In my opinion, one of the essential requirements for a scientific life is courage. Courage, curiosity and caring. Ilum, and the students who dedicate their lives to this idea, represent pure courage: courage to make it happen and then become part of the process so that everyone learns together. It’s like building wings when you’re already in the air, but with the best plans and instructors. The physical structure of this school is inspiring, it reminds me of the early days at LNLS, and the library archive that was created is impressive, as are the learning spaces. I also donated a number of books, since I think nothing compares to the contact and caring that a book can transmit between generations. Books serve as portals, and at Ilum these individual deep dives into reading are essential. As the LNLS ambassador to Ilum, I have had opportunities to interact with the students and facilitate their access. They have the opportunity to visit laboratories, attend lectures, and learn more about everyone’s work, and will also have time to participate in research and innovation projects. Students will be able to directly interact with researchers at CNPEM as a whole, which sharpens their curiosity and requires courage and caring from everyone involved.