Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Chris Volkmar
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A10.6.25 - +49 641 309-1974
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Büro: A10.6.25
Chris Volkmar studied information and communication technology at the THM from 2007 to 2011, where he subsequently worked as a scientific assistant in the field of electric space propulsion (Electric Propulsion) as part of the LOEWE focus RITSAT. In 2015, he received his doctorate in physics from Justus Liebig University in Giessen. From 2016 to 2019 he was technical team leader in the field of Electric Propulsion at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology in the Spacecraft Department, where he was responsible for industry-related tests of electric space thrusters and the development of novel sensors and numerical models.
In October 2019, Chris Volkmar was appointed Professor of Electric Space Propulsion and Electromagnetic Compatibility at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the THM. His research focuses on the further development of electric space thrusters, measurement and system technology as well as numerical tools for describing the processes in these engines that are relevant for electronics development.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Probst
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A21.2.02a - +49 641 309-1935
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Büro: A21.2.02a
Uwe Probst studied general electrical engineering at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, where he was also awarded his Doctor’s degree for his thesis on digital control methods for electrical asynchronous drives. He worked in the industries from 1994 to 2003 – first in the field of electrical development and then µC programming for LANG GmbH & Co. KG in Hüttenberg, and from 2000 to 2003 as the head of development.
Since 2003, Uwe Prost is a professor for power electronics at THM. His research fields and areas of specialization include the development of power electronics and control algorithms for ion thrusters as well as the development of new circuit topologies for small-sized block-type thermal power stations (BTTPs).
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Jens Simon
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A21.1.02a - +49 641 309-1939
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Büro: A21.1.02a
Jens Simon received a diploma in automation engineering from the University of Applied Sciences (THM) in 2012. He then worked as a research assistant at THM as part of the LOEWE focus RITSAT in the field of electric space propulsion. At the same time, he completed his Master's degree in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at THM in 2015 as the best student of the year and obtained his doctorate in Physics at Justus Liebig University Giessen in 2016.
In his dissertation, he dealt with electronics development for electric space thrusters, which resulted i.e. in a patent for controlling a high-frequency generator. Subsequently, he took over the management of the laboratory for space electronics of the working group at THM, which emerged from the LOEWE focus RITSAT.
In the period 2018-2022, Jens Simon first worked at ArianeGroup GmbH as a development engineer for electric space propulsion systems and finally took over the working group for electric propulsion systems at the German Aerospace Center, Spacecraft Department, in Göttingen. In March 2022, he accepted an offer from Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences to become Professor of General Electrical Engineering, in particular Power Electronics and Analog Circuit Technology. He finally returned to THM as a professor in the winter semester of 2023. His research focuses on the development of power electronics and control technology.
Prof. Dr. em. rer. nat. Rainer Thüringer
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Rainer Thüringer studied physics from 1971 to 1977 and was awarded the Doctor’s degree in 1980 for his thesis on high-frequency ion sources in plasma physics. This shifted his focus to circuit boards. During his ten-year-long occupation in the industries for circuit boards and assemblies as a product manager and manufacturing supervisor, his area of specialization was design and manufacturing of impedance-controlled high-speed assemblies.
Since 1993, Prof. Thüringer lectures at THM, EI department in Giessen – specialized in assembly and device construction as well as electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and high-speed design. In our EMC test lab for lectures and pre-compliance measurements, research theses are put into practice.
In September 2013, Prof. Thüringer was elected as member of the FED executive board (German professional association for design and manufacturing of circuit boards and assemblies); to date, he is still in charge of the professional training and advanced vocational training. Since 2002, he is also a member of the Steering Committee of IPC Designers Council, the American partner company of FED; here, he works on the conceptualization of internationally standardized modules concerning vocational training for the correct operation of circuit board and high-speed design for EMC.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Frey
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A21.3.03 - +49 641 309-1942
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Büro: A21.3.03
Jochen Frey was awarded the diploma in electrical engineering by Siegen University in 2001; his area of specialization was microelectronics. Consecutively, he completed his doctorate in the area of CMOS image sensors for 3D space detection and tracking in 2007. Jochen Frey worked in the industries as an analog/mixed signal designer and team leader for nine years, while participating in multiple product development and research projects.
In 2011, he became a professor lecturing at THM, EI department. His research fields are the development of analog/mixed signal circuits as well as sensorics and measurement technologies.
Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Reeh
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
- +49 178 9699059
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Büro: A10.7.26b
After his professional training as a mechatronics engineer, Andreas Reeh began his dual course of studies program in collaboration with the company Linde + Wiemann. He completed the Engineering (B.Eng.) and Systems Engineering (M.Eng.) study programs, with electrical engineering as his area of specialization. During this time, he worked in the sectors of advance development as well as electrical connection technologies and process / installation engineering. He then worked in the sector of thermoforming technologies as a process developer, responsible for the conceptualization and installation of universal large-scale manufacturing facilities for press hardening and Accra processes.
Since April 2016, Mr. Reeh has been working as a research assistant for the Space Electronics research group of THM and did his Doctor's program in collaboration with the Justus-Liebig-University. His main focus is modeling for the simulation of ion thrusters including their coupling with the RF periphery. He completed his dissertation in February 2021 with the predicate suma cum laude and will remain with us.
Dr. rer. nat. Michael Kretschmer
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
- Heinrich-Buff-Ring 16, 35392 Gießen Raum 231
- +49 641-99-33163
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Büro: Raum 231
Michael Kretschmer completed his studies in physics at the University of Karlsruhe with an experimental diploma thesis at the former Nuclear Research Center and worked from 1994 at DLR in Cologne on the SESAME-CASSE instrument for the lander probe 'Philae' of the ESA mission 'Rosetta'. After completing his PhD in Cologne, he turned his attention to another research area, complex ('dusty') plasmas in weightlessness. As of 2001, he worked at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching with plasma crystal experiments on the International Space Station ISS and on numerous parabolic flights. On the plasma device 'PK-4' for the ISS, he was significantly involved in the development and qualification as a project scientist. In 2014 he moved to the I. Physikalisches Institut of the JLU in Gießen, where he performed further experiments on the ISS and on parabolic flights.
Since 2022, Michael Kretschmer has been involved in the JLU-THM collaborative project 'COPLAMA', in which he will prepare further experiments with complex plasmas on the ISS, as well as investigate their automation, for example with the help of artificial intelligence.
Edwin Beller M.Sc.
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A10.5.27 - +49 641 309-1959
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Büro: A10.5.27
In March 2020, Edwin Beller graduated from THM with the bachelor's degree program in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (B.Eng.). The topic of his bachelor thesis was the development of a test system for RFID readers in the UHF frequency range and was carried out at FEIG ELECTRONIC. In the following consecutive master study (M.Sc.) he specialized in electronics and simulation technology. Until the master thesis he was a member of the Image Processing, Photonics and Microelectronics research group, where he worked as scientific assistant for the simulation of Mie scattering on nanowires.
Since April 2021, Mr. Beller has been a member of the Space Electronics research group at the THM. His master thesis is on researching an alternative circuit topology for radio frequency ion thrusters. This is carried out as part of the CAMERADO project.
Philip Peters M.Sc.
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A10.5.27 - +49 641 309-1977
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Büro: A10.5.27
Philip Peters studied general electrical engineering (B. Eng.) as part of Studium Plus and the partner company Siemens AG in Marburg. During his master's studies (M. Sc.) at the department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology in Giessen, he worked at Werth Messtechnik GmbH and dealt with X-ray computed tomography.
After working as an engineer at Werth for almost one year, Mr. Peters has been employed as a research assistant at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen since October 2021. He is conducting research on the SIMKORF project on the design optimization of RF ion engines. The focus is on plasma simulations and the extension of existing models to replicate real engine behavior.
Jan Lukas Ibs M.Sc.
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A10.5.25 - +49 641 309-1931
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Büro: A10.5.25
Jan Ibs completed his Bachelor's degree in 2022 and his Master's degree in 2024 in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen. During his Master's degree, he worked in the Space Electronics working group and developed a radio frequency generator that was used in the “EngIneer” project to integrate an RF ion source for coating processes. Subsequently, his master's thesis dealt with the effect of ionizing radiation and thermals on the control of a class E radio frequency generator.
Mr. Ibs has been a doctoral student in the working group since September 2024. His research focuses on power electronic circuit topologies and the influence of radiation on them. As part of a collaboration with Airbus, he is working on the development of a power processing unit for an iodine-based propulsion system.
Luca Henrich M.Sc.
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A10.6.25 - 0641-309-1963
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Büro: A10.6.25
Luca Henrich graduated in December 2020 with a bachelor's degree and in December 2022 with a master's degree in the cooperative degree program in Physics and Technology for Space Applications. During his studies, his project focus was on electric space propulsion systems and the design of small satellites. In both theses he worked on the development of measurement systems for ion thruster diagnostics.
Since February 2023, Mr. Henrich has been working as a research associate in the Space Electronics group. His research task focuses on kinetic plasma simulation for a better understanding of magnetized plasmas, especially for understanding the processes in the novel C-Star thruster. In addition to his research activities, he is still involvedin the continuation of projects from his PTRA studies.
Hanna Selent M.Eng.
Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A10.5.25 - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Büro: A10.5.25
Hanna Selent completed her Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology with a focus on Automation Technology (B.Eng.) at THM in March 2022. In the subsequent dual master's program, she studied "Systems Engineering" (M.Eng.) with the partner company Schunk Carbon Processing GmbH, where she previously worked as a project engineer. In her master's thesis, she dealt with the retrofit of an existing plant, taking into account current safety standards.
Ms. Selent has been a research assistant in the working group since April 2024 and is working on the development of a radio frequency generator for a reference ion source as part of the Ref4EP project.
Nicolas Fuhr M.Sc.
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter
- Wiesenstrasse 14, 35390 Giessen
Raum A10.5.24 - +49 641 309-1984
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Büro: A10.5.24
Following his qualification as an electronics technician for devices and systems at LTi Motion GmbH, Nicolas Fuhr began a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and information technology with a focus on electronics at THM. He completed this in March 2022 in the fields of microelectronics and analog circuit technology. In the subsequent master's degree program with a focus on simulation technology and electronics, he worked in the Space Electronics working group until his graduation in 2024.
Mr. Fuhr has been working there as a research assistant since January 2025. As part of his work, he is focusing on a four-channel radio frequency generator that will be used to conduct plasma experiments on complex plasmas on the International Space Station ISS and follow-up campaigns.
Former Members
Dr.-Ing. Yannik Rover (2020-2024)
Dr.-Ing. Jan Erik Junker (2017-2022)
Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Reeh (2016-2021)
Dr. rer. nat. Niklas Wolf (2012-2018)
Dr. rer. nat. Timo Baruth (2012-2017)
Dr. rer. nat. Jens Simon (2012-2016)
Dr. rer. nat. Chris Volkmar (2012-2015)
Erik Jozsef, M.Sc. (2022-2025)
Mirai Alhaddad, B.Eng. (2023-2024)
Tobias Sommavilla, M.Sc. (2018-2024)
Daniel Becker, M.Sc. (2023)
Christian Rößler, M.Sc. (2017-2023)
Joscha Schmidt, M.Sc. (2019-2022)