Legal

Privacy notice

This is a non-binding English translation. The German version is legally binding.

1. Controller

The controller for data processing on this website is:
Dr. Yannick Forster
Sole proprietor, operating under the business name "The Science Dad"
Augustenstr. 55
80333 Munich
Germany
Email: kontakt@thesciencedad.de

2. General information

Protecting your personal data is important to me. I treat your data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data-protection rules (GDPR, BDSG, TDDDG) and this privacy notice.

3. Website access (server log files)

When you visit this website, the hosting provider automatically collects information in so-called server log files transmitted by your browser. These include:

IP address (truncated as far as technically possible)
date and time of the request
requested URL and referrer URL
browser type and version, operating system

Legal basis is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR (legitimate interest in stable and secure operation of the website). This data is not combined with other data sources.

These logs are automatically deleted no later than after 30 days.

4. Hosting (Lovable)

This website is hosted by GPTengineer AB ("Lovable"), Norra Skeppsbron 5B, 803 10 Gävle, Sweden. Personal data collected on this website is processed on the hoster's servers.

There is a data-processing agreement with the hoster under Art. 28 GDPR. Because Lovable uses infrastructure in different regions, data may be transferred to third countries (in particular the USA). Such transfers take place on the basis of the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and, in addition, on the basis of the EU Commission's standard contractual clauses.

More information on data protection at Lovable: https://lovable.dev/privacy

5. Contact form (Web3Forms)

If you contact me via the contact form, the following data is collected and processed:

Name (required)
Email address (required)
Field of study (required)
Type of thesis (required)
Phase of your thesis (required)
Description of your request (required)
Preferred time for an intro call (optional)

Before submitting, you confirm by actively ticking a checkbox that you have read this privacy notice and consent to your data being processed for this purpose.

The form submission is handled by the service "Web3Forms" (Web3Forms, India). Web3Forms processes the data exclusively to forward it to my email address. There is a data-processing agreement under Art. 28 GDPR. Because Web3Forms is based outside the EU, a transfer to a third country takes place; it is based on the EU Commission's standard contractual clauses under Art. 46 (2) lit. c GDPR.

More information on data protection at Web3Forms: https://web3forms.com/privacy-policy

Legal basis is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR (pre-contractual measures) or Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR (consent). Your data is used to process your enquiry. The same applies accordingly to information transmitted by email.

Your data is deleted as soon as it is no longer needed to process your enquiry, at the latest after 24 months — unless a coaching contract is concluded, in which case the retention periods agreed in the contract apply.

6. Email communication

Emails you send to the address listed in the imprint are processed via mail hosting by IONOS SE, Elgendorfer Str. 57, 56410 Montabaur, Germany. There is a data-processing agreement with IONOS under Art. 28 GDPR. The data is processed exclusively on servers within the EU.

Legal basis is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR (pre-contractual measures and performance of contract).

Email correspondence is kept for a maximum of 24 months after our coaching ends and is then deleted — unless statutory retention obligations (e.g. tax law) require otherwise.

7. Cookies

This website uses only technically necessary cookies / local storage, e.g. to remember your choice on the cookie notice. Legal basis is § 25 (2) TDDDG. Any further processing — e.g. for tracking or marketing — only takes place if you have given explicit consent (Art. 6 (1) lit. a GDPR, § 25 (1) TDDDG).

8. Online meetings via Zoom

For intro calls and coaching sessions I use the service "Zoom" by Zoom Video Communications, Inc., 55 Almaden Boulevard, 6th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113, USA.

When using Zoom, personal data is processed, including:

User details (name, email address, possibly profile picture)
Meeting metadata (topic, description, participant IP addresses, device / hardware information)
With camera or microphone enabled: video and audio data
No recordings are made.

Legal basis is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR (performance of contract). Without this data, the coaching offer in the form of online meetings cannot be delivered.

There is a data-processing agreement with Zoom under Art. 28 GDPR. Data may be transferred to the USA. Zoom relies on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and, in addition, on the EU Commission's standard contractual clauses.

More information on data protection at Zoom: https://zoom.us/en/privacy

9. Coaching services

In the course of our work together, I process the data you voluntarily provide to me (e.g. name, email address, content of your thesis, billing address). Legal basis is Art. 6 (1) lit. b GDPR (performance of contract) and, where applicable, Art. 6 (1) lit. c GDPR (tax retention obligations). Content of your thesis is treated confidentially and not passed on to third parties.

10. Disclosure to third parties

Your data is disclosed to third parties only insofar as it is necessary for the performance of the contract (e.g. tax advisor, payment service providers), you have consented, or a legal obligation requires it.

11. Data transfers to third countries

In the course of my services, personal data is partly transferred to providers outside the EU (in particular Zoom in the USA, Web3Forms in India, and possibly Lovable infrastructure in third countries). These transfers are based on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (where applicable) and, in addition, on the EU Commission's standard contractual clauses under Art. 46 (2) lit. c GDPR. This ensures an appropriate level of data protection within the meaning of the GDPR.

12. External links

This website contains links to external services, in particular:

Google Scholar and Google Patents for my scientific publications and patents (https://policies.google.com/privacy)
Instagram in the footer (https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy)

When you click an external link you leave this website. I have no influence over those providers' data processing.

13. Retention period

Personal data is deleted as soon as the purpose of processing ceases and no statutory retention periods (in particular from the German Commercial Code (HGB) and Fiscal Code (AO), generally 6 or 10 years) require otherwise.

14. Your rights

You have the right at any time to:

access (Art. 15 GDPR)
rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)
erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)
restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
objection to processing based on legitimate interest (Art. 21 GDPR)

You can withdraw any consent given at any time with effect for the future (Art. 7 (3) GDPR). To exercise your rights, simply contact me informally at the email address listed in the imprint.

15. Right to lodge a complaint

Without prejudice to other remedies, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a data-protection supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your residence.

Competent authority for me:
Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA)
Promenade 18, 91522 Ansbach, Germany
https://www.lda.bayern.de

16. SSL / TLS encryption

This site uses SSL / TLS encryption for security reasons. You can recognise an encrypted connection by "https://" in your browser's address bar.

As of: June 2026.