Markus Aschwanden studied observations and theoretical models of self-organized criticality systems over the last forty years as a researcher at Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, analyzing space data from many NASA missions. He has organized SOC-dedicated workshops at ISSI Bern and Leiden University. He served as Editor of Space Science Reviews and is member of the American Geophysical Union, the American Astronomical Society's Solar Physics Division, and the Committee of European Solar Radio Astronomers.