When I see the infrastructure offered at Ilum, not just the school’s own facilities but also access to the CNPEM facilities, I imagine how these students will benefit as they work on their projects, with not only the equipment and workshops available to them but also a team of teachers and specialists who are just as excited about these projects as they are.
Studying science is great, and being able to perform science, whether this means solving an equation, using an electron microscope, or setting up an experiment, is even more stimulating and enriching. Understanding the limits of technique, repeating extensively until you can understand your mistakes, discussing alternative routes with colleagues: all these things make every small achievement into something intoxicating and addictive that makes you seek out new challenges.
Ilum was established to challenge students, offering them a unique opportunity in the country to access top-flight infrastructure with a team focused on bringing out their best. And throughout all this effort is a concern with the humanistic shaping of each student. The challenge is not just to train future scientists, but to train scientists who understand the context and importance of science for the world, and especially for a country like Brazil.
I hope that new students will be able to enjoy and take advantage of this new experience at Ilum, which is being planned down to each detail so that they can face future interviews with the certainty that they have been well prepared.