Opening Ceremony of the Cluster of Excellence PRISMA

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) inaugurated its "Precision Physics, Fundamental Interactions and Structure of Matter" (PRISMA) Cluster of Excellence. About 250 scientists have now officially begun their work in the new research association, which was approved in the most recent phase of the German Excellence Initiative by the German federal and state governments. Over the next five years, the cluster will be funded with about EUR 35 million from the German government, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz for top-level research into particle and hadron physics. Mainz has thus established itself as the center for particle and hadron physics in Germany and the world.

Many scientists accepted the invitation and attended the PRISMA Kick-Off Celebration. (Foto: Peter Pulkowski)Prof. Hartmut Wittig, Coordinator of the PRISMA Cluster of Excellence welcomes the guests. (Foto: Peter Pulkowski)JGU Vice President Prof. Ulrich Förstermann, JGU President Prof. Georg Krausch, and State Minister of Education and Science Doris Ahnen (Foto: Peter Pulkowski)xClose The Minister of Science for the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Doris Ahnen, recognized the success of PRISMA in the German Excellence Initiative:JGU President Prof. Georg Krausch gives a short review of the participation of JGU in the Excellence Initiative and expressed his appreciation and gratitude to everyone involved for the great performance and commitment. (Foto: Peter Pulkowski)Prof. Matthias Neubert, Coordinator of the PRISMA Cluster of Excellence, with his presentation of the PRISMA Cluster. (Foto: Peter Pulkowski)xClose Key note speaker Nima Arkani-Hamed (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA) gave an inspiring talk on