Helmholtz Institute Mainz

The founding of the Helmholtz Institute Mainz (HIM) in June 2009 represented the institutionalization of the close collaboration and successful cooperation between the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research GmbH (GSI). The institute is located on the university campus in close proximity to the cooperation partners of the Institutes for Physics, Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Chemistry.

At HIM, researchers from the Helmholtz Association work hand in hand with researchers from JGU on questions relating to the structure, symmetry and stability of matter and antimatter with a focus on the following:

• Research on the behavior of antimatter to gain insights into new natural forces and the structure of time and space.
• Identification and verification of so-called glueballs, a new and exotic form of matter consisting of pure energy.
• Development of accelerator technology with long-term viability.
• Generation and analysis of super heavy elements existing beyond the scope of the current periodic system.

Furthermore, HIM plays a major role in designing detectors and accelerators for the international accelerator facility FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) currently under construction at GSI in Darmstadt. At the new facility, HIM will also conduct experiments and provide theoretical support through all relevant phases.