UniSysCat is an interdisciplinary research network working jointly on coupled reactions in catalysis. To master this challenge, our research groups are comprising molecular and structural biologists, biochemists and biophysicists, physical and theoretical chemists as well as physicists.

The ocean floor is the largest interface in the Earth system, where geological, physical, biological, and chemical processes drive global biogeochemical element cycling and climate dynamics. The Cluster addresses key gaps in process understanding on the global role of the ocean floor by quantifying interconnected budgets of energy, carbon and other elements as well as their dynamically changing properties under warming conditions.

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and other resources we use, have resulted from interactions between the Earth’s geosphere and biosphere. Understanding these interactions is thus essential for human survival and wellbeing, which are endangered by anthropogenically induced climate and land-use change. While contemporary anthropogenic pressures are unprecedented, the processes and natural laws governing the Earth System remain universal.

The cluster of excellence STRUCTURES explores new concepts and methods for understanding how structure, collective phenomena, and complexity emerge from the fundamental laws of physics. These concepts are also central for finding structures in large datasets, and for realizing new forms of analogue computing.

RESOLV pioneered Solvation Science as an interdisciplinary research field. Solvents are no longer understood as mere bystanders but have been recognized to play an active and decisive role in chemical processes. RESOLV provides a cohesive framework and innovative techniques, many of them developed by us, for understanding and controlling solvent-driven processes. Exploiting the transformative power of Solvation Science is key to address urgent scientific and societal challenges, such as transitioning from fossil to sustainable carbon and energy sources for chemical feedstock production.

“To measure is to know” – that is the essence of the natural sciences. Measuring at the quantum frontier is the essence of quantum metrology.

The Cluster of Excellence Quantum Universe II (QU-II) seeks to advance our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature that underlie all physical processes from the earliest quantum era of cosmological history to the largest gravitational structures of today’s Universe. Despite the success of the Standard Model of particle physics and general relativity in describing the microscopic components of the Universe and gravitational interactions at cosmic scales, fundamental questions remain: What produced the large imbalance between matter and antimatter? What is the dark matter that constitutes 85% of the total matter in the Universe? What causes the accelerated expansion of the cosmos? How can gravity be described by a quantum theory, and what is its underlying mathematics?

At the core of our Universe lies a world of particles so small they defy imagination, yet so fundamental they shape everything we see. The Standard Model (SM) of Particle Physics describes the microscopic world with extraordinary precision, providing a deep understanding of fundamental interactions, the structure of matter, and the evolution of the Universe.

Energiewende – the energy transition that forms a fundamental tenet of our global economy – faces challenges from limited material availability, extinction of European mining industries, geopolitical threats, and price fluctuations. This is particularly relevant for electrochemical energy storage (EES), a key technology for enabling the use of renewable energy. Alternative EES technologies are needed, which requires coordinated, fundamental research aiming for high-performance, safe, affordable and sustainable solutions. These must be based on diverse and abundant raw materials, enhancing energy security and sovereignty and ensuring a resilient and sustainable energy future.

Major advances in physics over the last century have contributed to our understanding of various states of matter. However, today, the characteristics of the living state of matter are still not understood, as well as how complex spatiotemporal organization emerges in living systems. Therefore, identifying the physical principles that govern life remains one of the most significant scientific challenges of our time. The Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life (PoL), one of five Clusters at Dresden University of Technology, aims to address this challenge, with the goal of revealing the physical laws that govern the dynamic organization of living matter.