Born 1964, in Erlangen. Study of Physics and Astronomy in Freiburg, Munich and Tucson/Arizona, PhD at the University of Arizona (1991), Member of the Institute for Adavanced Study in Princeton (1991-1994), Professor of Astronomy University of Arizona (1995-1998), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (since 1999), Honorary Professor at the University of Heidelberg (since 2000).