Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (h_da), as representative of the European University of Technology” (EUt+), GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research) and the FAIR accelerator centre have yesterday signed a contract aimed at deepening their cooperation. Over the longer term, the “GET_INvolved” Programme will offer students and researchers the possibility to complete internships and research visits at GSI/FAIR. It is open to all students and researchers – above all doctoral candidates – from EUt+ universities. The contract was signed at h_da by Professor Paolo Giubellino, Scientific Managing Director of GSI and FAIR, Joerg Blaurock, Technical Managing Director of GSI and FAIR, and Professor Arnd Steinmetz, President of Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.

In future, up to ten students and doctoral candidates per year will profit from this new partnership: in the framework of short-term internships or research visits lasting several years, they will be able to learn and work in the pioneering research environment at GSI/FAIR, which will, among others, nominate mentors for them and help them, if required, to find accommodation for the duration of their stay. The participants of the programme can also take part in GSI/FAIR events. These include symposia and lectures as well as the GSI’s summer programme for students.

The partners will form a joint jury for the selection procedure. Internships can last between three and six months and require at least a bachelor’s degree. Applicants for research visits must hold a master’s degree, be a doctoral candidate or produce evidence of at least two years’ research experience. Such visits can last up to two years.

“The coming years are critical to significantly sharpen the science at FAIR as one of the best scientific laboratories in the world, along with the broad FAIR international scientific community,” says Professor Paolo Giubellino, Scientific Managing Director of GSI and FAIR. “FAIR/GSI has been a talent factory, and through the framework of the GET_INvolved Programme, young students and researchers at Hochschule Darmstadt and EUt+ alliance partners in 7 European countries would considerably profit from the FAIR scientific community’s technical knowledge and expertise while performing their training.”

Joerg Blaurock, Technical Managing Director of GSI and FAIR: “Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and the European University of Technology alliance (EUt+) are natural partners for FAIR/GSI. Through their ingenuity, FAIR/GSI scientists and engineers are constantly pushing the frontiers of technology. I am delighted to see that the GET_INvolved Programme partnership is established, as it will provide young brilliant engineers from alliance partners with first-hand exposure in a mega-science facility.”

“The new partnership with GSI/FAIR opens up completely new opportunities for students and young researchers from the whole EUt+. It is a further important step for h_da and shows our significance as a partner in the science and research landscape,” says Professor Arnd Steinmetz, President of Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.

Further information

Details of the application procedure for students and researchers interested in the h_da/EUt+ and GSI/FAIR GET_INvolved Programme will be published shortly. Further information on the GET_INvolved Programme can be found on the programme pages of the h_da/EUt+ and GSI/FAIR websites. For immediate queries, please contact Dr Jorge Medina, EUt+ Coordinator, at coordinator-eutplus@h-da.de or Dr Pradeep Ghosh, Programme Coordinator on behalf of GSI/FAIR, at Pr.Ghosh@gsi.de.

Background

Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (h_da) and GSI/FAIR have already been working together on different levels for quite some time. A similar contract in the area of internships and research visits has existed since 2014. With “GET_INvolved”, this is now being substantially expanded – among others to all students and researchers in the EUt+ alliance.

About the “European University of Technology” (EUt+)

EUt+ stands for “European University of Technology”, a joint project between h_da and seven partner universities throughout the whole of Europe. The European Commission is supporting the alliance in the framework of the European Universities Initiative, which aims to strengthen the European Education Area (EEA). Step by step, the universities want to grow closer together. EUt+ helps students to spend part of their studies at one of the partner universities. It is also increasing staff mobility as well as the number and volume of joint research projects. The European University of Technology unites 100,000 students and 12,000 staff. The participating institutions are connected by their shared focus on technologies that centre on human and environmental needs.

About GSI/FAIR

The GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research) in Darmstadt operates a globally leading accelerator facility for research purposes. Around 1,600 staff work at GSI, who are joined each year by some 1,000 researchers from universities and other research institutes around the world. Their experiments at the facility enable them to gain new insights into the structure of matter and the evolution of the Universe. They also develop innovative medical and technical applications.

GSI is a limited liability company (GmbH). Shareholders are Germany’s Federal Government with 90%, the State of Hesse with 8%, as well as the State of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Free State of Thuringia with 1% each. GSI is a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest research organisation. FAIR, an international accelerator facility for research with antiprotons and ions, which is being developed and built in cooperation with international partners, is currently under construction at GSI. It is one of the largest construction projects worldwide for international cutting-edge research.

The FAIR project was initiated by the scientific community and researchers at GSI. The GSI accelerators will become part of the future FAIR facility and perform the first acceleration stage.

Links:

GET_INvolved Programme: https://fair-center.eu/get_involved 

GSI and FAIR: www.gsi.de/en and www.fair-center.eu

European University of Technology: https://www.univ-tech.eu/

Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences:  h-da.de/en/research/alliances/european-university-of-technology

Please find a photo of the signing here: https://idw-online.de/en/news791405