I am Professor of Geomaterials and Crystalline Materials at the University of Freiburg in Germany. My research explores the behaviour of matter under the extreme pressures and temperatures of planetary interiors. Under these conditions, changes in atomic structure can fundamentally alter the physical properties of minerals, metals, and melts. I recreate such conditions in the laboratory to investigate the processes that shape planets, from their formation and differentiation to the evolution of their deep interiors. What fascinates me is this connection across scales: how the behaviour of materials at the atomic scale can help explain the structure, dynamics, and history of entire planetary bodies.
Connecting experiments and software
The questions we can answer in an experiment depend on both the measurements we can make and our ability to interpret them. As experiments become faster and datasets more complex, data analysis becomes part of the experimental challenge itself. I enjoy working at this interface, developing tools that help turn demanding measurements into a clearer understanding of material behaviour.
Developing and sharing scientific software is a way for me to contribute beyond individual experiments. I aim to make sophisticated analysis accessible and help other researchers pursue questions that would otherwise be difficult to tackle. The research page connects these tools to particular scientific questions and published studies.
Background
My path into mineral physics began with studying mineralogy in Jena. I completed my PhD at the Bayerisches Geoinstitut, University of Bayreuth, investigating spin transitions in minerals and their effects on physical properties and element partitioning. This work introduced me to a question that continues to run through my research: how changes at the atomic scale influence the behaviour of materials under extreme conditions.
I subsequently worked as a beamline scientist at GSECARS at the University of Chicago, followed by a research position at the University of Cologne. At DESY in Hamburg, I worked as an instrument scientist for the HED instrument at European XFEL, contributing to the installation of its diamond anvil cell setup. In 2021, I took up a tenure-track junior professorship at the University of Freiburg. Working across these settings has shaped my approach to research, bringing together the development of experiments, scientific instrumentation, and the software needed to interpret the results.
You can explore my research, publications, and CV elsewhere on this site. I welcome conversations about scientific questions, potential collaborations, and the development of research software. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss an idea.