The decoding of matter

DESY is one of the world’s leading accelerator centres. Researchers use the large-scale facilities at DESY to explore the microcosm in all its variety – from the interactions of tiny elementary particles and the behaviour of new types of nanomaterials to biomolecular processes that are essential to life. The accelerators and detectors that DESY develops and builds are unique research tools. The facilities generate the world’s most intense X-ray light, accelerate particles to record energies and open completely new windows onto the universe.

That makes DESY not only a magnet for more than 3000 guest researchers from over 40 countries every year, but also a coveted partner for national and international cooperations. Committed young researchers find an exciting interdisciplinary setting at DESY. The research centre offers specialized training for a large number of professions. DESY cooperates with industry and business to promote new technologies that will benefit society and encourage innovations. This also benefits the metropolitan regions of the two DESY locations, Hamburg and Zeuthen near Berlin.

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
  • A research centre of the Helmholtz Association
  • A publicly funded national research centre
  • Established in Hamburg on 18 December 1959
  • Locations: Hamburg and Zeuthen (Brandenburg)
  • Basic budget: 349 million euros (Hamburg: 320 million; Zeuthen: 29 million)
  • Financing: 90% on the national level (German Federal Ministry of Education and Research); 10% on the state level (City of Hamburg and Federal State of Brandenburg)
  • Employees: approximately 3000, including 1300 scientists
  • Guest scientists: more than 3000 from over 40 countries each year
  • Training: more than 130 young people in commercial and technical vocations
  • Young scientists: approximately 500 doctoral candidates and postdocs, a number of master students