Prof. Dr. Karsten Danzmann
Location Hannover
Curriculum Vitae
Director at Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
Professor at Leibniz Universität Hannover,
Director of the Institut für Gravitationsphysik
Head of the department Laser Interferometry and Gravitational Wave Astronomy
Personal Data
Date of Birth: February 6, 1955
Nationality: German
Education
1980 PhD at Universität Hannover
1977 Diploma in Physics, Universität Hannover
Academic Appointments
2004-2005 Dekan, Fachbereich Physik, Universität Hannover
Since 2002 Director at Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut)
Since 1993 Professor (W3) Universität Hannover, Director of Institut für Atom- und Molekülphysik (now Institut für Gravitationsphysik)
1990-1993 Project Leader Gravitational Waves, Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching
1986-1989 Acting Assistant Professor of Physics, Stanford University, USA
1983-1986 Staff Scientist, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Berlin
1982-1983 Visiting Scientist (DFG stipend) Stanford University, USA
1978-1982 Scientific Assistant, Universität Hannover
Other Professional Activities
Since 2020 Deputy Speaker, Sonderforschungsbereich TerraQ: Relativistic and Quantum-based Geodesy
Since 2019 Speaker (since 2022 Member of Board), QuantumFrontiers Cluster of Excellence EXC 2123
2014-2019 Deputy Speaker Sonderforschungsbereich geoQ
Since 2013 Co-Proposer, GRACE Follow-On Space Mission
Since 2011 Consortium Lead, LISA Space Mission
2009-2014 Speaker of the HALOSTAR Graduate College
Since 2006 Speaker, International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) on Gravitational Wave Astronomy
2006-2013 Deputy Speaker QUEST Cluster of Excellence
2004-2018 Co-Principal Investigator LISA Pathfinder Mission
2002-2014 Deputy Speaker, DFG Sonderforschungsbereich (Collaborative Research Center) SFB/TR7: Gravitational Wave Astronomy
2001-2009 Deputy Speaker, European Graduate College GRK665
2001-2011 ESA Mission Scientist for LISA, LIST Co-Chair
1997-2009 Deputy Speaker of the DFG-Sonderforschungsbereich SFB 407 “Quantum Measurement”
1997-2010 Member of the Programmausschuss “Extraterrestrische Grundlagenforschung des Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)”
1993-1998 Member of Fundamental Physics Advisory Group, ESA (European Space Agency)
1993-2001 Speaker of the LISA Study Team
Since 1993 Principle Investigator (with J. Hough and B. Schutz) for GEO600
Awards
2020 Teaching Prize 2019 of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
2019 Hall of Fame der deutschen Forschung
2018 Brunswick Research Prize from the city of Brunswick and the association “ForschungRegion Braunschweig e.V.”
2018 Edison Volta Prize of the European Physical Society (shared with Alain Brillet, Adalberto Giazotto, and Jim Hough)
2018 Stern-Gerlach Medal of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
2017 Otto Hahn Prize
2017 Group Achievement Award of the Royal Astronomical Society (shared with the LIGO Scientific Collaboration)
2017 Bruno Rossi Prize of the American Astronomical Society (shared with the LIGO Scientific Collaboration)
2017 Princess of Asturias Award (shared with the LIGO Scientific Collaboration)
2017 The Körber European Science Prize
2016 Fritz Behrens Foundation Science Prize
2016 Lower Saxony Science Award
2016 Lower Saxony State Award (shared with B. Allen and A. Buonanno)
2016 Special Breakthrough Prize (shared with LIGO Scientific Collaboration)
2016 Gruber Prize (shared with LIGO Scientific Collaboration)
2010 Member of the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg
2009 Fellow of the American Physical Society
2006 Member of the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz
1993 Humboldt-Max-Planck-Forschungspreis
Professional societies
Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
American Physical Society
Additional evidence of qualification
International patent application, PCT/EP 2006/062626, 24 May 2006, “Laser device”,
Leibniz Universität Hannover, Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik,
inventors: R. Schnabel, O. Burmeister, A. Bunkowski, A. Thüring, R. Rinkleff, and K. Danzmann