| 1966 | born in Erfurt, Germany |
| 1985 | Abitur in Ilmenau, Germany |
| 1985-1986 | Employment at the County Mental Hospital Hildburghausen |
| 1986-1991 | Studies in mathematics at Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena |
| 1991 | Diploma in mathematics, FSU Jena |
| 1991 | Marriage to Irene Stoyan |
| 1991-1992 | Graduate Fellowship from the Land Thüringen |
| 1992-1996 | Research Assistant (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter) at FSU Jena |
| 1993-1994 | Visiting Scholar at the University of Rochester, USA, with a Research Fellowship from the DAAD |
| 1995 | Dissertation in computer science, FSU Jena, summa cum laude |
| 1996-2000 | Postdoctoral Research Assistant (Wissenschaftlicher Assistent) at FSU Jena |
| 1997 | Birth of my daughter Paula Johanna |
| 1997-1998 | Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester, USA, with a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the DAAD in the NATO program |
| 1998-1999 | Paternal leave |
| 1999 | Habilitation in computer science, FSU Jena |
| 02-09/2000 | Heisenberg Fellowship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) |
| since 10/2000 | Associate Professor for computer science at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf |
| 2001 | Birth of my daughter Ella Susanna |
| 08-11/2013 | Visiting Professor at Stanford University, USA |
| since 10/2014 | Head of Department of Computer Science at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf |