His early research career at CERN, the Max Planck Institute and Vanderbilt University focused on precision measurements using the high-resolution rapid-cycling bubble chambers HYBUC and LEBC at the CERN PS and SPS. These included resonance properties, hyperon magnetic moments, and charm particle production and decay. He was the CERN-EP group leader for the North Area experiments NA13, 16 and 27. Subsequently, he was spokesperson of E743, which took LEBC to Fermilab to successfully resolve a controversy about the energy dependence of the charm production cross-section.