GIPE25: German and Italian Physics Students at Elettra and FERMI

The German-Italian Physics Exchange (GIPE25), organised by the Italian Association of Physics Students (AISF) and the Junge Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (jDPG), took place in Trieste from 16 to 20 September 2025. The initiative, alternating annually between Italy and Germany, aims to foster scientific and cultural collaboration among young physicists through lectures, poster sessions, and visits to laboratories and research centres.

The Opening Ceremony, held on 16 September 2025, featured contributions from Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste. Giorgio Paolucci and Simone Di Mitri presented the centre’s scientific activities, highlighting the role of synchrotron light and next-generation radiation sources in materials science and nanotechnology.

On 19 September 2025, participants had the opportunity to visit Elettra and FERMI. The visit, introduced by Marco Zangrando, offered students a first-hand overview of the accelerators and beamlines, with particular focus on the applications of synchrotron radiation and free-electron laser (FEL) technologies in diverse fields, ranging from fundamental physics to structural biology, chemistry, and materials science. Students also engaged with researchers, gaining insight into how the technologies developed in Trieste are integrated within a broader European and international context.