Since May 2010	External Scientific Member of the Max Planck Society
Since March 2009	Professor of Geomicrobiology, University Bremen
Since Dec 2008	Leader of the HGF-MPG Joint Research Group on Deep Sea Ecology and Technology, AWI
June 2008 - Dec 2008	Full Professor for Microbiology, Jacobs University
Since Nov 2003	Leader of the "Microbial Habitat" Group, MPI Bremen Research on biogeochemistry, transport processes and microbial processes in benthic environments
Sep 2003 - June 2008	Associate Professor of Microbiology, Jacobs University Bremen
Sep 2001 - Sep2003	Assistant Professor of Microbiology, International University Bremen Teaching in biology (major and non-major), and transdisciplinary university study courses
Feb 2001 - Oct 2003	AWI for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven Permanent research faculty, coordination of national and international projects on microbial turnover of methane above marine gas hydrate and at cold seeps
1999 - 2001	Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology Bremen Research associate (Postdoc)
1996 - 1999	Institute of Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde Research associate (Postdoc)
1993 - 1996	AWI for Polar and Marine Research Bremerhaven Research associate (PhD)
1990 - 1992	Institute for Hydrobiology and Fishery Res., University of Hamburg Lab assistant (student contracts)
1989 - 1990	Scripps Inst. of Oceanography San Diego, CA, USA Lab assistant

University Education

1993 - 1996	Doctorate in Biology; University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
1986 - 1992	Diplom in Biology; University of Hamburg, Hamburg

Honors/Awards/Stipends

2011	Elected Member of the Acadamy of Sciences and Literature Mainz
2010	Member of the German Science Council
2010	External Scientific Member of the Max Planck Society
2009	Distinguished Professor of the Jacobs University
2009	Elected Member of the National Academy Leopoldina (Section Geology)
2009	Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Prize of the DFG
2007	Teaching Award MARMIC
2006	Teaching Award MARMIC
2006	Medaille de la Societe d’Oceanographie de France
2005	Teaching Award MARMIC
2004	Invited Professor University Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris 6)
2000	FEMS Young Scientist Award for the participation in the 7th EMMS
1999	FEMS Young Scientist Award for the participation in the conference “Enzymes in the Environment“
1999	DFG Stipend for the participation in the 9th Goldschmidt Conference
1998	DFG Stipend for the participation in the Gordon Research Conference on Polar Marine Science
1997	EU Stipend for the participation in DIALOG II
1991	IAESTE Stipend of the DAAD
1986-1989	Stipend of the” Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes”