e-Science is short for  “enhanced science" – i.e., scientific methods whose efficiency can be enhanced by next-generation information technology and the internet. Intellectual and technical resources in science are combined in a global network. This results in new ways of collaborative and interdisciplinary research - e-Science is the future of scientific work.

To connect the intellectual and technical research resources in virtual organizations, we need suitable application programs and an innovative infrastructure as a safe, reliable basis for scientific working and publishing. It has to be ensured that the flow of data and knowledge is organized in an efficient and sustainable way. However, there is much more to e-Science than just skilful handling of mass data and optimum networking of computer capacities. The obtained data have to be “tidied up” and integrated into a scientific classification system, so that they can be stored on a long-term basis as “knowledge of science” and are permanently available for future use.

The policy of other countries like the USA and the United Kingdom has already improved the framework conditions for e-Science. In Germany, too, initial advances for providing an e-Science infrastructure have been made with the “knowledge networking” and “D-Grid” initiatives of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). FIZ Karlsruhe – a publicly funded institution whose task is to support knowledge transfer in Germany and abroad with innovative solutions – plays an important role in knowledge networking.

FIZ Karlsruhe is a pioneer in the digital information business. Its staff has superior expertise in scientific information and knowledge transfer. Innovative information services have been FIZ Karlsruhe’s core business for 30 years and enjoy good standing in the marketplace. These services are based on cutting-edge retrieval and application software with intelligent tools for authorization and authentication, work flow, user management, object management, standardization of data, and license management. FIZ Karlsruhe is also highly qualified in dealing with sensitive issues like access protection, data protection, and data integrity.
All of these aspects of know-how and expertise are required by e-Science.

In addition, FIZ Karlsruhe serves as a neutral platform for offers and solutions provided by different, competing players in the marketplace.

Therefore, when it comes to sustainable new developments and services in the field of e-Science, customers and partners of FIZ Karlsruhe can benefit from market-acknowledged professional, neutral, and reliable services provided by an institution with a public mission.