Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT) Jena, Germany (retired 2014) Institute of Applied Photonics (IAP) Berlin, Germany (since 2015, chair of board) PhD in applied physics (NMR) from Friedrich-Schiller University Jena in 1975. Head of IPHT Optical Microsystems/Fiber Sensor Systems dept./research group (1983-2012). Honorary Professor for sensor technology at Ernst-Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena (since 1998). Scientific consultant at IAP Berlin (since 2015). Author/co-author of four scientific books and more than 200 journal and conference papers. Member of Optical Fiber Sensors (OFS) International Steering Committee (2000-2014), and of journal boards and conference committees in the field of photonic instrumentation and sensing. OFS-17 (Bruges 2005) Technical Chair and OFS-20 (Edinburgh 2009) Conference Co-chair. Current research interests: novel optical sensor concepts based on micro/nano-structured fibers and materials for environmental and bio-medical application, distributed acoustic sensing, and other.