STIFTUNG INSTITUT FUR SONNENPHYSIK (KIS)

Their core work

KIS is Germany's dedicated solar physics research institute, based in Freiburg, focused on understanding the Sun through high-resolution observations and advanced telescope instrumentation. They play a central role in the development of the European Solar Telescope (EST), a flagship 4-meter facility on the ESFRI roadmap. Their work spans solar magnetism, radiation studies, and space weather — connecting fundamental astrophysics to practical concerns like Earth's climate and satellite operations. They also contribute to pan-European research infrastructure clusters linking astronomy, particle physics, and open science data systems.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

KIS began its H2020 participation contributing to broad research infrastructure clustering (ASTERICS, 2015) and telescope planning (PRE-EST, 2017), with early keywords centered on governance, ERIC structures, procurement, and observatory coordination. By 2019, they had moved into a leadership role with SOLARNET, shifting focus toward the scientific substance — magnetism, radiation, astrophysics, and applied topics like space weather and Earth's climate. The trajectory shows a clear move from infrastructure planning participant to scientific integration leader.

KIS is consolidating its position as the coordinating hub for European solar physics, increasingly connecting fundamental solar research to applied domains like space weather forecasting and climate science.

How they like to work

KIS primarily participates as a partner in large ESFRI-scale consortia but has demonstrated coordination capability with SOLARNET — their largest project by far (EUR 2.3M). With 80 unique partners across 21 countries from just 4 projects, they operate in very large international networks typical of research infrastructure initiatives. This breadth signals an organization comfortable working in complex multi-national settings, making them a reliable partner for ambitious pan-European proposals.

KIS has built an extensive network of 80 partners across 21 countries through just 4 projects, reflecting their involvement in major ESFRI infrastructure clusters. Their reach spans nearly all of Europe and connects the astronomy, particle physics, and solar physics communities.

What sets them apart

KIS is one of very few European institutes exclusively dedicated to solar physics, giving it deep specialization that generalist observatories or university departments cannot match. Their coordination of SOLARNET — the integrating activity for European solar physics — positions them as the natural nexus point for any consortium needing solar observation expertise. For partners building proposals around space weather, solar energy variability, or next-generation telescope instrumentation, KIS brings both the scientific depth and the established European network to anchor these efforts.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SOLARNET
  Their flagship project as coordinator (EUR 2.3M) — the main integrating activity for high-resolution solar physics across Europe, directly feeding into the European Solar Telescope.
• ESCAPE
  Connected KIS to the broader ESFRI ecosystem (SKA, CTA, KM3NeT, CERN) and EOSC, expanding their network well beyond solar physics into open science data infrastructure.
• PRE-EST
  The preparatory phase for the 4-meter European Solar Telescope — a flagship ESFRI facility that represents the long-term strategic goal of KIS's work.