Intermediate Diploma Physics, TU Darmstadt, Germany, 1986.

Diplom Physics (MSc), University of Göttingen, Germany, 1989.

Dr. rer. nat. Physics (PhD), Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry Göttingen, Germany, 1992.

Habilitation (DSc), TU Berlin, Germany 2001.

College Lecturer UCC Chemistry Department 1999-2003.

College Lecturer UCC Physics Department 2003-2006.

Senior Lecturer UCC Physics Departmenrt 2006-2014.

Professor (Scale 2) UCC Physics Department 2014-present.

Laser spectroscopy and photophysics of compounds in gas, liquid and solid phases. Current research is directed towards the following topics:

· Applications of cavity ring-down spectroscopy to relevant problems in atmospheric physics/chemistry.

· Radical kinetics and trace gas detection.

· Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) for aerosol detection.

· Development of compact instruments for future field experiments.

· Spectroscopy of large organic compounds in seeded supersonic jets.

· Investigation of weak forbidden transitions in large jet-cooled aromatics.

· Formation of noble metal colloids in suspension using laser ablation.

· Third order nonlinear properties of novel materials, including porphyrins and colloidal systems.

Experimental techniques employed are:

· Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS).

· Incoherent Broadband (IBB) and and single mode Cavity Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy (CEAS). 

· Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) or Phosphorescence (LIP).

· Multi-Photon Excitation (MPE) and Ionization(MPI).

· Z-scan method.

· Laser ablation and laser induced plasma spectroscopy.  

Local Research groups:

· Founder and leader of the Laser Spectroscopy Group (Physics Department, UCC) (http://laser-spectroscopy.ucc.ie).

· Director and Section Leader in the Centre for Research into Atmospheric Chemistry (CRAC), Chemistry Department, UCC  (http://crac.ucc.ie/).

· Associated with Sustainability Institute.

· Strong Affiliation with Materials Group (School of Chemistry, UCC)