about me

I am the head of the Gravitational Theory research group at the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) at Bremen University.

education

09/2019 Habilitation in theoretical physics

Department of Physics, University of Bremen, Germany

05/2010 PhD in Physics
Department of Physics, University of Bremen, Germany
Thesis: Geodesic equations in spacetimes with cosmological constant
Supervisor: Claus Lämmerzahl
Grade: Summa cum laude (Distinction)

08/2006 Diploma in Mathematics
Department of Mathematics, Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
Grade: Very good

positions and fellowships

Since 01/2014 Head of research group “Gravitational Theory”
Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM)
University of Bremen, Germany

07-08/2019 ERC fellowship
at Técnico Lisbon, Portugal, in the group of Prof. V. Cardoso

04 – 09/2018 Visiting Professor
Faculty of Physics, University of Bielefeld, Germany

04 – 09/2016 Visiting Professor
Faculty of Physics, University of Bielefeld, Germany

05/2010 – 12/2013 Post doc

Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity, University of Bremen, Germany

08/2006 – 05/2010 PhD student
Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity, University of Bremen, Germany

awards

2020 Trusted reviewer
awarded by IOP Publishing

 
2018 Distinguished Referee
by the European Physical Journal

2011 Award by the German Physical Society for the best PhD thesis

in the research areas Gravitation, Hadrons & Nuclei, and Particle Physics

research grants

04/2023 - 03/2027 German Research Foundation (DFG), Research Unit 'Clock Metrology: A Novel Approach to TIME in Geodesy'
Principal Investigator for project P4 'General relativity and coherent time'

03/2023 - 02/2026 German Research Foundation (DFG), 'General relativistic theory of charged accretion disk structures around black holes: influence of the (self)-electromagnetic interaction'
Co - Investigator

01/2021 - 12/2024 German Research Foundation (DFG), Collaborative Research Center 'TerraQ: Measuring Climate Change Processes with Unmatched Accuracy'

Principal Investigator for project C03 ' Relativistic Geodesy from Space Using Novel Measurement Concepts'

10/2016 – 03/2021 German Science Foundation (DFG), Research Training Group 'Models of Gravity'
Principal Investigator for Research Topic (RT) ‘Environment of compact objects’

10/2014 – 06/2019 German Science Foundation (DFG), Collaborative Research Center ‘Relativistic Geodesy  and Gravimetry with Quantum Sensors’ (geo-Q),
Principal Investigator for project C02 ‘Relativistic orbit modeling of satellite constellations’

11/2015 – 09/2017 European Space Agency (ESA), “Fundamental Physics with Galileo: GNSS General Relativity Experiment (GREAT)”,
Co–Investigator for ‘Recommendations for a future dedicated GNSS science mission’

teaching and supervisory experience

since 2021 Courses on "Topics in higher theoretical physics" at Bremen University
2013 – 2020 Courses on “Introduction to General Relativity” at University of Bremen and University of Bielefeld
2016 – 2017 Courses on “Advanced Quantum mechanics” and “Quantum computing and information” in Bremen and Bielefeld
2012 – 2013 Courses on “Relativistic celestial mechanics” at University of Bremen

Supervision of PhD theses

Dennis Philipp, Kris Schroven, Shokoufe Faraji, Jan Hackstein

organisation of international scientific meetings

689. WE-Heraeus Seminar on "Accretion in Strong Gravity", February 4th - 8th, 2019, Bad Honnef, Germany
Scientific organizer (with W.J. Duschl, Kiel)

15th Marcel Grossman Meeting, July 1st – 7th , 2018, Rome, Italy
Organizer of parallel session “Accretion discs and jets” (with A. Trova, Bremen)

14th Marcel Grossman Meeting, July 12th – 18th , 2015, Rome, Italy
Organizer of parallel session “Dynamics of extended test objects – equations of motion and their solution” (with D. Puetzfeld, Bremen)

558. WE-Heraeus Seminar on “The strong gravity regime of Back Holes and Neutron Stars”, March 31st – April 4th , 2014, Bad Honnef, Germany
Scientific organizer (with N. Wex, Bonn and H. Falcke, Nijmegen)

other
reviews
completed more than 80 reviews
journals include: Science, Physical Review Letters, Physical Review D, Astrophysical Journal, Classical and Quantum Gravity, General Relativity and Gravitation, Mathematical Reviews

presentations
more than 60 presentations on international conferences
best poster award for “The gravitomagnetic clock effect” (Relativistic Geodesy: Foundations and Applications, 13 - 19 March 2016, Bad Honnef, Germany)

outreach

Presentations for the general public
Internships for pupils and organisation of the yearly summer academy course