Department of Physics

“Effective science communication is more important than ever” 6th Young Researchers’ Science Day at the University of Ulm

26. October 2026

Giving young researchers a platform to present the topics they’re passionate about! That’s the goal of the Young Researchers’ Science Day, which was once again fully achieved at the 6th edition of the science competition. The range of science pitches spanned from molecular medicine and biological psychology to quantum sciences and chemistry. First and second place went to physicists Dr. Tobias Haas and Dr. Mirko Rossini.

6th Young Researchers’ Science Day at the University of Ulm

Outstanding success for Ulm’s quantum physics QuantERA funds four teams

28. August 2026

Research into quantum technology by four teams at Ulm University is being funded as part of the European QuantERA programme. This is more than at any other German university. The projects focus, for example, on more robust quantum computers and innovative medical diagnostic methods.

Outstanding success for Ulm´s quantumphysics

From Disturbance to Resource: Magnetic Vortices as Qubits Controllable quantum states detected in superconductors

18. May 2026 

Magnetic vortices in superconductors have traditionally been regarded as a disruptive effect, as they can impair superconducting properties. However, researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now experimentally demonstrated that magnetic vortices can function as controllable quantum systems in certain materials. This transforms a previously undesirable phenomenon into a potential building block for quantum technologies. This opens up new perspectives for the development of quantum computers, highly sensitive sensor systems, and innovative approaches in materials research. The study, in which physicists from Ulm were also involved, was published in the highly prestigious journal Nature. 

From Disturbance to Resource: Magnetic Vortices as Qubits

First Graduate of the Master's Program in Quantum Engineering

25. March 2026

We are pleased to announce Melih Can Topal as the first graduate of the interdisciplinary Master's program in Quantum Engineering at Ulm University.

The program has been offered since the winter semester of 2023 and combines elements of Physics and Electrical Engineering. Its goal is to educate students at the interface of these two disciplines and prepare them for the development of modern quantum technologies. By successfully completing the program, Melih Can Topal has reached an important milestone for this still young degree program.

The Department of Physics warmly congratulates him on this achievement and wishes him all the best for his future professional and academic career."

How nature optimizes photosynthesis using quantum physics

12. February 2026

Quantum physical effects are not only at work in particle accelerators or special laboratories, but also in every green leaf. This is because all biological processes involving energy transfer or light absorption are subject to the laws of quantum physics. Physicists and biologists from the Universities of Münster and Ulm and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem are investigating how such quantum effects influence electron movements in a project funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. The research project is being funded with more than two million euros as part of the “NEXT – Quantum Biology” program.

How nature optimizes photosynthesis using quantum physics

Senior professorship awarded to Othmar Marti

18. July 2025
On July 16, the foundation awarded Prof. Othmar Marti from the University of Ulm a Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Senior Professorship. Mr. Marti (left in the photo, together with Foundation Managing Director Stefan Jorda) has been running a project internship at the university for a long time, offering courses for teacher training students and supporting high-achieving school students in their preparation for the GYPT and IYPT. In addition to continuing these activities, Mr. Marti will in future supervise students who use the observatory at Schubart Gymnasium in Ulm, which is supported by the foundation, serve as a mentor at the Ulm Student Research Center, and contribute his expertise to the development of the MINT Excellence Gymnasium in Bad Saulgau.

Senior professorship awarded to Othmar Marti