The Bossini group researches the interaction between light and solids on the ultrafast timescale. Of particular interest to us is the charge and spin dynamics in magnetically ordered materials. The research area of "ultrafast magnetism" deals with the control of the macroscopic magnetic properties in solids on the sub-picosecond timescale. Two particular focus points of our group are the local and non-local coherent manipulations of collective magnetic excitations and the ultrafast spin-charge conversion on the femtosecond timescale. In this context, we study magnetic dielectrics and semiconductors since they lack free electrons, enabling optically-induced magnetic manipulations in the absence of massive Joule-heating.