Geneva, May 16, 2025 .
In an official ceremony held at the premises of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland, Chile signed its incorporation as an Associate Member State of this leading international scientific institution.
The Chilean delegation was led by the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation of the Government of Chile, Aisén Etcheverry, who traveled accompanied by members of the Senate Science Committee. This step represents a historic milestone for the country, consolidating its participation in one of the world's most relevant scientific collaborations in the field of particle physics.
The ceremony was attended by CERN authorities, including its Director General, Fabiola Gianotti, who highlighted the solid track record of collaboration of Chilean scientists in key projects at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
One of the most prominent actors in this relationship has been the Millennium Institute SAPHIR, recognized as one of the most active scientific research centers in cooperation with CERN. SAPHIR researchers have participated in several experiments and in the development of LHC detectors, and some of its members are currently working permanently at the CERN facilities, thus strengthening the scientific link between both institutions.
The ceremony was attended by the director of the SAPHIR Millennium Institute, Dr. Sergey Kuleshov, and the alternate director, Dr. Francisca Garay, together with other researchers from the institute, who have contributed directly to the advancement of knowledge in high-energy physics.
The signing of this agreement not only reinforces Chile's commitment to frontier science, but also opens new opportunities for collaboration, training of advanced human capital and technological development, for the benefit of both the country and the international scientific community.