The LPSC is a Mixed Teaching and Research Unit, affiliated to the National Nuclear and Particle Physics Institute (IN2P3), to the Institute for Engineering and Systems Sciences (INSIS) of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), to the Joseph Fourier University (UJF) and Grenoble Institute of Technology (INP Grenoble).

The aim of our research is to improve our knowledge about the most elementary particles and about the forces that govern their interactions. It helps to broaden our understanding of the universe, its structure and its evolution. Our research also affects our everyday lives; for example, it enables us to come up with innovative solutions in the field of nuclear power or cancer treatment, and to train a new generation of researchers, teachers and engineers. We strive to spread our knowledge throughout society and to enhance it through collaborations with companies and laboratories.

The locations of the experiments are very diverse: ground-based, underground-based or even satellite-based. We study artificially created short-lived particles (created by accelerators which our laboratory helps to design) or cosmic particles that were produced at different epochs of the history of the universe. These activities require the development of sophisticated, state-of-the-art instrumentation. A close collaboration between physicists, engineers and technicians is required to achieve the required performance. In addition, a strong theoretical research activity supports the experiments during the preparatory stages and during the data analysis. Some of the laboratory’s activities are aimed at developing links with other research fields. Finally, while conducting these fundamental oriented missions, the laboratory gains new knowledge and skills that profit the general public through: teaching, training through research and dissemination of discoveries and scientific knowledge.

• Teaching: the LPSC members teach in numerous courses of study at the UJF and INP and specifically in the sole specialized course for nuclear energy engineers in France.
• Training through research: we provide each year the opportunity to train through research to more than 60 students from Junior high school to nearly graduate students, are welcomed at LPSC.
• Dissemination of discoveries and scientific knowledge: lectures and practical experiments in local high schools, lectures for the general public, open days and yearly science festival, publication of books and articles, and interviews for newspapers and magazines.