CV#

As a computer engineer with passion for hardware, I like to understand how computing systems work. Currently I guide students in programming & hardware design and build efficient & reliable processors as part of my research.

Professional experience#

Professor of embedded and autonomous systems
Deggendorf Institute of Technology
Sep 2019 - present

  • Teaching courses in programming and hardware design

  • Research in fault-tolerant and efficient computer architectures

  • Faculty representative for academic partnerships and counselor for studying abroad

Research scientist for embedded systems security
Siemens
Apr 2017 - Mar 2019 (2 years)

  • Integrated IP blocks into SoC FPGA-based network monitoring hardware

  • Designed an architecture for an FPGA-based cryptographic accelerator for OpenSSL

  • Researched on security of new FPGA-based processing architectures

Research scientist for reliable embedded systems
University of Bremen
Jan 2013 - Nov 2016 (~4 years)

  • Researched on fault-tolerance techniques for digital circuits

  • Developed a tool for applying parity-based error detection on netlists

  • Developed a tool for error injection on technology netlists for fault-tolerance tests

Research scientist for avionics systems
DLR – German Aerospace Center
Mar 2012 - Mar 2015 (~3 years)

  • Developed FPGA-based digital circuits for a satellite computer

  • Developed a Makefile-based workflow automation frontend for different synthesis tools

  • Prepared an ESA research proposal on a new valve control system for Ariane 5

Intern for hardware design
Philips
Jun 2010 - Feb 2012 (1 year 9 months)

  • Developed an FPGA-based 10 Gbit/s sensor data acquisition system

  • Designed and assembled high frequency PCBs

  • Evaluated POF transceivers and jitter cleaners for magnetic field environments

Academic education#

PhD
University of Bremen
Jan 2013 - Aug 2017

Thesis: Parity-based Error Detection with Recomputation for Fault-tolerant Spaceborne Computing, presentation slides

Computer engineering
RWTH Aachen University
Oct 2005 - Feb 2012

Thesis: FPGA-based Coincidence-Unit for Digital Positron Emission Tomography

Miscellaneous#

AGI safety fundamentals course participant
BlueDot Impact
Feb 2023 - Apr 2023 (3 months)

Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is one of the potential existential risks in future. AGI safety research tries to mitigate the risks posed by advanced AI systems. This online course by BlueDot Impact involves weekly readings and discussions in a small group of ~five participants guided by a facilitator. The course ends with career suggestions and a capstone project.

Bike ride from Deggendorf to Cambridge
Aug 2021 - Sep 2021

I was accepted as a participant in a three week English course for professors at Bell Cambridge. Instead of flying I wanted to minimize my carbon footprint and experience how people traveled when flying was not common. I chose to travel to Cambridge by bike & ferry. On the return journey to Deggendorf I additionally used the train.

Visiting researcher
FPGA/Parallel Computing Lab, University of Southern California
Feb 2020 (1 month)

Prepared a research proposal about acceleration of machine learning algorithms using new FPGA architectures.

Berlin cohort participant
Entrepreneur First
Apr 2019 - May 2019 (2 months)

  • Took part in the entrepreneurship program by Entrepreneur First where you can find a co-founder and build your own company

  • Worked with different co-founders on ideas like efficient bioinformatics data processing, speech data analysis for large construction sites and robotics for hazardous environments

Grants#

Next-generation genomic data analysis for clinics and research
Oct 2020 - Oct 2022

  • University-internal project grant of 40 k€

  • Acceleration of genomic data analysis algorithms using new FPGA architectures

  • Development of a user-friendly information retrieval system for oncologists

Reliable Computing on Many-core Processors
Jan 2020 - Dec 2021

  • Travel grant of 8 k€

  • Continuation of my PhD work – scaling error detection-based fault-tolerance to many-core processors

  • Details

Volunteer work#

University sports Aachen and Bremen
2008 - 2012, 2013 - 2017

Gave weekly aquafitness classes for students and adults

KaWo1 dormitory Aachen
2006 - 2012

  • Developed a microcontroller-based electronic washing machine reservation system for 450 residents. The system was operational for six years.

  • Installed and maintained IT infrastructure, repaired washing machines.

Roboterclub Aachen
2005 - 2007

Built robots for the annual robotics contest Eurobot