Born 1960 in Mainz. Study of physics and chemistry, doctorate in chemistry Mainz Univ. (1985), German Habilitation in physical chemistry Mainz Univ. (1990), lecturer Mainz Univ. (1991), Professor Marburg Univ. (1991), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces (since 1993), Professor at Potsdam University (since 1995).