Gerald earned a PhD in Astrophysics from Karl-Franzens University of Graz in 1986. His thesis focused on critical planetary orbits in binary star systems. From 1984 to 1994, he conducted research at the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. During this time, he collaborated with NASA and ESA on the Voyager 1, Voyager 2, Cassini, and Ulysses missions.
In 1995, he worked for the Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics of the University of Graz on a satellite positioning project for ESA/ESTEC. Between 2001 and 2023, he taught mathematics, physics, and astronomy for the NYC Department of Education and York College. Since 2011, he has served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Physics at Manhattan University. His international research collaborations have resulted in over 30 publications in professional books and journals.