Dr. Nikolas Zimmermann

Dr. Nikolas Zimmermann

- Zimmermann IT Consulting -

Senior Software Architect, Astroparticle physicist

Find out more!

Introduction

I'm a highly-experienced C++ software architect with a proven track
record of experience in Web technologies and in fundamental research.

I'm one of the two founders of ksvg2, an open-source implementation of the Scalable Vector Graphics Web standard, which debuted in 2001 within the KDE open-source project. A few years later it got integrated into WebKit and provided the foundation of the SVG support in all WebKit derived browsers such as Apple Safari, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Scalable Vector Graphics

I've co-founded kdom, kcanvas, ksvg2, khtml2 with my colleague Rob Buis.

These were pioneering projects paving the way for SVG in the modern Web.

Furthermore I'm a member of the W3C SVG working group and was an invited expert in the past.

Programming expert

I'm designing software since more than two decades and have vast experience in large-scale software development.

I'm fluent in C, C++, Python, Perl, SVG, CSS, HTML, JavaScript.

I enjoy learning new technologies and adapt to state of the art technology.

Fundamental research

I hold a PhD in astroparticle physics obtained from RWTH Aachen University.

I performed a measurement of the cosmic-ray electron / positron flux using the AMS-02 experiment on the International Space Station - this is the main result of my PhD thesis.

Work

An excerpt from my work life...

From 2006 - 2010 I worked as a research assistant at the 1. Physikalisches Institut B - RWTH Aachen University, setting up test facilities for the AMS-02 laser alignment system, precise characterizations of the physical properties of Silicon Photomultipliers - proposed for the PERDaix experiment - and various hardware/software related projects that ultimately lead to the construction of a novel data analysis framework for the AMS-02 experiment on the International Space Station.


In 2008 I've started working part-time for TorchMobile, located in Toronto - Canada, on WebKit related projects, such as porting WebKit to embedded devices and extending WebKit according to our customers needs. From 2009-2012 I've worked for RIM (makers of the BlackBerry phone) full-time on WebKit SVG related topics.


After a long journey into academy, I've started my own consultancy In October 2019 - Zimmermann IT Consulting - providing advice in a broad area of IT topics: IT process optimizations, custom software solutions, eCommerce / ERP systems, etc. Furthermore I'm working with Igalia - providing consulting for WebKit related projects.

Igalia consultant

Igalia is a Free Software consultancy with headquarters in Galicia, Spain.

I'm part of the WebKit graphics team, constantly working on evolving the WebKit engine and delivering the best possible results for our customers. My main focus is rendering performance, optimizations on embedded devices and bringing new features to the SVG implementation in WebKit.

Odoo ERP advisor

Odoo is a popular open-source ERP, used by more than 5 million users.

I've got a lot of experience customizing Odoo with self-developed plugins (modify workflows, improved UI, model enhancements, performance tuning, ...). I can guide you through the setup of a full-fledged Odoo instance: installation, configuration and maintaining your on-premise installation.

Shopware expert

Shopware 6, is a popular eCommerce system, developed in Germany.

It provides a modern, responsive Web frontend as heart of the eCommerce solution. I can guide you through the installation and deployment of your eCommerce shop: design, layout and logic. Furthermore I can take care of integrating the new shop with an existing ERP system.

Research

From 2005 to 2013 I studied physics at the RWTH Aachen University and obtained a diploma degree (M.Sc. equivalent).
In 2020 I finished my studies with a PhD in astroparticle physics. I have been a major contributor to the AMS-02 experiment on the International Space Station. Together with several colleagues from RWTH Aachen University, I developed a novel physics data analysis framework allowing to analyze hundred TBs of data with a fast turn-around time utilizing thousands of CPU cores simultaneously on large-scale supercomputers such as JURECA at FZ Jülich. This data analysis framework is used daily by the whole institute since years and is the basis for our physics results.

My contribution to astroparticle physics is a precise measurement of the cosmic-ray electron and positron fluxes as a function of energy and time with unprecedented accuracy - see my PhD thesis for details.


You can find a list of my publications / talks below:

    2020

  • Precision measurement of the cosmic-ray electron and positron fluxes as a function of time and energy with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    PhD thesis → DOI: 10.18154/RWTH-2020-02650 (arXiv: 2006.13210, CERN CDS: CERN-THESIS-2019-366) → PDF

    • 2017

  • Dark Matter signal from e+ / e- / pbar with the AMS-02 Detector on the International Space Station
    Conference proceedings (PoS EPS-HEP2017 (2017) 090) → DOI: 10.22323/1.314.0090 → PDF

    • 2015

  • Electron and Positron Fluxes in Primary Cosmic Rays Measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Conference proceedings (PoS EPS-HEP2015 (2015) 400 → DOI: 10.22323/1.234.0400 → PDF

    2020

  • Properties of Neon, Magnesium, and Silicon Primary Cosmic Rays Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 124, Issue 21 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.211102

    • 2019

  • Properties of Cosmic Helium Isotopes Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 123, Issue 18 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.181102

  • Towards Understanding the Origin of Cosmic-Ray Electrons
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 122, Issue 10 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.101101

  • Towards Understanding the Origin of Cosmic-Ray Positrons
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 122, Issue 4 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.041102

    • 2018

  • Precision Measurement of Cosmic-Ray Nitrogen and its Primary and Secondary Components with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 121, Issue 5 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.051103

  • Observation of Complex Time Structures in the Cosmic-Ray Electron and Positron Fluxes with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 121, Issue 5 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.051102

  • Observation of Fine Time Structures in the Cosmic Proton and Helium Fluxes with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 121, Issue 5 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.051101

  • Observation of New Properties of Secondary Cosmic Rays Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 120, Issue 2 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.021101

    • 2017

  • Observation of the Identical Rigidity Dependence of He, C, and O Cosmic Rays at High Rigidities by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 119, Issue 25 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.251101

    • 2016

  • Precision Measurement of the Boron to Carbon Flux Ratio in Cosmic Rays from 1.9 GV to 2.6 TV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 117, Issue 23 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.231102

  • Antiproton Flux, Antiproton-to-Proton Flux Ratio, and Properties of Elementary Particle Fluxes in Primary Cosmic Rays Measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 117, Issue 9 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.091103

    • 2015

  • Precision Measurement of the Helium Flux in Primary Cosmic Rays of Rigidities 1.9 GV to 3 TV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 115, Issue 21 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.211101

  • Precision Measurement of the Proton Flux in Primary Cosmic Rays from Rigidity 1 GV to 1.8 TV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 114, Issue 17 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.171103

    • 2014

  • Precision Measurement of the (e+ + e-) Flux in Primary Cosmic Rays from 0.5 GeV to 1 TeV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 113, Issue 22 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.221102

  • Electron and Positron Fluxes in Primary Cosmic Rays Measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 113, Issue 12 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.121102

  • High Statistics Measurement of the Positron Fraction in Primary Cosmic Rays of 0.5-500 GeV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Physical Review Letters, Volume 113, Issue 12 → DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.121101

    • 2013

  • Operations and Alignment of the AMS-02 Transition Radiation Detector
    33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference, held 2-9 July 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
    https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013ICRC...33.2386H/abstract

  • Identification of Cosmic-ray Positrons with the Transition Radiation Detector of the Ams Experiment on the International Space Station
    33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference, held 2-9 July 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
    https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013ICRC...33..566G/abstract

    • 2010

  • PERDaix -Proton Electron Radiation Detector Aix-la-Chapelle
    38th COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 18-15 July 2010, in Bremen, Germany
    https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010cosp...38.1628S/abstract

    • 2009

  • A Scintillating Fiber Tracker With SiPM Readout
    Nuclear Physics B (Proceedings Supplements), Volume 197, Issue 1, p. 245-249. → DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2009.10.077

  • Silicon photomultiplier arrays - a novel photon detector for a high resolution tracker produced at FBK-irst, Italy.
    Nuclear Physics B (Proceedings Supplements), Volume 197, Issue 1, p. 83-86. → DOI: 10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2009.10.040

    2020

  • Precision measurement of the cosmic-ray electron and positron fluxes as a function of time and energy with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    PhD defense → PDF

    • 2019

  • Towards Understanding the Origin of Cosmic-Ray e+
    Talk on behalf of AMS-02 collaboration, EPS HEP 2019, Ghent → PDF

    • 2017

  • Electron and positron fluxes in primary cosmic rays measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Talk, DPG 2017, Münster (https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:50000453)

  • Dark Matter signal from e+ / e- / pbar with the AMS Detector on the International Space Station
    Talk, EPS-HEP 2017, Venice → PDF

    • 2016

  • Measuring the e+ / e- fluxes with AMS-02 on the ISS
    Talk, TeVPA 2016, CERN → PDF

    • 2015

  • Identifying electrons and positrons with AMS-02
    Talk, DPG 2015, Wuppertal (https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:47075552)

  • Electron and Positron Fluxes in Primary Cosmic Rays Measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station
    Talk, EPS-HEP 2015, Vienna → PDF

    • 2014

  • The ACQt data format
    Talk, LSDMA (Large-Scale Data Management and Analysis) conference, Jülich → PDF

    • 2013

  • Direct determination of signal and background efficiencies from AMS-02 data
    Talk, DPG 2013, Dresden (https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:46000446)

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Imprint

Zimmermann IT Consulting
Dr. Nikolas Zimmermann
Eurode-Park 1/19
52134 Herzogenrath

Phone: +49 176 42167981
eMail: info@nikolaszimmermann.de

Sales tax ID according to §27a sales tax law:
DE325878155