Traditionally an old years end is the time of reflections. No, I do not mean the bright glittering snow in some people winter holidays. I am talking about thoughts regarding the sense of life. Did I get the best out of the old year? Could I have done something better? What will be in the new year, what challenges and tasks are waiting for me? And what are my personal priorities in life? As a young PhD student – quite a few years ago – I read a Science article by Gregg Easterbrook about the social as well as ethical conflicts between science and religion. Surprisingly it did not pick out the inconsistency of both but their reconciliation as a central theme. During these days I have had many committed discussions as a scientist defending the evolutionary theory against creationists as well as defending my Christian faith against science believers. Yes, I am a Christian and a scientist (but not a “christian scientist”!). To my opinion there is no true incompatibility but just two sides of a single coin. And so I always found myself between the lines. Assumed there would really be incompatibility. Should it not be possible to have the sensibility to tolerate each others position? Should it not be possible to have the sensibility to accept that there are different levels of consciousness? Let us have a look to some of the battles fought in the US “bible belt” about what children should be taught in school, e.g.. Sorry for being honest but sometimes it seems to me like children from the kindergarden squabbling for their Lego. Who is going to tell them that they will have more fun and will be more successful when playing together? Telling you my point of view: science is giving the knowledge, faith – independent if Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Naturalistic, or whatever – is giving the sense. Both together create wisdom. In other words, science tells us how the world works, religion tells us for what the world works. One cannot without the other, or as Gregg Easterbrook used to say “they have linked destinies”. Originally published in January 2001 by Inside-Lifescience, ISSN…

For more than 25 years I had been an active boy scout. A very active boy scout. Scouting tremendously contribute to my personal growth and development in my early years. I spend time together with other kids having totally different backgrounds, which definitely broadened my perspectives. And I had amazing leaders, mentors and friends who always put a lot of trust and acknowledgement on me. Seriously, there is nothing better that can happen to an adolescent. I took my own very first leadership role in the tender age of 14, and have been a leader of various youth groups in different age cohorts over time. I have also been an instructor/coach to younger leader talents and have been in various organizational leadership positions up to federal-level (country) over time. I discontinued my commitment after nearly 3 decades when moving to a job inside the pharmaceutical industry and to a different region. But – as people say – “once a scout, always a scout”, yes, in my heart and mind I still…

Back in 2002, I decided to contribute to and play a more active part with local affairs & politics in my home town. Over time my involvement grew by being … I continued my local political commitment until we moved close to Basel in late 2008 to start a position at Novartis. Today, I am “just” a politically interested citizen. But I still look back to the exciting times in local politics, where I learned so much and met so many dedicated people across political…

My lovely daughter Leoni Carolin Velten is born. She is the star of the whole family, we are all very proud and happy, and I got immediately addicted. A new mission, a new challenge … but such an exciting and wonderful one. Looking forward to…