Gravitational-wave catalog update lists 35 new signals

LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA raise their signal score to 90

US National Academy of Sciences highlights LISA as a New Window on the Dynamic Universe

The European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) has published a detailed analysis of a candidate signal for the since-long sought gravitational wave background (GWB) due to in-spiraling supermassive black-hole binaries.

Towards the detection of the nanohertz gravitational-wave background

#knowember at the Albert Einstein Institute features seven online popular science lectures

November of Science 2021

Professor Buonanno is awarded in the field of "Gravitation: physical and astrophysical aspects".

Balzan Prize 2021 for Alessandra Buonanno

Professor Buonanno is honored for pioneering accurate and rapid computation of waveforms that are crucial in detecting gravitational waves

Alessandra Buonanno earns Dirac Medal

AEI Hannover scientist receives international award for doctoral thesis

More stable lasers for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors

Welcome to the Albert Einstein Institute!

The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) is the largest research institute in the world specializing in general relativity and beyond. The institute is located in Potsdam and in Hannover where it closely collaborates with the Leibniz Universität Hannover.

Departments

Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity

The department develops accurate analytical and numerical models of gravitational-wave sources, and uses them to analyse data, improving our ability to extract unique astrophysical and cosmological information from the observed signals, and testing Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

Computational Relativistic Astrophysics

Research in this department covers mergers of binary neutron stars and mixed binaries – a black hole and a neutron star – as well as stellar core collapse that form black holes. The department also focuses on studying more fundamental aspects of General Relativity using numerical tools.

Laser Interferometry and Gravitational Wave Astronomy

This department's research focus is on the development of gravitational-wave detectors on Earth as well as in space. This comprises also a full range of supporting laboratory experiments in quantum optics and laser physics.

Observational Relativity and Cosmology

This department focuses on direct observational consequences of General Relativity, including the search/analysis of gravitational wave (GW) data, and operation of the Einstein@Home project, looking for weak radio, gamma-ray and GW signals from spinning neutron stars.

Quantum Gravity and Unified Theories

This department attends to the development of a theory that unifies quantum theory and general relativity – in the framework of superstring theory as well as canonical quantization.

Binary Merger Observations and Numerical Relativity

Geometry and Gravitation

Gravitational Theory and Cosmology

Gravity, Quantum Fields and Information

Historical Epistemology of the Final Theory Program

Multi-messenger Astrophysics of Compact Binaries

Searching for Continuous Gravitational Waves

Theoretical Cosmology

Job Offers

Product Assurance Engineer (m/f/d) “Scientific Instrumentation for Space Applications”

November 08, 2021

Embedded System Developer (m/f/d) “Scientific Instrumentation for Space Applications”

November 08, 2021

PhD positions in “Gravity & Matter at the Extreme” at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Potsdam

October 28, 2021

The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute, AEI) in Potsdam, Germany, announces the opening of several PhD positions in “Gravity & Matter at the Extreme”.

Postdoctoral positions in Computational Relativistic Astrophysics division at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Potsdam

September 27, 2021

Postdoctoral positions in Gravitational-Wave Physics and Astrophysics at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics in Potsdam

September 24, 2021

The postdoctoral positions in the "Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity" department will be available at different levels, depending on experience and seniority, and can last from 2 to 5 years.

MSc thesis in the project “High-QG”

February 09, 2021

PhD and postdoctoral positions in “Observation and Astrophysics of Compact-binary Mergers” at AEI Hannover

January 19, 2021

Equal Opportunities

The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics is committed to promoting equal opportunities for women and men. We take both organizational and personnel measures to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life and to promote women’s careers. Our aim is to ensure a positive environment that promotes and supports excellence.

Research Schools

The Institute offers PhD trainings in two International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS): The IMPRS on Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the IMPRS for Mathematical and Physical Aspects of Gravitation, Cosmology and Quantum Field Theory.