The field of Astronautics is unique in Germany in the area of Physics. It is involved in current research through experiments on the ISS and research on electrical aerospace propulsion. DLR and AIRBUS are integrated through cooperation agreements in teaching and research. Together with Chemistry, the work groups in Materials Physics run the inter-disciplinary courses BSc and MSc Materials Science; modules from these are also used for the MSc Physics with a focus on Applied and Solid State Physics. Currently structured doctoral programmes are being developed for all areas.

The field of Astronautics is unique in Germany in the area of Physics. It is involved in current research through experiments on the ISS and research on electrical aerospace propulsion. DLR and AIRBUS are integrated through cooperation agreements in teaching and research. Together with Chemistry, the work groups in Materials Physics run the inter-disciplinary courses BSc and MSc Materials Science; modules from these are also used for the MSc Physics with a focus on Applied and Solid State Physics. Currently structured doctoral programmes are being developed for all areas.

Particularly in the subfield of subatomic physics, there is participation in large international alliances or experiments; in addition to CERN, these also include the LHC experiments in China and Japan (BELLE). In addition to ERASMUS, the study places of Giessen Physics at the University of Washington in Seattle (ISAP programme) are also highly attractive for students. Students are involved in international research cooperations of the work groups, the proportion of students of a class who take advantage of this option for exchange is about 20 percent.

University of Washington, Seattle, USA; Sichuan University, China; Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan; Osaka University, Japan; Umeå universitet, Schweden; Stockholms universitet, Schweden; Université de Bordeaux, Frankreich; Université de Montpellier, Frankreich; Lodz University, Polen

Atomic Force Microscope; UHV low-temperature atomic force microscope; UHV friction force microscope; Ion trap mass spectrometer with cluster desorption and ESI source; HV Cluster desorption system with time-of-flight mass spectrometer; Space simulation tanks (Jumbo; Big Mac); two MBE double-chamber systems; Sputtering systems; Clean room laboratory with photo and electron beam lithography; Raman microscope; Microscope set-up for tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy; Mainframe, computer clusters, access to external supercomputer structures in the context of the LOEWE CSC.

The Aerospace Physics activities are unique amongst Physics departments in Germany, such as other things, the JLU Gießen has the largest university test facility for electrical aerospace propulsion. Here, too, the JLU strives for a privileged partnership with the DLR. The working groups in the field of Subatomic Physics are involved in one of the largest research cooperations in the world, the FAIR project in Darmstadt and the programme at the LHC in Geneva.

The success of the Department of Physics in the LOEWE initiative of the State of Hesse, among others, has brought millions in additional investment funds into the department, some of which have also partly been spent on the equipment mentioned above. This is used in teaching, e.g. in advanced practical work and for final theses. In materials research, there is access to state-of-the-art equipment infrastructure via method platforms of the inter-disciplinary LaMa. The space simulation tanks are the largest in Europe at a university. The experiment facilities in Subatomic Physics are external at CERN, GSI, DESY.