Mlynek studied physics from 1970 to 1976 at the Technical University of Hannover and at the École Polytechnique in Paris. In 1979, he obtained his doctor´s degree and habilitated in 1984. Between 1976 and 1981, Mlynek was a scientific assistant in Hannover and in 1982 he worked for one year as a post-doctoral fellow with the IBM Research Laboratory in San Jose, California. After three years as academic assistant in Hannover he became a Heisenberg fellow of the German Research Foundation in 1985 and served as assistant professor at the ETH Zurich from 1986 to 1990. In 1990, Mlynek became a full professor for experimental physics at the University of Konstanz. There he realized an atom inferometer for the first time and conducted groundbreaking experiments in the field of atom optics and quantum optics. Among them are his works on the Heisenberg microscope and the measurement of the Wigner function of the quantum state of matter and light. Since 2000 he has been professor for experimental physics at the Humboldt University of Berlin. From 1996 to 2001, he was vice president of the German Research Foundation where he dedicated himself to encouraging young academics. Between 2000 and 2005, Mlynek was president of the Humboldt University. During his term of presidency, he had to implement a series of reforms due to drastic reductions in order to downsize structures and to promote excellence. Besides, the sciences moved from Berlin Mitte to Adlershof and it was decided to build the Grimm library in Berlin Mitte. In 2005, shortly after his reelection as president of the Humboldt University, Mlynek switched to the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, Germany’s largest science organization, and became president. In June 2009, he was reelected for a second and last presidential term. During his presidency, program-oriented research was enhanced and the Helmholtz mission was strengthened in terms of strategic research for the national benefit. In addition, he developed new tools of strategic cooperation with universities like Helmholtz alliances and Helmholtz Institutes. In 2006, Mlynek was one of the co-founders of the foundation "Haus der kleinen Forscher" which was supported by the Helmholtz Association from the beginning. It has now become the most successful initiative on education for young children in the German speaking countries. Furthermore, he established the Helmholtz Management Academy for teaching management techniques in the domain of science. The academy is also open to partner organizations and universities. Since September 2015 he has resumed teaching as a professor in the physics department of the Humboldt University. Since the spring term in 2016, he has been officially released as a professor. Among his offices are Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Falling Walls Foundation, Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Board of the European Quantum Technology Flagship Initiative, Chairman of the Foundation Board at the "Haus der kleinen Forscher", Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Foundation Brandenburger Tor, board member of the Wilhelm und Else Heraeus Foundation, as well as member of various university and science committees. Furthermore, he is a board member of the Holtzbrinck publishing group, of the company Carl Zeiss and WISTA-Management GmbH. Mlynek worked in the field of experimental quantum optics, atomic physics and surface physics. He has published more than 200 papers. He is married since 1972 to teacher Dagmar Mlynek and has two sons.
