Experimental physics of fundamental interactions
The research activity concerns many of the research sectors in fundamental physics with attention also to the applications that can result from it. In particular, the following lines of research are present: elementary particle physics and study of relativistic heavy ion collisions with activity at the LHC of CERN and new activities for the construction of a new electron accelerator, the Electron Ion Collider (BNL-USA); reactions between heavy ions at low and intermediate energies aimed at the study of reaction mechanisms, nuclear structure and nuclear processes of astrophysical interest; activity of astro-particle physics with particular attention to the physics of very high energy cosmic rays, detection of neutrinos from astrophysical sources with screened detectors from cosmic radiation in tunnels or undersea, dark matter. There are lines of research in applied physics on tomography with cosmic muons and environmental radioactivity. 
Experimental High Energy Physics Faculty: R. Barbera, S. Costa, P. La Rocca, F. Riggi, C. Sutera, A. Tricomi, C. Tuvè, G. Verde
The research activity in this area of Physics aims at the experimental study of elementary particles, the fundamental forces between them, the cross sections of the processes in which they are involved and the study of hadronic matter states existing in nature. These studies are conducted by mean of colliders. The research groups of the Department of Physics and Astronomy that are active in this research field use the LHC from CERN and the RHIC from BNL for their experiments and make use of the close collaboration of the INFN Section of Catania and other Italian and foreign institutions.
Experimental astroparticle physicsFaculty: F. Cappuzzello, R. Caruso, S. Cherubini, P. La Rocca,D. Lo Presti, C. Petta, G. Riccobene, F. Riggi, P. Sapienza, C. Tuvè
The research activity in this field of Physics aims at the experimental study of the radiation and the particles of the cosmos with experiments conducted in surface, underground or undersea laboratories. The research groups of the Department of Physics and Astronomy are involved in several experiments of great interest that take place in Italy and abroad and with lines of research in applied physics on tomography with cosmic muons.
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Experimental physics of low and intermediate energiesFaculty: F. Cappuzzello, S. Cherubini, E.I. Geraci, G. L. Guardo, L. Lamia, D. Lo Presti, A. Musumarra, G. Politi , G.G. Rapisarda, F. Rizzo, S. Romano, M.L. Sergi
This area studies the atomic nucleus, the nuclear reaction mechanisms, the decay of nuclei or their transmutation into other type of particles and the nuclear matter at various conditions of temperature and density. These studies are performed via nuclear collisions investigated at national and international laboratories in the energy range 1-100 MeV per nucleon, thanks to top level detection systems. The results are then described by adopting advanced theoretical models and they find application in different fields such as astrophysics, medicine and environmental studies.