Background
Henning, Thomas Kai was born on April 9, 1956 in Jena, Thuringia, Germany. Son of Hans Helmut and Renate (Quenzer) Henning.
Astronomer astrophysicist physicist university professor
Henning, Thomas Kai was born on April 9, 1956 in Jena, Thuringia, Germany. Son of Hans Helmut and Renate (Quenzer) Henning.
Henning studied physics and mathematics at the University of Greifswald, specializing in plasma physics. He continued his studies at the University of Jena, specializing in astronomy and astrophysics and obtaining his Doctor of Philosophy in 1984.
Since 2001, he is a director at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. Henning is an expert in the field of star and planet formation. After joining Charles University in Prague as a postdoc (1984–1985), Henning returned to Jena where he served as an assistant at Jena Observatory, completing his habilitation in 1989.
He then became a guest scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn 1989-1990 and a guest lecturer at the University of Cologne in 1991.
Henning returned to the University of Jena that same year, taking over as managing scientist of the Max Planck Research Unit "Dust in Star-Forming Regions", a post he held until 1996. Henning became a professor at Jena University in 1992.
In 1999, Henning became Chair of Astrophysics at Jena University. A position he was to hold until 2002.
At the same time, he became Director of the Astrophysical Institute and of Jena Observatory.
The same year, he was chosen as a fellow of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and served as a guest professor at the University of Amsterdam. Between 2000 and 2007, he was co-chair of the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) research group "Laboratory Astrophysics" in Chemnitz and Jena. Since 2001, Henning is a director and scientific member at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, where he is head of the planetary and star formation department.
He retains his professorship at Jena and, in 2003, joined the faculty at Heidelberg University as an honorary professor
The asteroid 30882 has been named "Tomhenning" in his honour.
Member German Working Group Sofia, Bonn., since 1991, committee extraterrestrial science Deutsche Agentur für Raumfahrtangelegenheiten, Bonn, since 1991, astronomy and astrophysics committee Bundesministerium für Forschung undTechnologie, Bonn, since 1992. Member Astronomische Gesellschaft, International Astronomical Union, Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.
Married Ines Alma Elise Bredenbröcker, July 19, 1986. Children: Brenda, Britta.