The International Centre for Theoretical Physics,
ICTP - Trieste, Italy

International Scientific Cooperation

In recent years, about 6,000 scientists per year from almost all nations have visited ICTP to participate in the Centre's research and training activities, numbering more than fifty, and to conduct their own research in various fields of physics and mathematics. Since 1964 the Centre has received about 100,000 visits from scientists worldwide


By MARIJA MITROVIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


Science has always been an international endeavor. Scientists have a need to collaborate with each other. Goal of that collaboration is to generate, expand and share scientific ideas and knowledge. One place where researchers from all over the world can exchange their thoughts is The International Centre for Theoretical Physics - ICTP, Trieste, Italy.

The notion of creating an institute of theoretical physics open to scientists from around the world was discussed for the first time in Castelletto in the Miramare Park, during the seminar on elementary particle physics, in 1960. Four years later, in 1964, the idea became reality. the main force behind setting up of the ICTP was famous physicist and Nobel Prise laureate Abdus Salam. With his words "Scientific thought is the common heritage of mankind" he has inspired the Centre since its inception. Created during the Cold War in the heart of Europe, a continent separated by the iron curtain, ICTP provided a rare line of communication between scientists from the East and West. One of the main goals of ICTP is to foster the growth of advanced studies and research in physics and mathematics, especially among researchers from developing countries. Providing an international forum for the exchange of information and ideas among scientists from the North and South is part of mission of Centre.

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) operates under the aegis of two United Nations Agencies (UNESCO and IAEA) and has a seat agreement with the Government of Italy. It is a part of a scientific campus located near Miramare Castle, about 10 km from downtown Trieste and enjoys its rather picturesque setting on the hills facing the Adriatic sea. Other neighboring institutions are the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) and the Department of Theoretical Physics (DFT) of the University of Trieste.

The scientists at ICTP are engaged not only with scientific research but also invest much of their energy on creating various opportunities for visitors at all levels, from students fresh out of their undergraduate degree to most advanced scientists. Over time, about 100,000 visitors have come to the Centre and have enriched its activities and have, in turn, been enriched by them. This is consistent with Abdus Salam's belief that scientific talent exists everywhere and that, if given the proper environment in which to grow, all nations could contribute to its advancement and share in its bounty. Besides the high-level training courses, workshops, conferences, topical meetings and regular research activities which take place throughout the year at ICTP, the scientific sections offer also visitor programmes. These activities provide scientists from developing countries with opportunities to conduct research and to study new developments in physics and mathematics thanks to generous funding received by the Centre.

Visitors have support of the the General Services of ICTP. The function of Housing Office is to assists visitors who are seeking a room in the guest houses, Galileo and Adriatico, or off-campus lodging. The Operations and Travel Office is responsible for financial transactions and travel arrangements in connection with visits to ICTP. The Passport and Visa Information Office assists ICTP visitors in obtaining entry visas to Italy, help visitors obtain foreign visas when traveling on behalf of the Centre. ICTP visitors and resident scientists have access to the main scientific services including the Library and the ICTP Computer facilities.

Throughout its history, ICTP has welcomed some of the world's foremost physicists to its campus. J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project in the United States during World War II, Werner Heisenberg, who formulated the uncertainty principle, and Paul A.M. Dirac, who predicted the existence of antimatter, were enthusiastic supporters and frequent visitors to the Centre. In all, some eighty Nobel Laureates have lectured at the Centre as well as many other prestigious scientists in fields ranging from elementary particles to solid state physics to atmospheric sciences to mathematics to astrophysics.

In recent years, about 6,000 scientists per year from almost all nations have visited ICTP to participate in the Centre's research and training activities, numbering more than fifty, and to conduct their own research in various fields of physics and mathematics. Since 1964 the Centre has received about 100,000 visits from scientists worldwide. In 2005, it received some 6000 visitors from 122 countries: 4000 came to participate in ICTP-sponsored activities and some 2000 came to participate in activities organized by other institutions but hosted by ICTP. Approximately half of the scientists have come from the developing world. Over the past six years, the number of women participating in ICTP activities has increased steadily and now stands at 20 percent.

Science results should be made free for everyone and science helps in building bridges across cultural rifts. ICTP programmes tacitly improve scientific cooperation among countries with diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.