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I was born in Vienna (Austria) on June 26th, 1943 as daughter of Dr. med. Alfred Schickel and Vilma Welzig. From 1949 to 1953 I attended primary school (Mödling b. Wien), 1953 to 1961 Grammar school (Mädchenrealgymnasium Mödling). I passed the leaving certificate with distinction and registered at Vienna University for zoology, botany, mathematics and philosophy in 1961. In 1964 I stayed abroad at Kiel University (W-Germany) for one semester. 1965 while practising ornithology in the Camargue (S-France) I was infected by Arbovirus causing paralysis similar to poliomyelitis, but reversible. Thus I lost at least one semester. In 1968 (on July 2nd) I promoted in zoology, botany and philosophy and received the doctorate in marine biology (with distinction) (I.Zoolog. Institut, Vienna, Prof. Dr. W. Marinelli, Prof. Dr. R. Riedl). I married Dr. Franz Krapp, chief assistant of zoology, 6 days afterwards. We moved to the new residence in Fribourg (Switzerland). Although not being of Swiss origin, being female and married with a zoologist, I got employed at the embryological section of the medical faculty after 10 months.

In Fribourg, the first of our children was born in 1970; after our removal to Bonn (Germany), the second (1972) and third (1975) followed.

Yet I wished to practise my profession notwithstanding the problems of taking care of my family. I built up a private laboratory at home by gradually acquisition of microscope and different binocular microscopes as well as indispensable specialist literature.

In July 1992 I received the chance to return to scientific activity by the University of Ulm (Southern Germany): I had a scholarship for zoological systematics, especially the family Stenothoidae, for 2 years. In 1996-1997 I was supported by the university of Hamburg (Northern Germany) with the task to sort and label a part of Australian amphipods, until now not usable in the Museum's collection. I travelled to Melbourne and Sydney (without any support) to learn more about Australian amphipods, and to collect for my own. On the way back I stopped at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and was invited by the university of Willimantic to take part at a marine biological course in Bermuda. Oct. 1997 I got invited by the Univ. Tromsø to give a lecture. In Dec. 1997 I was invited to take part at the 1. national Cladistic-congress in Verona/Italy.

Since February 1998 I am in contact with the CNR Institute for Marine Biology, Venice, learning to use caryology in amphipod systematics too. The colleagues there not only observe conventional karyotype morphology , but also apply several chromosome-banding techniques. During 1998 I was three times guest at the Amsterdam Museum for discussing cladistic methods and first contacts with SEM. - In July organisation of a "chat-shop" for 35 amphipod specialists of Europe, N- and S-America, Asia and Australia, together with Prof. Wim Vader (Tromsø).

1999 February seminar at the Univ. Hamburg, together with Prof. A. Brandt: Working on Amphipods: preparation, determination, use of computer programs DELTA, Taxasoft, McClade, PAUP.

Supported by: Österreichischer Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung. Österreichischer Jubiläumsfonds der Nationalbank. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italien. - 1969 and 1975 I was awarded the Viennese "Körner-Stiftungspreis".

Research in foreign countries: by means of support ot the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft many stays in different places of the •) Mediterranean, for sampling of material used for our 4 volumes of the Handbook of Mediterranean Amphipods (cf. list of publications). - In average 3 journeys to the •) Verona Museum each year, as there is the most complete and rich collection of amphipods in Europe.

Twice 3-4 weeks stay in •) Indonesia (Java, Bali, Lombok) with support of the Univ. of Jakarta.

2 invitations to the •) Museum Tromsø (N- Norway), during the latter with conference.

Workshop with BIOFAR at •) Frederikshavn (Danmark) and •) BIOICE in Sandgerdi (Iceland) for sorting and studying amphipods collected in the vicinity.

•) Museum Ottawa (Canada) and

•) Museum Kopenhagen (Danmark) (private).

4 stays at the •) Smithsonian Inst. Washington (Washington, DC. USA), the first 2 by support of the DFG, the third with private money, the fourth with fellowship.

3 stays at the •) Australian Museum Sydney (first supported from Germany, second as a fellowship paid by the Museum Sydney, third with private money)

1 stay at the Marine Biological Station of •) Bermuda, together with the University of Willimantic, CT, USA, with private money.

1 stay of 10 weeks at the •) Victoria Museum Melbourne, without any support.

Over 80 publications in German, English, French, Italian appeared until now (see list).