Prof. Dr. Karsten Danzmann

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 (C4) 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 2014   Deputy Speaker Sonderforschungsbereich geoQ
Since 2009  Speaker of the HALOSTAR Graduate College
Since 2007  Deputy Speaker QUEST Cluster of Excellence
Since 2006  Speaker, International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) on Gravitational Wave Astronomy
Since 2005  Co-Principal Investigator LISA Pathfinder Mission
2005-2010  Deputy Speaker, European Graduate College GRK665
Since 2001  ESA Mission Scientist for LISA, LIST Co-Chair
1997-2009  Deputy Speaker of the DFG-Sonderforschungsbereich SFB 407 “Quantum measurement”
Since 1997  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)
Since 1993  Speaker of the LISA Study Team
Since 1993  Principle Investigator (with J. Hough and B. Schutz) for GEO600

Awards

2020   Teaching Prizes 2019 of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
2019   accepted into the Hall of Fame of German Research
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