Research interests

Molecular systematics and taxonomy, population and evolutionary biology. Teaching the bodyplans and classification of arthropods and molluscs.

Interests out-of-office: bird watching, Finnish language and grammar‚ Jass card game, travelling to islands

Education and professional experience

since 01/2007 University of Basel, Department of Environmental Sciences, section Plant Ecology and Evolution, scientific research technician;
University of Basel, lecturer of diverse courses (see teaching experience below)
2002 - 2006 University of Basel, Department of Environmental Sciences, section Conservation Biology, lab supervisor and research assistant
2000 (Jan-Feb) Museum of Natural History (Sydney), research fellow, supported by a grant of the German Science Foundation
1998 – 2001 University of Leipzig, Department of Systematic Zoology/Ecology, lecturer and research assistant
1997 University of Leipzig, Department of Zoology, postdoc fellow of the German Science Foundation, and CNRS Genetique & Environnement in Montpellier (France), research fellow
1996 NGO Institute BIOPLAN (Tübingen), researcher in ornithological, ecological and malacological projects,  and University Hospital Tübingen, scientific co-worker as statistician
1992 – 1995 University of Tübingen, PhD thesis supported by a grant of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. In my PhD thesis, I focused on the delimitation of evolutionarily significant units of self-fertilizing snails, using molecular and morphological data series
1991 – 1992 University of Tübingen, Master Thesis on morphological and seasonal variability of hermaphroditic organs of land snails
1988 (Mar-July) University of Helsinki and Oulu (Finland), Graduate courses in population genetics and cytogenetics
1985 – 1991 University of Tübingen, Study of Biology with focus on Systematic Zoology, Paleontology, Genetics and Plant Physiology
1979 – 1985 Involved in nature conservation projects and field ornithological studies at Lake of Constance, southern Germany
1963 Born at Lake of Constance, Germany

Teaching experience

University of Basel (since 2002)

• Lecturer and supervisor for the field course Introduction to Flora and Fauna of the Swiss Alps (each spring semester, for BSc and MSc students; since 2017)
• Lecturer in two courses in identification of vertebrates and invertebrates (each spring semester, for BSc students in Biology and Geosciences, since 2007)
• Supervisor of student projects in the block course Ecology (each spring semester, for BSc students in Biology; since 2007)
• Ornithological, entomological and malacological excursions (for undergraduates and graduates during summer semester; since 2007)
• Molecular Techniques in Conservation Genetics (two-week lab course for 5 graduate students; 2003-2005)
• Theory and Practise in Conservation Genetics (4 h lecture for 40 graduate students; 2003-2005)
• Taxonomy and Classification of Land Snails (course for 50 undergraduate students; in cooperation with Basel Museum of Natural History, 2002-2006)

University of Leipzig (1997-2001)

• Molecular Methods in Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research (four-week lab course; for 10 graduate students)
• Comparative Anatomy of Animals (dissection course for 60 undergraduate students)
• Determination of Invertebrates and Vertebrates (course in taxonomy and identification of animals; for 100 undergraduate students)
• Evaluation of invertebrate collections of master students
• Faunistic Field Course (14-day field excursion on zoological diversity; for 50-100 undergraduate students)
• Ornithological excursions (for undergraduates and graduates during summer semester)

Reviewer for journals and foundations, e.g.

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution; Conservation Genetics; BMC Evolutionary Biology; Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research; Marine Biology; Acta Oecologica; National Science Foundation (USA); Israel Science Foundation