1977-1982 Study of Physics at the Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Diploma in Physics
1983-1986 PhD study at the Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich
1987-1989 Post-doctoral at University of Washington, Seattle, USA
1989-1994 Research Assistant at Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich
1994-1999 Scientist at Max-Planck-Institute for Colloid and Interface Science, Berlin
since 1999 Director at the IFF, FZ Jülich
and since 2000 Full Professor at the University of Cologne