Free initiative from the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials offers physics, chemistry and biology teachers from across the country access to major national scientific facilities
On Thursday, August 20, CNPEM (the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials) will open registration for the ninth edition of ESPEM, the Sirius School for High School Teachers. This free program invites physics, chemistry and biology teachers from all over Brazil to participate in a week of scientific immersion at the CNPEM campus in Campinas, São Paulo.
Organized by CNPEM in partnership with Brazilian scientific societies, ESPEM 2027 will take place from January 11 to 16. Registration is exclusively online, via the official program website, until September 20, 2026.
During the week of activities, participants will take a deep dive into the scientific facilities and research programs at CNPEM, which include competencies in synchrotron light, bioscience, biorenewables, nanotechnology and advanced engineering, and also learn more about the Center’s undergraduate degree program, the Ilum School of Science. The schedule combines technical visits, hands-on experiments and training workshops focusing on classroom applications.
This edition will reinforce the continuing education aspect of ESPEM. Besides engaging with research in areas like health, energy, renewable materials and sustainability, the teachers will also participate in a group activity to develop teaching plans inspired by their experiences during the week of activities.
Teachers of physics, chemistry or biology in public and private high schools or youth/adult education programs are eligible to participate. Candidates must hold a teaching degree in one of these areas; those with degrees in other fields must provide documentation that they teach one of these subjects.
Professors of physics, chemistry, or biology teaching programs in public universities, teachers of public school entrance exam prep courses, and university students pursuing teaching degrees who are already teaching in high school classrooms are also eligible if space remains.
Sixty slots will be available. Enrollment priorities include at least two candidates per Brazilian state (including the Federal District) and 25% of the slots reserved for each of the three target areas (physics, chemistry and biology), with the remainder distributed according to demand.
CNPEM will cover the costs (total or partial) of round-trip air or bus tickets to Campinas, lodging in a double room near campus with breakfast included, as well as lunch from Monday to Friday at the CNPEM dining hall and daily transport between the hotel and the campus.
Program
- What: Sirius School for High School Teachers — ESPEM 2027
- When: January 11 to 16, 2027
- Where: CNPEM’s campus in Campinas, São Paulo
- Registration: August 20 to September 20, 2026, at https://pages.cnpem.br/espem/inscricoes/
- Spots: up to 60, for high school teachers of physics, chemistry and biology
- Results announced: starting October 5, 2026
- Send questions to: eventos@cnpem.br
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).
https://cnpem.br/en/Diretoria Adjunta de Tecnologia (DAT) e da Ilum Escola de Ciência.
