2001 Diploma - Geography, University of Mannheim; 2006 doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.), University of Halle-Wittenberg (Topic: "Regional Clusters in Nanotechnology. Origin, Properties, Recommendations for Action"); 2006 and 2008 Lecturer, Institute of Geography, Chair of General Economic and Social Geography, TU Dresden; 2001-2011 Research Associate, Department of Economic Geography, Institute of Geosciences and Geography, University of Halle-Wittenberg; 2008-2009 research stays in Antwerp, New York, and Surat/Mumbai; 2010-2011 Visiting Associate Professor for Cultural Geography, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Lecturer, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale); 2011-2012 Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Political Science, University of Toronto (Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Harald Bathelt); 04/2014 Habilitation (Dr. rer. nat. habil.) and Venia Legendi, University of Halle-Wittenberg (Topic: "Transnational Entrepreneurs and Knowledge-Based Regional Development. An analysis using the example of the diamond sector"); 09/2012-11/2014 Research Assistant (from 08/2013 Deputy Head of Department), Department of Regional Geography of Europe, Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, Leipzig; 10-11/2014 Visiting Full Professor of Economic Geography, Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; since 12/2014 Full Professor of Economic Geography, Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Since 10/2016 Head of Department, Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Editor of The German Journal of Economic Geography, Member of the Editorial Board, Journal of Economic Geography.