Top international researchers strengthen Darmstadt's role as a science location
The GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research and the FAIR international accelerator facility currently under construction in Darmstadt are welcoming two recipients of the prestigious Humboldt Research Award this year. Professor Yong-Zhong Qian from the University of Minnesota (USA) and Dr. Peter Jacobs from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA), two internationally renowned scientists, will be working at the Darmstadt research site for a period of time in 2026.
According to GSI and FAIR, this underscores the international importance of the site for basic research. Both scientists contribute their expertise to key research areas that will also play an important role at FAIR in the future.
Research on the origin of the universe
Professor Yong-Zhong Qian is one of the world's leading theorists in the field of nuclear astrophysics. His research focuses on the formation of heavy chemical elements in supernovae and during the merging of neutron stars, as well as on neutrinos and the evolution of galaxies.
During his stay, Qian is working closely with the Department of Nuclear Astrophysics & Structure, headed by Professor Gabriel Martínez-Pinedo. Together, they aim to gain new insights into the origin of the elements in the universe and prepare future experiments at FAIR.
“The collaboration with Professor Qian will significantly advance our research on the origin of the elements in the universe,” explains Professor Gabriel Martínez-Pinedo.
Matter under extreme conditions
Another Humboldt Prize winner, Dr. Peter Jacobs, is expected in Darmstadt this fall. The experimental physicist is considered one of the leading experts in the field of so-called quark-gluon plasma – the state of matter that existed immediately after the Big Bang.
Jacobs has been conducting research for many years on large international projects such as the STAR experiments in the USA and ALICE at the European research center CERN. His work focuses on gaining a better understanding of the behavior of matter under extreme conditions. During his stay at GSI and FAIR, he will collaborate with the ALICE research group to further develop new measurement methods and analysis techniques.
“Dr. Jacobs’ expertise in jet physics and his innovative approaches to data analysis will significantly enrich our experiments,” says Dr. Ralf Averbeck, deputy head of the ALICE research department at GSI.
Award for top international research
The Humboldt Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is awarded annually to internationally outstanding scientists. The award recognizes their lifetime achievements in research and enables the recipients to implement new projects in collaboration with research institutions in Germany.
For GSI and FAIR, the visit of these two leading researchers is also a sign of the international appeal of Darmstadt as a research location. The future FAIR accelerator facility is expected to significantly expand the possibilities for researching the building blocks of matter and the evolution of the universe.
Professor Thomas Nilsson, Scientific Director of GSI and FAIR, emphasizes: “The collaboration with scientists such as Professor Yong-Zhong Qian and Dr. Peter Jacobs strengthens scientific exchange and pushes the boundaries of our knowledge further.”
(DARMSTADT – RED/GSI)
Featured image: Left: Dr. Peter Jacobs (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA), Professor Yong-Zhong Qian (University of Minnesota, USA). Photo: GSI
