Brazil becomes CERN Associate member state
"The signing ceremony of Brazil's accession agreement as an Associate Member State of CERN was held on March 3, at CERN, with the presence of the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) of Brazil, Marcos Pontes"
The signing of the agreement follows the unanimous approval by the CERN Council of the association of Brazil to the organization, on 24 September 2021. Although the agreement is yet to be ratified by the Brazilian Federal Senate, this is undoubtedly an important step.
It also comes after a decade of negotiations, which have been intensified in recent years by initiative of the MCTI. In 2019, Minister Marco Pontes visited CERN, reaffirming Brazil's interest in becoming an associate member. In May 2021, Marco Pontes and Manuel Heitor, Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, signed three memoranda of understanding, one of them in the area of particle physics, in which the high level of scientific and academic cooperation between the two countries is recognized, and the intention is to promote this cooperation in priority areas. The objective of coordinating and developing the collaboration between Portuguese and Brazilian research centers stands out, with emphasis on participation in CERN.
Brazil has participated in major collaborations at CERN since the 1980s. The entry of Brazil as an associate member opens new perspectives and opportunities in sectors such as scientific instrumentation, innovation and industry. Currently, Brazil has groups of scientists and technicians participating in the CMS and LHCb experiments at the LHC, with responsibilities in detector development, data analysis and computing, and Brazilian students carrying out MSc and PhD theses within the scope of these experiments. About a hundred Brazilian researchers participate in CERN experiments.
CERN, founded in 1954, played a key role in rebuilding ties between the different countries and rebuilding European science after the Second World War, making its motto “Science for Peace”. Today with 23 member states and 10 associate members, since 2010 it allowed the association of non-European countries.
Portugal became a member of CERN in 1986, by initiative of José Mariano Gago, who in the same year founded the Laboratory of Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics (LIP), bringing together the then embryonic experimental particle physics community in Portugal, with the goal of boosting its development and promoting the country's participation in this international scientific organization, the first of which Portugal became a member.
We conclude remembering Gaspar Barreira (05/04/1940 — 06/01/2019), founder of the LIP, director of the LIP and Portuguese delegate to the CERN Council until his passing, and Ronald Cintra Shellard (22/07/1948 — 07/12/2021), Brazilian scientist collaborating with CERN since the 1980s, close friend of Portugal and LIP, director of the Brazilian Center for Physical Research (CBPF) for many years, who both contributed greatly, with their determination and commitment, to the success of this journey.