cultural astronomer
academic background:
- physics and history of science (graduated twice, two PhDs),
- additional training: didactics of physics and astronomy, project management.
- topics: mathematical astronomy / theoretical astrophysics, digital cultural astronomy, digital history of science and technology.
Research fields concern astronomy, the history of cartography, of constellations of the world and several topics in astrophysics, astronomy from Prehistoric to Contemporary times.
Professional Activities
- 2023 organized a Scientific Workshop “The Artificial Sky Jena 2023” (external link) as a meeting of the international Stellarium Developer Team and the IAU Working Group Star Names (WGSN).
- Chair of Working Group Star Names (WGSN) at International Astronomical Union
- (2018-2023) Coordinator of the Public Science Talks at Zeiss-Planetarium Jena
- 2021/2 organized a splinter meeting “Astronomy in Culture – Cultures of Astronomy” at AG2021External link virtual
- 2020/1 organized a splinter meeting “Applied and Computational Historical Astronomy” at AG2020External link virtual
- 2017-2022 historical transients and ancient meteorology
- 2016-2023 various ambious activities to connect university teaching with dome planetarium media
Curriculum Vitae
The term “astronomer” simplifies a rather complicated bunch of graduations and qualifications (e.g. in physics, history of science, education/ journalism, planetarium and observatory technology, project management).
- academic guest stays in China (2024)
- guest stays at Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel (2023)
Babylonian Star Heaven, now mapped - Univ. Utrecht, The Netherlands (2022/ 2023)
Meteorology Beyond Borders - participated in DAAD exchange of AgriSem: Nile University, Egypt (2022)
and meeting German Egyptologists - Univ. Regensburg: history of science (2021-2023)
teaching assignments - Univ. + Planetarium Jena (since 2017)
b) computer science/ digital humanities: Planetarian University (Planetarische Universität)
a) astrophysics: Historical Transients - guest stay at Islamic University Walisongo Semarang, Indonesia (2017)
observations of the moon and Al-Biruni’s measurement of the Earth with a lunar eclipse - astronomer in Austria (2015/16)
head of planetarium and observatory, associated with University of Vienna - Excellence Cluster TOPOI, Berlin (2013-2015)
Greco-Babylonian transfer and transformation of science - Univ. Hildesheim: physics (2010-2013)
education in special and general relativity
history of science for science education - Univ. Hamburg: history of astronomy (2010-2012)
- Hasso Plattner Institute Potsdam (2008-2009)
- astronomer in Mauretania (winter) and Portugal (summer), 2005-2008
- Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (2005-2006)
- student assistant at photonics & astrophysics Univ. Potsdam (2001-2004)
- astronomer at Archenhold Observatory Berlin (1998-2005)
Education
- dissertation in history of astronomy (2013-2015 Berlin, exam 2016 Berlin)
on Hipparchus’ celestial globe, its digital reconstruction and Greco-Babylonian roots - dissertation in physics & astronomy education (2010-2012 Hildesheim, exam 2017 Siegen)
on using historical data and historical experiments for teaching (modern) science - professional training(s) in project management (2005, 2008, certificate 2017)
- studied history of science at Berlin (2002-2008, exam 2010 Hamburg)
- studied physics at Potsdam (1999-2005)
- apprenticeship “astronomer” with several exams (master-level)
at Archenhold Observatory Berlin (1996-1998)