I have returned to good old Europe. In September 2012 I have started an ERC-funded independent research group at the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany. The goal is to study some of the most fundamental astrophysical processes that lead to the formation of interstellar molecules. Among other things, we have the onset of organic chemistry in space and the gas-phase formation of interstellar water on our agenda. While our activities are centered around the new Cryogenic Storage Ring (CSR) project, we will continue to use ion traps and laser spectroscopy for reaction studies and the preparation of cold molecular ions.
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