As scientific head of Sermilik Station my current research focus is on cryosphere interactions, climate impacts in Arctic environments and interdisciplinary approaches in polar science. Additionally, I’m interested in secure quantum computation, cryptographic privacy-enhancing technologies and AI applications in physics, glaciology and climate research.

For almost a decade I was working more or less solely on numerical simulations in plasmonics and theoretical nanophysics, where I mostly dealt with electromagnetic fields and electron oscillations at the nanoscale.

I obtained my PhD in 2011 and continued to work at the Institute of Physics in Graz for several years. I also spent time abroad during research stays in Italy, Spain, Canada and France.

In June 2020 I obtained my Venia Docendi (habilitation) in theoretical physics and applied mathematics.

From Physics to AI, Cryptography and Cryosphere Research

After another research project had ended I co-founded a Swedish data science company, where we were working on machine learning algorithms, neural networks, and AI solutions for earth observations based on satellite and remote sensing data. In 2019 I additionally entered a new research field based on cryptography and joined Know-Center in Graz, where I’m currently co-head of the data security research area. Since October 2021 I’m also affiliated with the Institute of Geography and Regional Science at the University of Graz, where I was working on combining AI solutions with climate research and glaciology. In 2024 I started my current position as scientific lead of Sermilik Station and became a member of the Climate Change in Mountain Regions research group at University of Graz.