ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research: Funding Proposal for a Regional Center for Theoretical Physics in São Paulo

• Grant number: 25/24203-5
• Support Opportunities: Special Projects
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - General Physics
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Reily Rocha
• Grantee: Alexandre Reily Rocha
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física Teórica (IFT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo

Abstract

Beginning its activities in January 2012 as a collaboration of UNESP, FAPESP and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, the ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research (ICTP-SAIFR) is a center for South America which conducts research at the highest international standards and organizes schools and workshops for doctoral students and researchers in all areas related to theoretical physics, as well as coordinating outreach activities for high-school teachers and students and for the general public. ICTP- SAIFR maintains international agreements with CERN, Fermilab, Nordita, Saclay, DESY, Mainz ITP, Perimeter, IFISC- Mallorca, IFT-Madrid and ICTP-Trieste, and receives donations from the Serrapilheira Institute (Brazil) to organize activities in quantitative biology, from the Simons Foundation (USA) to hire two tenure-track faculty members, and from the Perimeter Institute (Canada) to financially support a joint faculty member who coordinates a joint Master´s program for outstanding Latin American students. The UNESCO general conference recognized these accomplishments by granting the status of Category 2 Institute to ICTP-SAIFR, and the American Physical Society bestowed in 2021 the John Wheatley Award to the ICTP-SAIFR director for the center's role in advancing the development of physics in South America. Financial support from FAPESP for these activities is crucial for maintaining ICTP-SAIFR as the premier Center for Theoretical Physics in South America, and this Special Project grant will allow ICTP-SAIFR to continue its organization of activities during the period from November 3, 2025 - April 3, 2026 while its previous Special Project grant is under review. (AU)