Open event unites research and innovation institutes in Recife to celebrate science and technology
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is participating in the 77th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) with entertaining and informative activities. The event runs from July 13 to 19 in the city of Recife, and features over 300 activities that are free and open to the public. For the first time, the Center is expanding its presence with stands in two different spaces: the Technology and Science Expo (Expo T&C) and SBPC Jovem, where visitors can learn more about CNPEM’s main projects like Sirius and Orion as well as its work, areas of activity and programs aimed at students. CNPEM’s director–general also took part in a round table on July 14 – read more below.
This edition of the SBPC Meeting coincides with the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). On Monday July 14, MCTI Minister Luciana Santos ceremonially opened the Expo T&C space and participated in the launch of a commemorative postage stamp. As part of this special session, the Minister officially canceled the stamp, a process using an exclusive printed postmark created by the Brazilian Postal Service to commemorate the date and place where the stamp was presented to the public. Along with the commemoration of MCTI’s 40th anniversary, the stamp also features an image of Sirius, the country’s largest scientific infrastructure, designed and developed by Brazilians.
One of CNPEM’s stands during SBPC 2025, in Recife (CNPEM Outreach)
During her speech at the ceremony, Luciana Santos stressed the importance of maintaining investments in science and technology. “Today we are excelling, especially with the full replenishment of the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT), with more investment in the Sirius and Orion projects, competitive hiring processes for new staff and the development of the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan,” she said.
The ceremony was attended by SBPC President Renato Janine Ribeiro, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE) Dean Maria José de Sena, former Minister Sérgio Rezende, FINEP President Luiz Antônio Elias, and federal deputy Pedro Campos. Everyone canceled the stamp and signed a card it was affixed to, which will become part of the Postal Service’s historical collection.
Also on July 14, CNPEM’s director–general, Antonio José Roque da Silva, took part in the round table entitled “Sirius: linking cutting–edge science, human resources training and science education”, which discussed the inclusion of contemporary themes in science teaching and initiatives that point in this direction, such as the Synchrotron School for High School Teachers (ESPEM).
CNPEM times two
CNPEM is participating in the celebration of MCTI’s 40th anniversary by highlighting important milestones in the ministry’s history starting in the late 1980s in the Expo T&C space. From the construction and inauguration of UVX (the Southern Hemisphere’s first synchrotron light source) to the laying of the foundation stone for Project Orion in 2024, visitors can learn more about this history, which also includes the creation and development of CNPEM’s research units, programs aimed at students (like the Summer Scholarships, which has been running for over 30 years) and the recent creation of the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree in science and technology and graduated its first class in 2024.
CNPEM’s stand at Expo T&C also features interactive models of Sirius, Latin America’s only synchrotron light source, and the building that will house Orion (the future laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research), along with stands illustrating advanced scientific techniques and 3D-printed items representing samples that illustrate CNPEM’s analytical and experimental capabilities.
CNPEM expanded its participation in the SBPC Annual Meeting with its first exhibition at SBPC Jovem, providing an educational introduction to the various types of microscopy it offers. The stand depicts a scientific journey on various scales ranging from the visible to the invisible, with simple samples of everyday objects magnified using optical microscopy, simulations of 3D electron microscopy images, sensory activities on the topic of atomic force microscopy (AFM), and games and quizzes where participants can win prizes on topics related to Ilum and confocal microscopy.
Science & art awards
The 77th SBPC meeting will also include a ceremony where prizes are presented to the winners of the Science & Art Photography Award organized by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). The competition is intended to encourage the popularization of science and technology with striking images related to science, technology and innovation. Candidates can submit images generated by special instruments or a traditional camera that support their research projects.
In the category of images generated by special instruments, CNPEM researcher Waldemir José Paschoalino Júnior won second place for his image entitled “Crystallized Eye,” which was obtained after a test simulating the operating conditions of an oil platform in which calcium carbonate salts are formed. These experimental conditions culminated in the formation of a uniformly distributed layer of salt that resembles a human eye.
The 77th Annual Meeting of the SBPC
The SBPC Meeting is traditionally held in a different state each year; this year, the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE) was chosen to host the event. Under the topic “Progress is Science in All Territories,” the meeting comprises over 300 free activities including conferences, debates, workshops and cultural presentations, which can be visited until Saturday, July 19.
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. CNPEM’s research and development activities are carried out through its four National Laboratories: Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), Biorenewables (LNBR), as well as its Technology Unit (DAT) and the Ilum School of Science — an undergraduate program in Science and Technology supported by the Ministry of Education (MEC).
With information from MCTI
