I was born in the year 1969. Since 1994, I am married to Ania and since November 1999 I am the father of my now grown-up son Thomas. From 2009 to 2017, we had another "family member", a late bearded dragon called Jura or "Speedy Agamez".
Very early, I started to use computers. I got my first real computer mid-1983 (after some primitive consoles): an „EACA Color Genie" (comparable and compatible to a Tandy TRS-80). Two years later, I changed to an Apple ][-clone and finally to an „Atari 1024 ST" used as our family computer in the parents' house. Finally, I started to use different Macs. Professionally, I have to use typical PCs, however, I always try to also work in Unix/Linux environments. Naturally, my first coding language was BASIC with different dialects. Whilst still in school, I learned PASCAL (UCSD and mostly Turbo) and used it during most of my studies. During my PhD studies, I've learned how to use C/C++ and also some basics of Java, PHP, MySQL, LaTeX, and many more. Today, I dabble in Python and R.
Since the mid-80s, I am an amateur astronomer. What started with a small refractor (80 mm f/11), bought together with my big brother, ended with the key to the observatory of the regional astronomy association "VAS e.V." I helped to build. As a member, I was the editor of the internal newsletter (called "Infoblatt", often longer than 32 pages, printed at home on a matrix printer, copied and stabled at a shop) for years. This was also the reason to learn some basics about layouts (using PageMaker and inDesign) and typography. For more than 10 years, I was also a member of the executive committee of the association.
For 20 years, up from the start around 1998, I have worked for the German amateur astronomy page "Astronomie.de". For most of the time, I’ve moderated the discussion board and wrote reviews. For over ten years I've supervised the "Beginner's Course for Amateur Astronomers" and translated numerous press releases from the ESO. However, I’m still the children's "science agony uncle" who can be asked all scientific questions their parents can't answer. (Or I get emails from the despaired parents.) During the first half of 2005, together with Dr Christiane Schmieger from "Media in Context", I've retranslated the astronomy software "Starry Night".
Parallel to amateur astronomy I also started taking photographs. First as a student of course analog with a used Canon FTb, later with an AE-1. But early I switched to digital. The results can be seen in the Gallery.
Apart from that, I'm a graduated physicist. Here, you can find my diploma thesis and my dissertation. From 1998 to 2000, I've worked at the Department of Biophysics at the University of Saarland and from 2001 to 2007, I was employed at the Regional Laboratory for the Measurement of Radioactivity, located at the University Hospital in Homburg/Saar. Aside from the routine work, like gamma spectroscopy of food, I've measured the radon concentration in soil, in dwellings and in some workplaces, as well as the activity concentration of natural radionuclides in building materials and the exhalation and diffusion of Radon. Furthermore, this was the topic of my PhD thesis. I was also involved in the local and federal nuclear and radiological emergency protection.
After a very short intermezzo in radiation protection during deconstruction of nuclear power plans, I've started to work at the Federal Office for Radiation Protection in Berlin at the end of 2007. There, I was head of the section "Radon" and, since 2009, also of the section "Natural Occurring Radioactive Materials, Residues". Since April 2018, both sections have been combined to the new "UR 2 - Radon and NORM" I am now the head of. Currently (end of 2024) I have ten team members in this multidisciplinary group, ranging from biologists, physicists, geologists to geographers, political scientists, ... who deal with the fundamental issues and with the exposure of members of the public, make research and prognoses, formulate calculation bases, write guidance documents, inform the public, and make policy advice. I really enjoy working with them and at BfS in general.
I am a member of several organisations in both my professional and private life. For example, I was recently (October 2024) asked to chair the ‘Natural Radioactive Sources’ working group (WGNAT) of the ‘Heads of European Radiation Protection Competent Authorities’ (HERCA).
Very early, I started to use computers. I got my first real computer mid-1983 (after some primitive consoles): an „EACA Color Genie" (comparable and compatible to a Tandy TRS-80). Two years later, I changed to an Apple ][-clone and finally to an „Atari 1024 ST" used as our family computer in the parents' house. Finally, I started to use different Macs. Professionally, I have to use typical PCs, however, I always try to also work in Unix/Linux environments. Naturally, my first coding language was BASIC with different dialects. Whilst still in school, I learned PASCAL (UCSD and mostly Turbo) and used it during most of my studies. During my PhD studies, I've learned how to use C/C++ and also some basics of Java, PHP, MySQL, LaTeX, and many more. Today, I dabble in Python and R.
Since the mid-80s, I am an amateur astronomer. What started with a small refractor (80 mm f/11), bought together with my big brother, ended with the key to the observatory of the regional astronomy association "VAS e.V." I helped to build. As a member, I was the editor of the internal newsletter (called "Infoblatt", often longer than 32 pages, printed at home on a matrix printer, copied and stabled at a shop) for years. This was also the reason to learn some basics about layouts (using PageMaker and inDesign) and typography. For more than 10 years, I was also a member of the executive committee of the association.
For 20 years, up from the start around 1998, I have worked for the German amateur astronomy page "Astronomie.de". For most of the time, I’ve moderated the discussion board and wrote reviews. For over ten years I've supervised the "Beginner's Course for Amateur Astronomers" and translated numerous press releases from the ESO. However, I’m still the children's "science agony uncle" who can be asked all scientific questions their parents can't answer. (Or I get emails from the despaired parents.) During the first half of 2005, together with Dr Christiane Schmieger from "Media in Context", I've retranslated the astronomy software "Starry Night".
Parallel to amateur astronomy I also started taking photographs. First as a student of course analog with a used Canon FTb, later with an AE-1. But early I switched to digital. The results can be seen in the Gallery.
Apart from that, I'm a graduated physicist. Here, you can find my diploma thesis and my dissertation. From 1998 to 2000, I've worked at the Department of Biophysics at the University of Saarland and from 2001 to 2007, I was employed at the Regional Laboratory for the Measurement of Radioactivity, located at the University Hospital in Homburg/Saar. Aside from the routine work, like gamma spectroscopy of food, I've measured the radon concentration in soil, in dwellings and in some workplaces, as well as the activity concentration of natural radionuclides in building materials and the exhalation and diffusion of Radon. Furthermore, this was the topic of my PhD thesis. I was also involved in the local and federal nuclear and radiological emergency protection.
After a very short intermezzo in radiation protection during deconstruction of nuclear power plans, I've started to work at the Federal Office for Radiation Protection in Berlin at the end of 2007. There, I was head of the section "Radon" and, since 2009, also of the section "Natural Occurring Radioactive Materials, Residues". Since April 2018, both sections have been combined to the new "UR 2 - Radon and NORM" I am now the head of. Currently (end of 2024) I have ten team members in this multidisciplinary group, ranging from biologists, physicists, geologists to geographers, political scientists, ... who deal with the fundamental issues and with the exposure of members of the public, make research and prognoses, formulate calculation bases, write guidance documents, inform the public, and make policy advice. I really enjoy working with them and at BfS in general.
I am a member of several organisations in both my professional and private life. For example, I was recently (October 2024) asked to chair the ‘Natural Radioactive Sources’ working group (WGNAT) of the ‘Heads of European Radiation Protection Competent Authorities’ (HERCA).
Memberships
- Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
- Verein der Amateurastronomen des Saarlandes e.V.
- Verein der Sternfreunde e.V.
- CEN TC351 WG3 Construction Products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Radiation
- DIN NA 005-53 FBR - Hygiene, Gesundheit und Umweltschutz
- DIN NA 005-01-38 GA Gemeinschaftsarbeitsausschuss NABau/NHRS, Radongeschütztes Bauen
- Grundsatzausschuss für die Beratung des DIBt im Zusammenhang mit Fragen des Immissionsschutzes, Gesundheitsschutzes und Arbeitsschutzes
- Sachverständigenausschuss „Radioaktivität in Bauprodukten“ des DIBt
- European Radon Association
- Fachverband Strahlenschutz
- Kommission Innenraumlufthygiene (Behördenvertreter)
- Beirat „Radon“ des Saarländischen Umweltministeriums
- HERCA (Heads of the European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities), WG Natural Radiation Sources
