The NRW-FAIR network, coordinated by Ruhr-Universität Bochum, brings together physicists who conduct research in hadron and particle physics. At the center of the NRW-FAIR network is the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, FAIR for short. This billion-euro science center in Darmstadt is one of the largest ever built in Europe. The aim of those involved in the network is to investigate a stubborn challenge: the formation of matter from fundamental particles in the otherwise so successful standard model. This requires the development of technologies and methods that have never been used before. The network brings together groups that have previously worked together in various combinations, but never with a common goal.
The researchers are planning several workshops with international guests as well as an extensive outreach program to inform the general public and inspire future students for physics.