Vice President for Research, Transfer and Sustainability at Anhalt University of Applied SciencesPresentation of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences Research AwardHabilitation at the Technical University of Berlin in the field of vegetation ecology, topic of the cumulative habilitation: Renaturation after lignite miningAwarded the Research Prize of the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt for ‘Applied Research’Appointed Professor of Vegetation Science and Landscape Ecology at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, visiting professor (Erasmus exchange and LIFE expert exchange) at the Agricultural University of Iceland (6/2015), Lincoln University Canterbury (3/2012) and Çukurova University Adana (3/1998, 3/1999, 3/2001)Postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Geobotany and Botanical Garden of Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergDoctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) on the topic: ‘The role of diaspore fall and diaspore banks in the course of secondary succession using the example of arable and grassland fallow land’, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergResearch assistant at the Institute of Geobotany and Botanical Garden of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg & part-time position at the FAA Education Centre in BornaDegree in Biology from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Research areas
Renaturation and management of grassland habitats and heathlands: (I) Basic studies and long-term experiments on the reintroduction of target species and the optimisation of habitat type management; (II) Development of best practice methods for the renaturation and management of Natura 2000 habitat types and populations of species listed in the Habitats Directive
Increasing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: (I) Experiments and development of methods for integrating biodiversity-promoting measures with a focus on flower strips and field margins, (II) Evaluation of the ecological effectiveness of measures implemented in practice
Development of multifunctional land use systems: biodiversity solar parks, agri-photovoltaic systems, biodiversity vineyards, post-mining landscapes
Evaluation of compensation and replacement measures: development of procedures for efficiency checks of compensation and replacement measures, optimisation of procedures
Knowledge transfer: development of effective transfer formats for practical application
Memberships
Member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of the BMLEH (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) since 2025
Member of the Scientific Advisory Board ‘UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’ (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection) since 2023
Nature Conservation Advisory Council of the Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture and Energy of Saxony-Anhalt: Member since 2000 and Chair since 2019
Advisory Council of the South Harz Karst Landscape Biosphere Reserve: Member since 2004 and Chair since 2017
Netzwerk Renaturierung: Founding member and board member since 2016
Stiftung Kulturlandschaft Saxony-Anhalt: Deputy Chair since 2016
Floristisch-soziologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V.: Member since 1994 and board member since 2016
European Section of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER): Member since 1998 and board member since 2006
Landschaftspflegeverein Saaletal e.V.: Board member since 2010
Botanischer Verein Saxony-Anhalt: Chair since 1999
Gesellschaft für Ökologie e.V.: Member since 1994
Naturschutzbund Deutschland NABU: Member since 1994