Our Place in the Universe
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Erwin-Schrödinger-Saal
Plenary
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in deutscher SprachePlenary session in cooperation with the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers
The question if extraterrestrial life exists is as old as mankind itself. New technologies that are being applied in astrophysics can answer some of these questions today. Human spaceflight will also play an important role to explain various phenomena.
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M.Sc. M.Eng. Ph.D. Lisa KALTENEGGER
Director, Carl Sagan Institute; Associated Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| 2000-2001 | Research Fellow, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA |
| 2001-2002 | Young Engineer Fellowship, ESA - European Space Agency, Netherlands |
| 2003-2004 | Consultant to ESA - Science Department via AURORA Technology, Netherlands |
| 2005-2009 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA |
| 2008-2013 | Lecturer, Astronomy Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA |
| 2009-2010 | Research Associate, Astronomy Department, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA |
| 2010-2014 | Research Associate, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA |
| Lecturer, Astronomy Department, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg | |
| Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute, Heidelberg | |
| Since 2014 Associate Professor, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY | |
| Since 2014 Founding Director, Carl Sagan Institute: Pale Blue Dot and Beyond, Ithaca, NY |
Dr.-Ing. e.h. Thomas REITER
Director of ESA's Directorate of Human Spaceflight and Operations, German ESA-Astronaut, European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt
| Education: | |
| Thomas Reiter holds a Master s degree in Aerospace Technology and a honorary doctorate from the German Armed Forces University in Neubiberg/Munich. He graduated from Goethe-High School in Neu-Isenburg in 1977, from the German Armed Forces University in 1982 and from the Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS) in Boscombe Down, England, in 1992. | |
| Experience: | |
| After completion of military jet training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, Thomas Reiter flew the Alpha-Jet in a fighter-bomber squadron based in Oldenburg, Germany. He was involved in the development of computerized mission planning systems and became a flight-operations officer and deputy squadron commander. After completing the test-pilot training Class 2 at the German flight test center in Manching during 1990, Reiter was involved in several flight test projects and conversion training on the Tornado the following year. Reiter attended the Class 1 test pilot training at ETPS, Boscombe Down, in 1992. His flight experience includes more than 2300 hours in military combat jet aircraft of more than 15 types. | |
| Thomas Reiter was also involved in ESA studies of a manned space vehicle (Hermes) and development of equipment for the Columbus module, one of Europe s main contributions to the International Space Station. | |
| In 1992, he was selected to join ESA s European Astronaut Corps, based at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany. After completing basic training, Reiter was selected for the Euromir 95 mission and started training at TsPK (Cosmonauts Training Centre) in Star City near Moscow in August 1993, preparing for onboard-engineer tasks, extra-vehicular activities and operations of the Soyuz transportation system. The Euromir 95 experiment training was organized and mainly carried out at EAC. | |
| In March 1995, he was assigned as on-board engineer for the Euromir 95 mission, a record-breaking 179 days on ESA's Euromir 95 mission (3 September 1995 until 29 February 1996) with two spacewalks (EVAs). | |
| Between October 1996 and July 1997, Reiter underwent training on Soyuz-TM spacecraft operations for de-docking, atmospheric re-entry and landing. He was awarded the Russian Soyuz Return Commander certificate, which qualifies him to command a three-person Soyuz capsule during its return from space. | |
| Furthermore, he performed collateral duties in the ERA-team of ESA, which is developing the European Robotic Arm and its ground based test- and mission control equipment. | |
| From September 1997 to March 1999, Reiter was detached to the German Air Force as Operational Group Commander of a Tornado fighterbomber wing. After his return to ESA he gave support to the ATV team and the ERA programme. He continued training at the Russian Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City from June 1999 until March 2000 for the Russian Segments of the International Space Station. | |
| On 1 April 1999 he resumed his activities at the European Astronaut Centre, Cologne, Germany. |
Dr. Tilman SPOHN
Head, Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Berlin
| Tilman Spohn studied geophysics at the Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt and got his diploma in 1975. Three years later he earned his Ph.D. and in 1984 his habilitation. | |
| Since this time he has been professor at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität in Münster and since 2004 he is simultaneously the director of the Institute for Planet Research of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Berlin-Adlershof. From 2007 onwards he has been engaged in the Helmholtz alliance »Development of Planets and Life« as its scientific coordinator. |
Dr. Jürgen MLYNEK
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Falling Walls Foundation gGmbH, Berlin
| 1970-1976 | Studium der Physik, Technische Universität Hannover; Ecole Polytechnique, Paris |
| 1976-1981 | Hauptdiplom Physik, Wissenschaftlicher Assistent, Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Hannover |
| 1979 | Promotion, Dr. rer. nat., Universität Hannover |
| 1982 | Post-Doktorand, IBM Research Laboratory, San Jose (USA) |
| 1984 | Habilitation, Universität Hannover |
| 1983-1985 | Hochschulassistent (C1), Universität Hannover |
| 1985-1986 | Heisenberg-Stipendiat der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft |
| 1986-1990 | Assistenzprofessor, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zürich |
| 1990-2000 | Ordentlicher Professor (C4), Experimentalphysik, Universität Konstanz |
| 1996-2001 | Vizepräsident, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft |
| 2000-2005 | Präsident, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin |
| 2005-2015 | Präsident, Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren |
| seit 2015 | Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Falling Walls Foundation gGmbH, Berlin |
| seit 2019 | Vorsitzender, Scientific Advisory Board, Europäisches Quantum Flagship |
