Biography

Born in Cologne.

School student-exchange to the USA at the Carroll High School in Indiana.

High School Diploma completed at the City Gymnasium Rheinbach near Bonn.

Completed a Magister Degree in Politics, Economics and Salvonic Studies in Heidelberg and Paris.

Research Associate at the Institute for Political Science at Heidelberg University under Professor Klaus von Beyme.

Research Associate for the research project "Pre-emptive Institution Building" at Humboldt-University Berlin under Professor Helmut Wiesenthal.

Research Associate at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder under Professor Michael Minkenberg.

Doctoral Studies at the Heidelberg University with the Dissertation "Democratic Consolidation in Post-Socialist Europe".

 Nomination of the Dissertation for the Ruprechts-Karl Prize at Heidelberg University in the Philosophical and Historical Faculty.

 Awarded the Best Dissertation in 2002 from the German Association for Political Science.

Director of the Master of European Studies Programm at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder.

Associate Professor / Junior Professor for European Studies at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder.

Awarded full Professorship of European-Studies at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt / Oder.