On January 29, 30 and 31, at the San Joaquin Campus of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, a new version of the annual meeting of the SAPHIR Millennium Institute was held: "SAPHIR ARM25 unveiling the uknown". During the last 3 years, this meeting has brought together some of the most outstanding scientists in the field of Particle Physics, from the theoretical to the experimental.
The 2025 version was organized by a group of SAPHIR researchers who are part of the Physics Institute of the Pontificia Universidad Católica. Professors Francisca Garay (alternate director), Giovanna Cottin (research associate) and Marco Aurelio Díaz (research associate). Also collaborating in the organization were Felipe Olivares, executive director of SAPHIR, and Patricio Grunert, director of communications and outreach.
Subatomic particle physics is a fundamental field of study for understanding the most basic principles of the universe. Despite its complexity, this field has allowed transcendental discoveries, such as the identification of the Higgs boson or the understanding of dark matter. In this context, the organization of a congress on subatomic particle physics in Chile represents a key opportunity to position the country as a relevant player in scientific research at the international level. In this sense, our institute, SAPHIR, has taken on this challenge for several years, developing this instance in which not only academics and researchers of vast experience participate, but also students and scientists with an emerging career in the area.
This event not only fostered the exchange of ideas between local and international scientists, but also provided a platform for Chilean researchers to access new techniques, advances and emerging theories, thus accelerating the development of new knowledge in the field. In addition, the congress served as a meeting point to forge collaborations between scientific institutions from different parts of the world, creating networks that continue to drive joint research projects.
SAPHIR ARM25 was attended by the following speakers Keynote speakersNicolás Bernal from NYU Abu Dhabi, who presented "Dark Matter and Cosmology: A truncated overview"; Gregorio Bernardi from APC Paris and FCC, with "The Future Circular Collider (FCC) project and its physics potential"; Giovanni De Lellis from the University of Naples, with "SHIP and SND"; and Steve McMahon from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), who spoke on "The HL-LHC program and the ATLAS Phase-II upgrade".
Also participating were: Sergey Kuleshov (SAPHIR director), Francisca Garay (alternate director), Giovanna Cottin (research associate), Francisco Molina (research associate) and Alfonso Zerwekh (research associate). Also present were Jaime Romero-Barrientos, Valery Lyubovitsky, Marco Ayala, Franco López-Usquiano, Yohan Oviedo, Sergey Kovalenko, Bastián Díaz, Toshihiko Ota, Alexis Guirriman and Sebastián Norero, from different countries and institutions.
The event ended with a poster presentation by SAPHIR students and interns at different levels of training, a space that the institute has been building year after year, in order to strengthen the outreach capabilities of students, who must present and explain to researchers and guests, the results of their research, theses and papers.
