Theoretical Physics Group, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College

Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2BZ

Qualifications:

• Studies for diploma degree: Summer semester 1995 – summer semester 2000 Physics at Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Vordiplom (pre-diploma degree) May 1997; diploma thesis „Kinematik diffeomorphismeninvarianter quantisierter Eichtheorien”, supervisor Prof. Dr. H. F. de Groote, second expertise by PD D. Schwarz, diploma degree 30. Oct. 2000
• Studies for doctoral degree 14. Feb. 2001 accepted for doctoral studies in Mathematics, supervisor Prof. de Groote, dissertation „Stone spectra of von Neumann algebras and foundations of quantum theory”, submitted 13. Dec. 2004, second expertise by Prof. Dr. J. Weidmann, thesis defense 9. Feb. 2005 (which is the date of my Dr. Phil. degree)

Research Career:

• 2000-2005: Scientific Employee at Institut für Analysis und Mathematische Physik (IAMPh), Faculty of Mathematics, J. W. Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt
• Nov. 2005, faculty of physics, Erlangen, “Das verallgemeinerte Kochen-Specker-Theorem”, invited by Hajo Leschke
• Dec 2005 – present: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Theoretical Physics Group, Imperial College
• October 2007, Deep Beauty (John von Neumann meeting), Princeton, “Topos Theory in the Foundations of Physics”, invited by Hans Halvorson
• October 2007, Potsdam, “Topos Theory in the Foundations of Physics”(2talks), invited by Thomas Thiemann
• October 2007, Cambridge, “What is a quantum thing?”, invited by The Archimedeans (Cambridge University Mathematical Society)
• April 2008: Distinguished Research Fellow, Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, Canada

Selected Publications:

• “Kochen-Specker theorem for von Neumann algebras”, Int. J. Theor. Phys. 44 (2005), vol. 2, 139–160
• “Stone spectra of von Neumann algebras of type I”, math/0501278
• “Observables as functions: Antonymous functions”, quant-ph/0510102, extended version submitted to JMP
• “A Topos Foundation for Theories of Physics: I. Formal Languages for Physics” (with Chris Isham), J. Math. Phys. 49 (2008) 053515, 25pp (quant-ph/0703060)
• “A Topos Foundation for Theories of Physics: II. Daseinisation and the Liberation of Quantum Theory” (with Chris Isham), J. Math. Phys. 49 (2008) 053516, 26pp (quant-ph/0703062)
• “A Topos Foundation for Theories of Physics: III. The Representation of Physical Quantities With Arrows” (with Chris Isham), J. Math. Phys. 49 (2008) 053517, 31pp (quant-ph/0703064)
• “A Topos Foundation for Theories of Physics: IV. Categories of Systems“ (with Chris Isham), J. Math. Phys. 49 (2008) 053518, 29pp (quant-ph/0703066)

Others:

• Supervisor for diploma degree students Patrick Erdelt and Petra Krallmann, Frankfurt, 2002/03
• Organisation of the short colloquium „New mathematical structures in the foundations of quantum theory”, Frankfurt, 10. June 2005
• Lecture „Kategorien- und Topostheorie”, faculty of Mathematics, J. W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, summer semester 2005
• Talk „Gravitation ist Geometrie”, Main-Taunus-Schule Hofheim, Nov. 2005
• Special Topics Course „Topos theory and quantum physics”, Imperial College, London, June 2006 and June 2007
• Supervisor for MSc students Alex Aicken and Marios Tsatsos, Imperial, June – Sept. 2007
• January 2008, two-monthly workshop „Categories, Logic and Foundations of Physics”, co-organizer Bob Coecke, Oxford