Markus holds a tenured postdoctoral position at Graz University of Technology and has served as the institute’s deputy since October 2024. His research focuses on maintenance and renewal strategies for railway tracks and turnouts, based on a thorough understanding of their technical behaviour. In his PhD thesis, he analysed how short irregularities in the rail surface affect local track settlements. His current research aims to identify the main drivers of track degradation and to foster a cause-based perspective in asset management.