[30/10/2026]
The Latin American Center for Physics (CLAF) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) are strengthening their scientific cooperation.
During the IUPAP Executive Council and Commission Chairs meetings, held in São Paulo from 26 to 29 October 2026, representatives of physics communities and scientific organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean gathered to discuss opportunities for closer regional and international cooperation.
In this context, IUPAP and CLAF signed a new framework cooperation agreement, further strengthening their longstanding relationship. One of the key outcomes of the agreement is CLAF's admission as a new Corporate Associate Member of IUPAP, joining other international organizations such as CERN (Geneva, Switzerland), JINR (Dubna, Russia), and SESAME (Allan, Jordan).
The agreement opens up new opportunities for CLAF to pursue its mission of promoting physics research and strengthening scientific communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
“We aim to play an active role within IUPAP, helping to establish a strong and coordinated regional voice for Latin America within the international physics community, representing the region's interests and advocating for its needs,” remarked CLAF Director Ulisses Barres de Almeida.
The agreement also creates new opportunities for scientific exchange and joint initiatives, supporting the development of physics and strengthening connections among researchers and institutions across Latin America and beyond.
On this occasion, CLAF Director Ulisses Barres de Almeida, IUPAP President Silvina Ponce Dawson (Argentina), and IUPAP President-Designate Sunil Gupta (India) discussed potential joint initiatives related to the ongoing United Nations International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development.
Additional meetings were held with leaders of international and national scientific organizations attending the event to discuss CLAF's mission and its various ongoing initiatives, including the Chacaltaya Project.
During one such meeting, CLAF Director Ulisses Barres de Almeida and Nathan Berkovits, Director of the ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research (ICTP-SAIFR), renewed the longstanding collaboration between their institutions by signing a new Cooperation Agreement aimed at expanding scientific exchanges and joint activities.
Ulisses Barres de Almeida emphasized the importance of CLAF supporting the active participation and representation of its Member States within IUPAP. Through its research networks and activities across the continent, CLAF can also contribute directly to extending IUPAP's reach among scientists and institutions throughout the region.
On Friday, 30 October, CLAF participated in the 35th IUPAP General Assembly, which brought together the Union's members to discuss its priorities and future activities. This marked the first time in recent history that a CLAF Director had participated in an IUPAP General Assembly.
As a Corporate Associate Member, CLAF will become more closely involved in IUPAP's activities. The Center will be able to nominate candidates and hold positions on IUPAP Committees, Commissions, and Working Groups, reinforcing Latin American participation and representation within the Union.
IUPAP's Commissions and Working Groups cover the major fields of physics, providing valuable opportunities to establish connections and partnerships that can further support the development of physics in Latin America.
“We intend to be proactive and make full use of the opportunities offered by this association,” emphasized Ulisses Barres de Almeida.
About IUPAP
The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) is the largest global scientific organization covering all fields of physics and is governed by the physics community itself. Founded in 1922, IUPAP has remained active for more than a century, promoting the dissemination of scientific knowledge worldwide and fostering international cooperation among physicists. A central priority of IUPAP is to strengthen the participation of countries from the Global South in international physics, with particular emphasis on encouraging the involvement of early-career researchers and women scientists in the physical sciences. IUPAP currently brings together 67 countries and territories