Grand Challenges

The issues energy, climate and others are of paramount importance. Research and development is of great importance in order to improve the quality of life and to shape a sustainable future.

Neutron research performed by national and international scientists can help understand the properties of matter, improve and develop functional materials and thereby supply prospects of solving grand challenge problems. At the MLZ the following grand challenges were defined:

• Energy
• Information Technology
• Life Science & Health
• Nano Science & Engineering
• Environment & Cultural Heritage

Innovative research projects at the MLZ ensure an optimal support for our external users by competent scientists as local contacts. At the MLZ they are organized in science groups to promote collaborations on site and with surrounding institutes. They represent the science fields relevant for the MLZ.

Every year, more than 1,000 national and international scientists deal with most diverse scientific questions related to the grand challenges. A great number of those scientific and methodical projects carried out within the scientific cooperation at the MLZ, are funded by the European Commission or German institutions, such as the German Research Foundation (DFG), Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and others.

The leading position of the MLZ in the field of neutron research is also reflected by an increasing number of publications during the last years. The number of publications in renowned journals has been doubled in the last 5 years from about 100 in 2007 to more than 200 in 2010 as well as in 2011.

In order to discuss all the exciting research performed at the MLZ and at other neutron large-scale facilities the MLZ organises also various conferences and workshops, thus promoting a stimulating environment for exchange and the generation of new ideas and innovations within the community.