Physics and Astronomy (Archive)

Getting Ready for the Future

Physics and astronomy are among the traditionally strong and internationally renowned disciplines at Heidelberg University. Research in these disciplines focuses on fundamental particles and their interaction, the beginning and development of the universe, and complex systems in classical physics and quantum physics. These areas are supplemented by three fields of interdisciplinary research: environmental physics, biophysics and computer engineering.

The two subjects physics and astronomy were supported with Excellence funds in order to secure their sustainability in view of the generational change in their teaching staff and to further develop their strong interdisciplinary research areas. In the last four years, the University was able to appoint 13 new professors to the Department of Physics and Astronomy; nine of these appointments were financed with Excellence funds. Without the support of the Excellence Initiative, the University would certainly not have been able to recruit such outstanding scientists. The Enable Fund and the Center for Quantum Dynamics are two additional instruments that support young scientists in implementing innovative research ideas and provide funding for laboratory equipment.