• 1980 - 1988: Study of Geophysics at Universität Fridericiana in Karlsruhe
• 3/1988: Diploma in Geophysics „Numerische Modellierung der tektonischen Spannungen in der Nordschweiz“
• 2. Juli 1993: Promotion „Borehole guided waves affected by stress-induced anisotropy“, Vice-Chairman World Stress Map Project
• 1988 - 1991: Researcher within SFB 108 „Spannung und Spannungsumwandlung in der Lithosphäre“
• 1992: Edward A. Flinn Award of the International Lithosphere Program
• 1991 - 1995: Research assistant at the Geophysical Institute, University of Karlsruhe, Co-ordination of the European part of the World Stress Map, Participation within research projects (KTB, EU-Projects, Europrobe).
• 1995- 2001: Researcher in the project “Weltkarte der tektonischen Spannungen” at the Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften
• 1996-2007: Project leader SFB 461 Project: „Rezentes Spannungsfeld und Geodynamik“. Project leader DGMK project 593-5: Predicting stress re-orientations associated with major geological structures in sedimentary sequences within: "Tight Gas Reservoirs - Erdgas für die Zukunft
• 2001-2006: Researcher at Geoforschungszentrum Potsdam 2006-2008: Researcher at Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften. Co-ordinator INTAS-9130 Projekt STREGEOS. Associate Partner within Australian Research Council Projekt: Present-Day Stress and Tectonics of Deltas and Deepwater Fold-Thrust Belts)
• 2009-2010: Researcher at FU Berlin – Projekt PHASE. Collaborator of ISTC Project No. G-1303
• Since Nov. 2010: Managing Director of the Landesforschungszentrum Geothermie at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Awards:

• 1992: Edward A. Flinn Award of the International Lithosphere Program

• Analysis and interpretation of borehole logging data for stress analysis. Development of Software Tools
• Processes affecting stress transfer and stress concentration.
• Physics of fluid induced microseismicity, role of stresses and pore pressure – stress coupling.
• Sources of tectonic stresses on reservoir to continental scales (current focus: Caucasus)
• Sustainable use of the underground for Geothermal, Radioactive Waste Storage, Hydrocarbon reservoirs and energy storage

• SpannEnD
• SUBI
• Landesforschungszentrum Geothermie: co-ordination of research activities on geothermal energy in Baden-Württemberg, advice for ministries, authorities and public, teaching and training, public outreach
• DAMAST – Dams and Induced Seismicity – Technologies for Risk Reduction
• World Stress Map Project

• DGMK-776 Reservoir Management and Seismicity (RMS)
• SFB 108 „ Stress and stress release in the lithosphere“.
• SFB 461 " Strong Earthquakes" - Causes, Risks and Mitigation.
• KTB
• BS-Era.net 018 Natural analogue investigation for CCS in the Southern Caucasus.
• Europrobe.
• PHASE – Physics of acoustic seismic emissions.
• DGMK project 593-5: Predicting stress re-orientations associated with major geological structures in sedimentary sequences within: "Tight Gas Reservoirs – Erdgas für die Zukunft.
• INTAS-9130 Projekt STREGEOS: Stress related Geohazards in the Southern Caucasus.
• Australian Research Council Project: Present-Day Stress and Tectonics of Deltas and Deepwater Fold-Thrust Belts.
• ISTC Project No. G-1303: The study of the structure of the lithosphere of Caucasus by means of surface wave tomography and three-dimensional modeling.