Spin physics with STAR

The STAR collaboration aims to study polarized proton-proton collisions at RHIC. The performance of the STAR detector during the first polarized proton collision run at RHIC is described in detail. The emphasis of this run was on transverse single spin asymmetries. In future runs, we aim to determine directly and precisely the gluon polarization, as well as the polarizations of the u, u(bar), d and d(bar) quarks in the proton by measuring longitudinal single and double spin asymmetries. These measurements will improve substantially the knowledge and understanding of the spin structure of the nucleon. (author)