Career
In 1995 he published together with Gernot Neugebauer a complete analytical solution to the field equations of Einstein"s Theory of gravity in the case of a rigidly rotating disk of dust. He is internationally recognized as being one of the leading experts on the field of analytical gravity, and listed as a major contributor to general relativity. Education and He graduated in Physics at the University of Jena and obtained his Diploma (1981) and his Doctor of Philosophy (1984) in physics there.
After working at the German Democratic Republic Center for Research and Technology in Microelectronics (now the ZMDI semiconductor company) and the Institute for Nuclear Research (now Helmholtz-Zentrum) in Dresden and the Institute for Astrophysics (now Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam) in Potsdam, he returned to the University of Jena where he was appointed extraordinary Professor in 1999.
In 1989, he signed the "Aufbruch 89" founding proclamation of the New Forum which contributed to the fall of the German Democratic Republic regime shortly after.