Tatja is someone who in the period of the renaissance would have been called homo universalis?a person with interests and skills in many areas: artistic, cultural, mechanical and scientific. As an independent researcher, her studies have taken her into many regions of scientific study. She started early, building an oscilloscope from scratch at age 14.
For a living, she worked as a scientific consultant for large technological firms, government and military institutions. Using science and instruments as her tools in her analysis, she studied complex problems to get to the very root cause and offer solutions. In doing so, she has had occasion to explore many areas of study in electronics including power systems, logic systems in relays and electronics. In fact, her in her home she has a complete operating electromechanical telephone and telex switching system.
In the field of cryptology she did work that resulted in the design and construction of an improved version of the famous Enigma cipher machine from World War II. She also worked on aircraft avionics, navigational inertial guidance systems, radar, and weapons control systems. In her home she also has restored a highly complex functional navigational and bombing system from the English Vulcan bomber.
Her work took her into the field of optics, including lens coating by vapor deposition. It also included ventures into organic chemistry with the production of instruments for the pharmacology industry including IR/UV spectrophotometers, analytical and micro balances.
She has also produced working models of historically significant telescopes and other instruments from barometers to polarimeters, although what appear to be simply reproductions often include improvements that have come about through her deep analysis and understanding of the underlying principles of the device. One thing that is constant in all the projects, however, is the stunning craftsmanship, attention to detail and fine finishes that make each piece a pleasure to behold and study. This is made possible in part because she has put together a fine collection of high quality machine tools in her own shop with which she produces these pieces. Following the classical tradition, many of her pieces are signed and dated by the maker: TvV fecit.
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