From particle physics to AI: Physics Project Days for young female researchers

11 September 2025, by Heiko Fuchs

Photo: Roman Kogler

This year's Physics Project Days takes place from September 10 to 13 at Science City Hamburg-Bahrenfeld. The four-day event is aimed specifically at female students from Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Lower Saxony. Around 50 students work in small groups on 15 different experiments and research projects supervised by scientists from the University of Hamburg and the Deutschen Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY).

The focus is on scientific fields such as particle physics, laser and atomic physics, and detector development. Some students train their own artificial intelligence systems; others conduct physics experiments with microelectronics or program their own robots. The aim of the Physics Project Days is to offer students a gender-neutral space in which they can intensify their interest in science without competitive pressure.

The program is supplemented by scientific lectures, campus tours, information events on studying physics at the University of Hamburg, and a final colloquium where the students present their results in a poster session.

The event, which is organized in close cooperation with the Cluster of Excellence “Quantum Universe,” the Department of Physics, and the school laboratory “Light & Schools,” creates a platform where young women can meet like-minded peers and further deepen their enthusiasm for science. With this commitment, the University of Hamburg and DESY aim to continue attracting young talents to physics and encourage female students to pursue a career in natural science.