Studies in History, Social Science and Latin Language
1980-2002 Member of the German Parliament (Bundestag), main areas: Research Policy, new Technologies and Society.
1984-1986 Chairman of the Enquiry-Commission "Chances and risks of Genetic Engineering",
1987-1994 Chairman of the Committee for Research, Technology and Technology Assessment
1998-2005 Parliamentary State Secretary, then State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Education
2006-2011 Chairman of the German "Nanokommission", the National Stakeholder-Dialogue
since 2008 Member of the German Ethics Council (Deutscher Ethikrat), vice-chairman