ECAP Laboratory – A research building for astroparticle physics at FAU

Symbolic picture for the article. The link opens the image in a large view. — Am 11. November 2019 trafen sich Vertreter aus Wissenschaft und Politik zur Grundsteinlegung für den Forschungsbau des Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics (ECAP) der FAU. Im Bild (v.l.): FAU-Kanzler Christian Zens, FAU-Präsident Prof. Dr. Joachim Hornegger, Innenminister Joachim Herrmann, Wissenschaftsminister Bernd Sibler, Erlangens Oberbürgermeister Dr. Florian Janik, Leiter des Staatl. Baumamts Dieter Maußner und ECAP-Direktor Prof. Dr. Stefan Funk nutzen den Grundstein als Erinngerunskapsel an das Jahr 2019. (Bild: FAU/Erich Malter)

November 12, 2019

The southern campus at FAU continues to grow: on Monday (11 November), representatives from research and politics met to lay the foundation stone for the research building of the Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics (ECAP). The ECAP Laboratory should be completed by the turn of the year 2021/22. It will provide the perfect location for researchers to continue their prestigious international research on astrophysics.

‘We are very proud that we were able to convince the German Council of Science and Humanities of the high quality of our research into astrophysics at ECAP and secure funds for the ECAP Laboratory. This success once more underlines the strength in research and innovation at FAU,’ explains FAU President Prof. Dr. Joachim Hornegger, who is clearly delighted with the news. ‘The new building will allow researchers at ECAP to continue to make a name for themselves in the international arena and shape the future of astroparticle physics.’

Science minister Bernd Sibler emphasises the importance of the building. ‘Laying the foundation stone for the new research building today marks the start of a venture into new dimensions. Research at ECAP has been literally out of this world for many years now. The Bavarian and federal governments have recognised that money invested in this area is money invested in the future and have decided to invest a total of almost 40 million euros in the project. The ECAP laboratory will increase the appeal of the southern campus of FAU in Erlangen as a magnet for excellent research. The ECAP is outstanding publicity for the metropolitan region of Erlangen and Nuremberg and for Bavaria as a whole as an important location for science and research.’