The GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (German: GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH) is a federally and state co-funded heavy ion research center in the Wixhausen suburb of Darmstadt, Germany. GSI was founded in 1969 as the Society for Heavy Ion Research (German: Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung), abbreviated GSI, to conduct research on and with heavy-ion accelerators.
The laboratory performs basic and applied research in physics and related natural science disciplines. Main fields of study include plasma physics, atomic physics, nuclear structure and reactions research, biophysics and medical research. The lab is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres.
GSI operates a worldwide unique large-scale accelerator facility for heavy ions and currently employs about 1.100 people. In addition approximately 1.000 researchers from universities and other research institutes around the world use the facility for their experiments.
GSI is a limited liability company (Ger. GmbH). Associates are the German Federal Government (90 per cent), the State of Hessen (8 per cent), the State of Rhineland-Palatinate (1 per cent) and the Free State of Thuringia (1 per cent). They are represented in the board of directors by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the respective Ministries. GSI is a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany's largest research organisation.
The goal of the scientific research conducted at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung is to reach a better understanding of the structure and behavior of the world that surrounds us.