as a PostDoc/research associate at the Max-Planck-Institute for Chemistry (despite being a physicist and not a chemist) on various projects involving meteorites and cosmic dust (some dust grains being older than then Sun itself, so-called "stardust").

In a video conferencing call...

...I am happy to talk about my research.

...I can show live experiments or equipment, e.g. Show a Scanning Electron Microscope (e.g., imaging of a meteorite sample); show a Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer

...I am happy to answer questions about university and career-related questions.

...I am happy to moderate a discussion.

...I am happy to speak to others (e.g. to journalists, museums).