Genealogy

A big project I've started is to compile a genealogy for my family. I hope to preserve some of the many interesting stories that might otherwise be forgotten, and maybe I can also learn something about myself by understanding where I come from. This is a work in progress!

My Path

I was born in Switzerland in 1977 and grew up there until I was 18. We lived on several organic farms in the French and german parts of the country. In 1995 my mom and siblings Berit, Jorin, Marigna, and Elin emigrated to Canada (Arva, ON). My dad still lives in Switzerland with his family. I did my last year of high school in Canada and then went to University for a long time to finally get a PhD in Astronomy in 2006. From 1996 to 2000 I was at the University of Western Ontario for my BSc. Then I went to the University of Calgary for two years for my MSc in radio radio astronomy. From 2002 to 2006 I was at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) for my PhD. I had one more degree to go though... in 2009 I obtained my BEd (Math and Physics) from UWO. Since late 2009 I have been working at Science North in Sudbury as a staff scientist.

Interests

Astronomy has fascinated me for a long time. You can find out a bit more about that in the page regarding my research. I love the beauty of the night sky. I love the beauty in nature. I hike, bike, canoe/kayak, scuba dive, and also used to climb. When I'm at home I enjoy reading books. Some favourites include Tolkien, Joseph Campbell, Harry Potter, and National Geographic. I enjoy shows like CSI, Heroes, and Babylon 5. I also watch a lot of sports on TV. I go to the movies quite frequently (check out my movie ratings), and I love going to classical orchestra performances. My music tastes are broad, from The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues, Dire Straits, over My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, Metallica and Sarah McLachlan, to Beethoven and Wagner. Some recent discoveries include Nightwish and Within Temptation.
I love to travel as well. Astronomy has allowed me to visit many cool places - from France and Spain, to the US, and even Australia. The image on this page is from the Alhambra in Granada - a truly special place. I've been to every province of Canada, but not the territories yet. I dream of canoeing down the McKenzie River someday...