[02/07/2026].
The names of the postdoctoral fellows selected under the agreement between the Latin American Center for Physics (CLAF) and Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet) have just been announced.
The CLAF-Conicet Program’s evaluation committee awarded 36-month fellowships to three PhD holders from Latin American countries. Conicet will fully fund the fellowship stipends, and the corresponding research – to be carried out at Argentine research institutions – is expected to begin on August 1.
The CLAF-Conicet Program is open to candidates from CLAF member countries (except Argentina) who hold a doctoral degree and are seeking to further their academic training or specialization by carrying out basic, applied, or technological research.
“The selection of the first cohort of postdoctoral fellows under the CLAF-Conicet Program marks the start of a new phase of scientific cooperation for Latin America. Supporting the mobility of young researchers and creating new opportunities for collaboration with Argentina are priorities of CLAF’s current mission,” said experimental physicist Ulisses Barres de Almeida, director of CLAF.
“We congratulate the selected researchers and thank Conicet for establishing the program and for partnering with CLAF to bring this initiative to life,” concluded Barres, who is a researcher at the Brazilian Center for Physics Research (CBPF), in Rio de Janeiro (RJ).
Physicist Alberto Baruj, Conicet’s vice president for technological affairs, called the announcement “an important step.” He also noted that the call for the second edition of the CLAF-Conicet Program will be announced around next October.
Selected Fellows
Lindber Ivan Salas Escobar, who holds a PhD in physics from the University of São Paulo, is currently a visiting researcher at the Institute of High Energy Physics in Barcelona (Spain). His postdoctoral research will focus on conformal dynamics and modern effective field theory, under the supervision of Leandro Darold, a researcher at the Balseiro Institute.
“I look forward to this new stage with great enthusiasm and joy. The Balseiro Institute is one of the most important institutions in the region for my development as a researcher. It will be a wonderful stage in which I will be able to learn, collaborate, and contribute to high-level physics in our region. Achieving the highest level of training is something we should all aspire to,” said Salas Escobar.
Loreany Ferreira de Araujo, who holds a PhD in astronomy from the University of São Paulo, conducts research in high-energy physics and astroparticle physics. Her postdoctoral research will focus on the microphysics of finite-temperature neutron stars in the context of non-radial adiabatic oscillations, work that will be carried out at the Institute of Physics of La Plata.
"The field of compact objects has been extensively studied, due to the difficulty of describing the physics of high-density environments. With this postdoctoral opportunity, I hope that collaboration among Latin American institutions will foster the development of quality research in this field, in order to generate a regional and international scientific impact," said Araujo.
Iván Darío Arellano-Ramírez, who holds a PhD in physics from the National University of Colombia and is a full professor at the Technological University of Pereira (Colombia), conducts research in materials physics and nanotechnology. His project focuses on the theoretical-computational study of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites for the design of environmentally friendly photovoltaic cells, research that will also be carried out at the Institute of Physics of La Plata.
“Over the next three years of my postdoctoral research, I hope to conduct high-level research in computational materials science, integrating density functional theory, machine learning, and photovoltaic device simulation for the design of low-lead hybrid perovskites. My goal is to generate knowledge that contributes to the development of more efficient and environmentally sustainable materials; to strengthen national and international scientific collaborations; and to establish a research line with an impact on the energy transition and on the development of human talent,” said Arellano-Ramírez.
More Information:
Fellowship results: https://convocatorias.conicet.gov.ar/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/publico/convocatoria-becas-2025/resultados-pd-cof/PD-25-CLAF_55a11e7a50c6af0c30.pdf
CLAF-Conicet Program: https://claffisica.org.br/news-item/programa-claf-conicet-de-bolsas-de-ps-doutorado-na-argentina-para-cooperao-latino-americana-em-fsica
CLAF: https://claffisica.org.br/
Conicet: https://www.conicet.gov.ar/