The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment with activities on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. The Center is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. Its scientific competencies are organized in the areas of nanotechnology, bioscience, biotechnology and biorenewables, cutting-edge engineering, and scientific instrumentation. Together with a responsible and transparent governance model and management that focuses on results, these competencies make CNPEM a catalyst for Brazil’s scientific, technological, and socioeconomic progress.

CNPEM’s work involves numerous activities organized into four main lines: Facilities Open to Outside Users; In-House Research and Development; Support for Innovation; and Training, Education, and Extension.

These different fronts benefit universities, other science and technology institutes, and companies by providing access to the Center’s infrastructure, sharing its scientific and technical expertise, and collaborative projects with the academic and productive sectors. Partnerships with Brazilian and international institutions broaden its impact, bolstering the country’s role within the global scientific and technological scenario. CNPEM also collaborates in the educational, technical, and scientific training of various actors within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation through its bachelor’s degree program, student guidance, supervising early-career post-docs, training programs, and scientific events.

External researchers from universities and research centers across Brazil as well as abroad can access CNPEM’s equipment to conduct experiments. To do so, candidates must submit a research proposal via the SAU Online user support platform.

CNPEM accepts research proposals from researchers at teaching, science and technology institutions who have a scientific hypothesis to test. Students (doctorate, master’s, etc.) may not submit a proposal without a senior researcher listed as the principal investigator (PI). Proposals submitted by doctoral candidates should list a head researcher, preferably the student’s advisor, as the PI.

At CNPEM, support for innovation and entrepreneurship within the productive environment is concentrated in (1) collaborative research, development and innovation (R&D&I) projects, (2) providing technological services, (3) transfer of technology and expertise, and (4) stimulating entrepreneurship. All these initiatives also receive support from research related to competitive and technological intelligence.

Learn more at https://cnpem.br/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/WEB_Impresso-AIN_2024.pdf

CNPEM collaborates with the productive sector via partnerships in research projects, development of innovative technologies, and solutions for areas like biotechnology, health and renewable materials. In 2023 CNPEM launched its PACE deeptech acceleration program, the first of its kind in the country, which offers specialized technical support and the Center’s cutting-edge infrastructure at no cost to Brazilian startups with projects that match CNPEM’s working areas, competencies and facilities. Learn more at https://cnpem.br/inovacao/pace/#!/programa

Sirius is Brazil’s largest and most complex scientific infrastructure and one of the world’s most advanced synchrotron light sources, used to study the structure of materials at the atomic scale.

Synchrotron light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is generated when charged particles like electrons are accelerated at high speeds within a synchrotron ring. This radiation spans a wide range of wavelengths from infrared to X-rays, and is used to investigate the structure and properties of materials with a high degree of precision. Some of the main applications for synchrotron light are:

1. Analyzing the structure of materials: Synchrotron light can be used to determine the atomic and molecular structure of materials, including identification of crystal structure and analysis of complex compounds.

2. High-resolution imaging: Makes it possible to create detailed images of samples on the nanoscale which are essential for studying biomaterials, advanced materials and nanostructured devices.

3. Studying molecular dynamics: Helps us understand the dynamics of chemical and physical processes like chemical reactions in real time and changes in the structure of materials under different conditions.

4. Research in biology and medicine: Use to study biomolecules, proteins and other biological structures in detail, contributing to the development of new medications and therapies.

5. Investigation of physical and chemical properties: Allows us to study the electronic, magnetic and optical properties of materials, offering insights into their characteristics and behavior.

6. Characterization of advanced materials: Used to develop and improve advanced materials like new semiconductors, polymers and composites, offering benefits to the high-tech and energy industries.

In short, synchrotron light is a powerful and versatile tool for scientific research that offers detailed and precise data about a broad range of materials and processes.

Sirius generates and utilizes synchrotron light to analyze materials and structures at the atomic and molecular levels. It is mainly used for scientific research in the areas of materials and bioscience.

CERN is dedicated to particle physics, and uses accelerators to cause collisions between high-energy particles and explore the underlying structure of matter and the fundamental forces of the universe.

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Sirius is funded by the Brazilian federal government via the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI).

At Sirius, electromagnetic radiation is generated by the particle accelerator, a machine that stops emitting radiation as soon as it is turned off. No radioactive material is used, so there is no risk of explosion or release of these materials into the environment. The radiation safety program at Sirius is meant to ensure the safety of the facilities by controlling access to certain areas and complying with the norms established by the Brazilian National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) for radiation exposure values, classification of areas, and radiation safety measures. The controls implemented at Sirius are generally more rigorous than those recommended by these norms. All accessible areas in the facilities have radiation levels that correspond to natural radiation, and consequently are considered radiation-free.

Orion is a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research that will be available to the scientific community in Brazil and abroad working to investigate pathogenic agents (viruses, bacteria, fungi) and how they affect human health.

Learn more and get answers to more questions about the project at https://cnpem.br/orion/

The plans for Orion include the first maximum biological containment facilities (BSL-4) in Latin America, and the first in the world connected to a particle accelerator, Sirius. It will also contain BSL-2 and 3 facilities, as well as labs for basic research, analytic techniques and advanced competencies for biological imaging such as microscopy.

Yes. There are many examples of successful BSL-4 laboratories that are not located in wilderness environments, specifically because of the logistical importance of the location and the guarantee of protection protocols. For example, the long-standing Robert Koch Institute is located within the city of Berlin and contains a BSL-4 laboratory on its grounds. The complex was officially inaugurated

in 2015, and after testing phases it began regular operations in late 2018. Other examples of maximum biosafety containment laboratories in urban settings are found in the United States, such as the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) facility affiliated with Boston University and adjacent to its urban campus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, and the Integrated Research Facility (IRF) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Maryland.

For more details about the security measures at Project Orion implemented from construction up to operations, visit https://cnpem.br/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Orion_Edicao1_2024.pdf

CNPEM holds events, visits and guided tours, especially for occasions like Open Science (Ciência Aberta) and National Science and Technology Week (Semana Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia). Visit CNPEM’s Visit Program page and follow us on social media to find out about the dates for upcoming events.

https://cnpem.br/divulgacao/visite-cnpem/

Yes, CNPEM’s educational activities include the Ilum School of Science, which offers a free undergraduate degree program in science and technology, as well as trainings and workshops in various scientific areas.

Keep an eye out for upcoming events by following CNPEM on social media and visiting the events page on the CNPEM website.

Yes, students do not pay to study at Ilum. Some of the other benefits provided to all students include:

• Free housing in studio apartments equipped with a bed, stove, refrigerator, laundry area, and air conditioning (students from Campinas must justify their need for housing).
• Free transportation from student housing to Ilum and CNPEM during the academic year.
• Meal allowance for lunch during classes/activities at Ilum.
• Meal allowance card for other meals (Campinas residents must justify the need for this benefit).
• State-of-the-art laptop computer for exclusive personal use during the entire program, which comes installed with all the software necessary for academic activities.
• Free English lessons.
• Specialized psychological support.
• Possible travel allowance between home city and Campinas at the start of the academic year.

To learn more, visit https://cnpem.br/ensino/#https://cnpem.br/ensino/#!/ilum

Ilum offers a full-time three-year bachelor’s degree in science and technology; the program is accredited by the Brazilian Ministry of Education and Culture and was awarded the maximum score (5) by the national certifying agency (INEP). Learn more at https://ilum.cnpem.br/

If you are a high school teacher, check out ESPEM, the Sirius School for High School Teachers. Participants become students again for a week in an experience that immerses them in CNPEM’s cutting-edge research environment. Through seminars, lecture classes, roundtables, and sharing their experiences, teachers are motivated to bring concepts from modern science back to the classrooms where they work and update their teaching practices.

Unified Internship Program (PUE): for interns at the technical and undergraduate level, in various areas.

Summer Scholarship Program (PBV): immersion in research projects for undergraduate students from Brazil and Latin America during January and February.

CNPq fellowships for undergraduate students (PIBIC) focused on solving scientific challenges.

Ricardo Rodrigues Synchrotron Light School (ER2LS): training in synchrotron light techniques, open to undergraduate and graduate students.

Learn more at https://cnpem.br/ensino/#!/estudantesprofessores