Professor Dr. Christian Weinheimer
Current affiliations
- Professur für Kernphysik (Prof. Weinheimer)
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Neutrino physics (Nuclear, particle and astroparticle physics): Mainz Neutrino Mass Experiment (neutrino mass, 1987-2005), CHORUS (neutrino oscillation, CERN, 1995-1998), AMANDA (neutrino telescope, 1998-2001), KATRIN (neutrino mass, KIT, 2001-)
- Direct search for dark matter (particle physics, astroparticle physics): XENON100 and XENON1T experiment (Untergrundlabor LNGS/Italien, 2009-), DARWIN (2010-)
- Fundamental interactions (Atomic, nuclear and particle physics): WITCH experiment (CERN, 2007-2013), SpecTrap Libelle experiment (GSI, 2007-)
- Development of a TMB-based detector with Cherenkov light and charge readout for positron emission tomography (PET) (together with EIMI/CiM, 2017-) Readout for Positron Emission Tomography
- Hadron spectroscopy (nuclear and hadron physics): CBELSA-TAPS experiment (Bonn, 2001-2004)
Academic Education | |
| 2000 | Habilitation in experimental physics at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universtität Mainz with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. E.W. Otten, translated title of habilitation: "Search for neutrino masses and oscillations" |
| 11/1989 - 11/1993 | PhD thesis at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, supervisor: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Backe, translated title: "A new upper limit for the rest mass of the electron neutrino from the tritium beta spectrum", grade: summa cum laude |
| 11/1982 - 11/1989 | Study of mathematics and physics at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, intermediate diploma in mathematics with grade "very good", diploma in physics with grade "with distinction". Translated title of diploma thesis: "Test and set up of the detector system of the Mainz Neutrino Mass Experiment", supervisor: Prof. Dr. H. Backe |
Work Experience | |
| since 2004 | Professor of Physics (C4/W3, full professor) at the Westfälische Wilmhelms-Universität Münster |
| 2001 - 2004 | Professor for physics (C3, similar to "associate professor") at University of Bonn, Germany |
| 2000 - 2001 | Hochschuldozent (C2, faculty member, like "assistent professor") at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz |
| 1997 - 2000 | Postdoctoral fellow (C1) at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz |
| 1995 - 1996 | CERN fellow at the European particle physics laboratory CERN |
| 1993 - 1994 | Postdoctoral fellow at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz |
| 1989 - 1993 | Research assistant at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz |
Functions and Memberships | |
| since 01/2025 | Executive Director, Institute for Nuclear Physics, University of Münster |
| since 09/2023 | Member, Rectorate Research Council, University of Münster |
| since 01/2023 | Member, Scientific Council DESY, DESY |
| since 2021 | International Advisory Board of the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences |
| since 03/2020 | Deputy Spokesperson of the Research Training Group "Strong and Weak Interactions - from Hadrons to Dark Matter", financed through the German Science Foundation DFG (GRK 2149) |
| since 02/2020 | Member of the Euroepan APPEC-SAC (Science Advisory Committee of the Astroparticle Physics European Consortium) |
| since 08/2019 | Member of the International Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC) of the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute |
| since 05/2017 | Member of the Interfaculty Centre Cells in Motion (CiM) |
| 01/2021 - 12/2026 | Scientific Member, Senate and Grants Committee for Collaborative Research Centers of the German Research Foundation (DFG), German Research Foundation (DFG) |
| 01/2024 - 12/2025 | Co-chair of the Collaboration Board of the XENON Collaboration, Collaboration Board, XENON Collaboration |
| 2001 - 2022 | Co-Spokesperson, Collaboration of an international experiment, International KATRIN Collaboration |
| 05/2019 - 11/2022 | Chair, DESY, Chair of the Astroparticle Physics Committee (APC) of DESY |
| 10/2016 - 09/2022 | Executive Director, Institute for Nuclear Physics, University of Münster |
| 04/2015 - 04/2021 | Advisory Board of the section "Particle Physics" of the German Physical Society (DPG) |
| 09/2015 - 02/2020 | Spokesperson of the Research Training Group "Strong and Weak Interactions - from Hadrons to Dark Matter", financed through the German Science Foundation DFG (GRK 2149) |
| 09/2013 - 09/2019 | Member of the Scientific Committee's of the Italien underground laboratory LNGS (Gran Sasso National Laboratory) |
| 2017 - 05/2019 | Member of the Physics Review Committee (PRC) of DESY |
| 11/2012 - 05/2019 | Chair of Scientific Council of the Cluster of Excellence PRISMA (Precision Physics, Fundamental Interactions and Structure of Matter) of Johannes Gutenberg University at Mainz |
| 2005 - 03/2019 | Chair (2013-2019), elected member (2010-2019), representative of the committee for hadron and nuclear physics KHuK in KAT (2005-, Elected committee of the astroparticle phycists working in akademia in Germany, Committee for astroparticle physics KAT (Chair 2013-2019) |
| 2012 - 2016 | Committee of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft "309 - Particles, nuclei and fields" |
| 11/2014 - 11/2016 | Dean of the Department of Physics of WWU |
| 11/2012 - 10/2014 | Deputy Dean of the Department of Physics of the WWU |
| 2006 - 2013 | Co-organizer of the yearly workshop "Arbeitstreffen Kernphysik" in Schleching |
| 2005 - 2013 | Chair of the working team "school physics" of the faculty for physics of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster |
| 2011 - 2012 | Scientific Advisory Board of the Max-Planck-Institut for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg |
| 2007 - 2012 | Managing Director, Institute for Nuclear Physics, University of Münster |
| 2005 - 2012 | Committee for hadron and nuclear physics KHuK (elected member: 2005-2010, 2010-2012 the representative of the committee for astroparticle physics KAT in KHuK) |
| 2010 - 2011 | Chair of the organisation committee of the spring meeting of the German Physical Society DPG at Münster with the divisions "hadron and nuclear physics" and "didactics of physics" |
| 2006 - 2011 | Committee of the German Ministery for Education and Research "Hadron and nuclear physics", 2009 - 2011 vice chair |
| 2008 - 2010 | Chair of the board of the internatinal graduate school FANTOM (Fundamental and Applied Nuclear and aTOMic physics) |
| 2005 - 2010 | Committee of the German Federal Ministery for Education and Research "Ground-based astrophysics and astroparticle physics" |
| 2007 - 2008 | Committee of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft "309 - Particles, nuclei and fields) |
Appointments | |
| 2004 | Offer to a Professorship for Physics (C4) , University of Münster (accepted) |
| 2001 | Offer to a Professorship for Physics, University of Washington |
| 2001 | Offer to a Professorship for physics (C3) , University of Bonn |
Publications
E. Aprile et al. [XENON Collaboration] (2024) In: The European Physical Journal C, 84(2) Type of Publication: Research article (journal) | |
M. Adrover et al. [DARWIN Collaboration] (2024) In: The European Physical Journal C, 84(1) Type of Publication: Research article (journal) | |
Fieguth, Alexander; Lang, Rafael F; Weinheimer, Christian; Wittweg, Christian (2024) In: Physik Journal, 23(3) Type of Publication: Review article (journal) | |
Althüser, Lutz; Murra, Michael; Weinheimer, Christian; Wenz, Daniel (2024) In: Physik Journal, 23(3) Type of Publication: Review article (journal) | |
Schneidewind, Sonja; Schürmann, Jannis; Lokhov, Alexey; Weinheimer, Christian; Saenz, Alejandro (2024) In: The European Physical Journal C, 84 Type of Publication: Research article (journal) |
Projects
Duration: 18/10/2024 - 19/10/2024 Funded by: Universitätsgesellschaft Münster e.V. Type of project: Scientific Event | |
Duration: 01/07/2023 - 30/06/2026 | 2nd Funding period Funded by: Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space Type of project: Participation in BMBF-joint project | |
Duration: 01/07/2023 - 30/06/2026 | 6th Funding period Funded by: Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space Type of project: Participation in BMBF-joint project | |
Duration: 01/11/2022 - 31/10/2027 Funded by: EC Horizon Europe - ERC Advanced Grant Type of project: EU-project hosted at University of Münster | |
Duration: 01/07/2021 - 30/06/2024 Funded by: Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space Type of project: Participation in BMBF-joint project |
Talks
| translated title: "Neutrino, ghost particle flying through walls" Weinheimer, Christian (14/03/2025) Kinder-Uni, Anne-Frank-Gymnasium Werne Type of talk: practical talk | |
| Direct neutrino mass search with the KATRIN experiment and beyond Weinheimer, Christian (29/01/2025) 61st International Winter Meeting on Nuclear Physics, Bormio Type of talk: scientific talk | |
| XENONnT: in search for dark matter and more Christian Weinheimer (19/11/2024) Particle and Astroparticle Physics Colloquium, RWTH Aachen, RWTH Aachen Type of talk: scientific talk | |
| Mysterious neutrinos and dark matter – laboratory experiments are helping to unlock the secrets of the universe (translated title, this outreach talk was in… Weinheimer, Christian (18/10/2024) Astroseminar 2024, Universität Münster Type of talk: scientific talk | |
| Reduction of radon in xenon-based experiments to search for rare events
Weinheimer, Christian (03/10/2024) Low Radioactivity Techniques (LRT2024), IX Workshop, Krakau Type of talk: scientific talk |
Prizes
| ERC Advanced Grant Awarded by: European Research Council (ERC) Award given to: Weinheimer, Christian Announced at: 26/04/2022 | Date of awarding: 15/04/2022 Type of distinction: Research award or other distinction | |
| Helmholtz Award 2001 Awarded by: Helmoltz-Fonds, Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities in Germany Award given to: Bonn, Jochen; Weinheimer, Christian; Hell, Stefan W.; Klar, Thomas A. Announced at: 01/01/2001 | Date of awarding: 01/01/2001 Type of distinction: Research award or other distinction | |
| Dissertation Award 1993 Awarded by: Association of the Friends of the University of Mainz e.V. Award given to: Dr. Weinheimer, Christian Date of awarding: 01/01/1993 Type of distinction: Research award or other distinction | |
| CERN-Fellowship 1995-1996 Awarded by: European Organisation for Nuclear Research CERN (European particle physics laboratory), Geneva Award given to: Weinheimer, Christian Announced at: 01/01/1994 Type of distinction: Scholarship | |
| Fellowship of the episcopal foundation Cusanuswerk Awarded by: Bischöflichen Studienförderung Cusanuswerk Award given to: Weinheimer, Christian Announced at: 01/01/1985 Type of distinction: Scholarship |
Doctorates
| Studies of Background Reduction via angular-selective Electron Detection in the KATRIN Experiment Candidate: Kevin Gauda | Supervisors: Weinheimer, Christian | Reviewers: Weinheimer, Christian Klein-Bösing, Christian Period of time: 01/10/2018 - 15/07/2024 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Lattice QCD determination of baryon sigma terms Candidate: Petrak, Pia Leonie Jones | Supervisors: Heitger, Jochen; Weinheimer, Christian | Reviewers: Heitger, Jochen; Collins, Sara Period of time: 01/11/2020 - 24/05/2024 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Search for Dark Matter and other beyond the Standard Model physics with XENON1T and XENONnT Candidate: Lutz Althüser | Supervisors: Weinheimer, Christian; Klasen Michael | Reviewers: Weinheimer, Christian; Andronic, Anton; Baudis, Laura Period of time: 01/03/2019 - 11/10/2023 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Inealastic electron scattering in tritium gas and ppm-precise energy scale at the KATRIN experiment Candidate: Rodenbeck, Caroline | Supervisors: Weinheimer, Christian; Klasen, Michael | Reviewers: Weinheimer, Christian; Andronic, Anton; Valerius, Kathrin (KIT) Period of time: 03/04/2018 - 11/07/2023 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster | |
| Purification and characterization studies of TMBi for a novel PET-detector
concept Candidate: Simon-Nis Peters | Supervisors: Weinheimer, Christian; Schäfers, Klaus | Reviewers: Weinheimer, Christian; Schäfers, Klaus Period of time: 01/05/2019 - 02/05/2023 Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster |