This year’s edition received 988 registrations, 185 of which from foreign students from 17 countries
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials starts, in January 2025, the 32nd edition of the Summer Scholarship Program (PBV). Created in 1992, the CNPEM’s program, which takes place on the Campinas (SP) campus, has the mission of bringing young talents closer to science, encouraging undergraduate students to pursue scientific and technological careers in strategic areas. The participation of those selected is completely free and the institution funds all the participants’ accommodation and food expenses.

Reception for 2025 Summer Scholars (CNPEM)
With a significant number of 988 registrations from students from 17 countries besides Brazil, this year’s PBV reinforces its international relevance. Of the total number of applicants, 185 are foreign students coming from countries such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, United States, Portugal and Angola, as well as representatives from all over Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazilians totaled 803 registrants from all states and the Distrito Federal. Students competed for the chance to experience a period of research project development in the laboratories of CNPEM — a social organization supervised by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) and one of the country’s most prestigious research centers. The selection took into account the academic quality, but also the country’s cultural diversity and regional representation.
After a rigorous selection process, 38 students were approved (the highest number among all editions) and began their activities on the CNPEM campus on January 8th. Those selected will be immersed in visits to the research center’s facilities, which houses cutting-edge laboratories, and to the Ilum School of Science, and will then be welcomed by scientists who will guide them in the development of advanced projects until February 26th.
Participants will have the opportunity to explore themes that address some of this decade’s global challenges: health, agriculture, environment, renewable energy and quantum technologies. Among the highlights are border areas such as science with synchrotron light, bioimaging, scientific engineering, nanoscale characterization, and data science.
On campus, each student will be introduced to the project they will develop, to their advisors and to the CNPEM unit where they will work. This dynamic allows participants to immerse themselves in the technology center’s work, which offers each student the chance to experience the routine of one of the most advanced scientific environments in Brazil.
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. It is responsible for operating the Brazilian Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), and Biorenewables (LNBR) National Laboratories, as well as the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in science and technology with support from the Ministry of Education (MEC).