Professor Pascoal José Giglio Pagliuso is the new director of the “Gleb Wataghin” Institute of Physics (IFGW) from Unicamp. He took office last Monday afternoon (31), during a ceremony held in the institute's auditorium. He will replace professor Newton Frateschi, who took on the role of executive director of the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency this Tuesday (1st). Pagliuso will serve his term from 2017 to 2021, alongside professor Mônica Alonso Cotta, his associate director. Pascoal completed his undergraduate, master's and doctorate degrees at Unicamp. He obtained a postdoctoral degree in physics from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), New Mexico, United States. He is currently a full professor at IFGW.
The inauguration session of the new director was chaired by the rector of Unicamp Marcelo Knobel. The board of directors included, in addition to the rector of Unicamp, the scientific director of the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp), Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, and professors Pascoal Pagliuso and Newton Frateschi. Also present at the event were the general coordinator of the University Teresa Dib Zambon Atvars, the dean of research Munir Skaf, the dean of undergraduate studies Eliana Martorano Amaral and the chief of staff Joaquim Burtorff, among other authorities.
Newton Frateschi thanked the entire IFGW community for their support during his tenure. He highlighted some advances during the period in which he directed the unit, recorded in the management report of the institute. He recalled the creation of the physical engineering course and recalled that IFGW maintains an average of 350 articles indexed per year; the creation of project support points; hiring; infrastructure reforms in various sectors; extensive work in laboratories; the implementation of the new refrigeration system; and the renewal of the IFGW's Wi-Fi network.
He also highlighted during the period the holding of five “Cesar Lattes” Physics Workshops, in addition to the holding of the IFGW's Physics on Vacation and International Winter Schools programs. He noted that the institute completed its golden jubilee in 2017, in which he had the pleasure of participating as director. He said goodbye wishing his successor success and assured that this unit will be in good hands over the next four years.
Pascoal Pagliuso began his speech by expressing that he feels honored to take on the direction of IFGW. He thanked the community for the trust placed in him. He said that he is aware of the difficult times and the enormous challenges that lie ahead. “But it is through these moments that the true greatness of institutions appears. These are moments of organization, renewal, updating and the search for improvements and increased efficiency,” he said. During his speech, he honored Newton Frateschi and former associate director Luís Eduardo Evangelista de Araújo with plaques of recognition.
The new director committed to working towards greater interaction with society, looking at technical-scientific production and the training of excellent human resources, always with social responsibility and commitment. “Despite this difficult challenge, I feel extremely motivated”, he highlighted. Pascoal revealed that he had great admiration for his institute since the first day he visited it at one of the UPA (Unicamp de Portas Abertas) events. “And I learned to admire IFGW even more after learning about its flaws, its limitations and its ability to reinvent itself”, he concluded.
Professor Brito Cruz congratulated all staff, teachers and students. He wished good luck to the new and former director of IFGW at this time of great crisis in the country. “But tomorrow will be better than today”, he stressed. He commented that 26 years ago he had the honor of being director of IFGW and that he received his inauguration in the same auditorium. He congratulated the unit for its growth and recognition on the national scientific scene.
Marcelo Knobel recalled the recent THE (Times Higher Education) ranking that placed Unicamp in first place among the best universities in Latin America. He highlighted that the main difference in this result was Unicamp's excellent interaction with the productive sector of society. “Professor Brito, when rector of Unicamp, received the University at a time of strong contingency. But the creation of the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency was the difference that years later our institution reached this privileged position in the ranking. And new advances are coming”, he highlighted.
When speaking about the new director of IFGW, the dean praised his workforce and said that they belong to the same thematic group. "Our laboratories work in partnership. I'm sure you and Mônica will do a great job, contributing to the institute and to Unicamp. Have excellent management."
