I am presently employed in the research department of Infineon Technologies AG. In my work I focus on fundamental research towards developing new types of components for robust image and speech recognition based on bio-analogous artificial neural networks. Prospective fields of application of these components will be autonomously controlled vehicles, monitoring and assistance systems as well as systems with integrated man-machine communication interface.

Besides research work, I have been actively engaged as head of a project financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in collaborations with different universities and research institutes. A particular focus here is the professional guidance and supervision of PhD and graduate students.

After having finished my degree in electrical engineering with a specialisation in microelectronics at the Technical University in Hamburg-Harburg in 1996, I successfully applied at the Graduate School of the Heinz Nixdorf Institute for a PhD scholarship with the intention to do research in the theory and application of neural associative memories. My decision to go to Paderborn was influenced not only by the institute's excellent technical equipment and infrastructure, but also by being offered the chance to work independently with an interdisciplinary orientation and, last but not least, because of the outstanding scientific support being offered by the professors. The team spirit and the scientific as well as social environment surely contributed to the success of my thesis.

My current position: Product development of Magnetic Resonance Imagining (MRI) scanners to determine e.g. safety features ranging from the high frequency system (HF) to software. Furthermore, I am involved in clinical trials simulation like studies of new gradient systems. Besides profound knowledge of high frequency, this work requires interdisciplinary assignments, such as leading multidisciplinary groups of experts and undertaking periodic business assignments abroad.

During my degree course in electrical engineering at the University of Paderborn I gathered multidisciplinary experience, e.g. from supervising practical experiments, heading tutorials as well as gaining insight into two research areas whilst working as a student assistant. The research was particularly industry-oriented, which made me graduate in communications engineering.

My diploma thesis in the high-frequency engineering working group had been part of a project, the results of which I presented during my visit to the satellite operator SES Astra in Luxemburg. Since I was a research associate in the field of communications engineering, I have been involved in the development and realization of microwave circuits as well as in the investigation of adaptive antennas for DTH satellite reception.

The wide and diverse experience as well as working on a high level of self-responsibility helped me to start my career with the Swedish company Ericsson Eurolab in Nuremberg. My main high-frequency focus was on adaptive antennas as well as GSM and UMTS system design. To deepen my skills in this new environment, I later moved on to Siemens.