- 1974 - 1979 Study of mathematics and economics in Bielefeld
- 1979 Diploma (mathematics), Universität Bielefeld
- 1982 Graduation to Dr. math., Universität Bielefeld
- 1984-1985 Visiting professor UC Los Angeles (USA)
- 1987 Habilitation (Operations Research), Universität Bonn
- 1988-1994 Professor (C4) for discrete mathematics, Universität Bonn
- since 1994 Professor (C4) for algorithms and complexity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (I have been given temporary leave to act as Vice President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
- 1997 - 2002 Speaker of the interest group "Discrete Mathematics" in the Deutsche Mathematiker-Vereinigung
- since 1999 Member of the jury in the youth research contest Jugend forscht
- 2000 - 2007 Vice President of Research, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- since 2002 Speaker of the research group Algorithms, Structure, Randomness
- since 2002 Member of the board of the Deutsche Mathematiker-Vereinigung
- since 2002 Member of the scientific council of the DFG research center Matheon
- 2005 provisional President, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
