About DESY

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 decoding of matter

The particle 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.

DESY’s decision-makers

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.

Research for the future

Read more about the diversity of research at DESY

Symbolic image representing DESY's large-scale research facilities.

Large-scale facilities for science

Read more about the research facilities at DESY

Innovations for society

Read more about innovation & technology transfer at DESY

Symbolic image representing collaborations with DESY.

A strong cooperation partner

Read more about DESY’s global networking

Symbolic image representing training at DESY.

Training for top researchers

Read more about DESY as a talent factory

DESY’s strategic guidelines

10 facts about DESY

DESY is a research centre of the Helmholtz Association
DESY is 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 euros, Zeuthen: 29 million euros)
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 students and postdocs, countless master students

DESY as an organisation

Here, you will find DESY’s organisational charts for the four research divisions and the administration, including all groups, as well as lists of representatives and committees.