The graduate mathematician and Computer Science graduate completed his studies at TU Darmstadt, where he also completed his doctorate on the monitoring and management of peer-to-peer systems with distinction in 2010. After working as a postdoc at the University of Paderborn and as a junior professor for social network technology at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, he headed the competence group for security, systems and software at the Honda Research Institute Europe as a Principal Scientist. Most recently, he taught as a professor for networks, communication systems and cyber security at the TH Bingen. His research focus includes IT security, decentralized systems and computer networks.
What aspect of your research fascinates you the most?
Communication networks - whether the Internet or mobile communications - have fundamentally changed human civilization in a short space of time. What is fascinating is that these networks no longer just connect people, but above all allow machines to communicate with each other: the Internet of Things. In my research, I am particularly interested in how such systems can be designed to be decentralized, secure and self-organizing.
I am fascinated by the idea of creating reliable and secure communication structures based on insecure, heterogeneous devices using clever protocols and algorithms. For example, I have worked on efficient peer-to-peer systems that make social networks censorship-resistant and fail-safe - without any central providers. Overall, my work fits in with the future trend of the intelligent Internet of Things: a constant striving for efficiency, security and sustainability.
What constitutes good teaching for you?
For me, good teaching means imparting solid basics as well as making the current state of research inspiring to experience. The basic work requires different approaches: face-to-face events, supplementary video recordings for independent learning at home and the combination of theory and practical experience. In this way, the right form of learning can be found for everyone in order to really internalize the central concepts.
Building on this, the aim of further studies is to open our eyes to the current state of affairs - to open questions, established approaches and their limitations. This creates space for your own ideas and creative solutions. I find discovering and promoting potential to be one of the most rewarding aspects of academic work.
What career aspirations did you have as a child?
I never really had a specific career aspiration as a child - my development was more like a red thread. I was fascinated by mathematics and Computer Science from an early age, and this interest has stayed with me from school onwards. It started with having fun with puzzles and access to a PC in elementary school, led to mathematics and Computer Science as advanced courses in the Abitur and finally to my degrees in both degree programs. Looking back, the path to science was almost a logical one. Today, I'm lucky that my academic appointment is also my hobby.
How do you find a balance to your work?
I find a valuable balance in designing living spaces by hand. While working on the computer often remains abstract, renovating creates visible and lasting results. It is particularly fulfilling to design rooms in a homely and functionally innovative way. This ranges from precisely laid tiles or matching floor and wall coverings to planning modern electrical installations and smart home integration.
I am also fascinated by lighting design as well as sanitary and heating solutions, as practical planning and technical understanding go hand in hand here. Where possible, I integrate renewable energies to combine comfort and sustainability. This visible, functional design gives me the feeling of creating something lasting.