Combining strengths in six research and competence fields
PIER research and competence fields
PIER focuses on four research fields that are of particular importance for both DESY and the University of Hamburg on Bahrenfeld campus: photon science, nanoscience, particle and astroparticle physics and infection and structural biology. They are interlinked by the two interdisciplinary PIER competence fields of theoretical physics and accelerator research. In 2023, artefact profiling was added to the portfolio as a PIER Emerging Topic. The close interplay of these fields and the mutual impulses for new and innovative research ideas arising from it are characteristic to Bahrenfeld campus and render it a unique destination for research. PIER helps to bring these new ideas to life by providing seed funding for joint DESY-UHH research projects.
Research fields
Competence fields
The four PIER research fields are closely interlinked by two transversal competence fields: theoretical physics and accelerator research.
In both fields, DESY and Universität Hamburg have a long-standing tradition of excellent research and are able to attract the world’s most brilliant scientists in these areas.
PIER Emerging Topics
The category “PIER Emerging Topics” was created to account for relatively novel fields of research cooperation between DESY and UHH with great societal relevance and an increasing number of joint research activities.
If evaluated positively by the PIER Executive Board after a trial period of two years, "PIER Emerging Topics" are turned into regular PIER Research or Competence Fields.
Fund your research idea
Within the scope of their strategic Partnership for Innovation, Education and Research (PIER), Universität Hamburg and DESY promote cooperation across the two institutions and between the PIER research and competence fields. For this purpose, Universität Hamburg and DESY have established the PIER Idea Fund as a seed money funding scheme. Three formats are available: PIER Seed Projects, PIER Workshops, and PIER Short Visits.
