Double academic distinction for Luís O. Silva

IPFN member and GoLP coordinator Luís Oliveira e Silva was recently elected fellow of the European Academy of Sciences (EurASc), followed shortly by his election as a corresponding member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences. These distinctions recognise the impact of his scientific work and academic curriculum.

“I am very grateful to the European Academy of Sciences for this recognition, to the members of my team and my research group, GoLP, and to IPFN and Técnico colleagues for all their support and collaboration: without them, I wouldn’t be able to develop my research work”, says Luís, who had no link with this body so far.  He is the first Portuguese to be part of the Physics Division and the sixth Portuguese to join the prestigious academy.

The election of EurASc fellows begins with a proposal by the Scientific Committees, which is duly subject to the approval of the General Board – composed of Presidium Members and Heads of Divisions. EurASc is completely independent of any national entity, in its membership, election processes, deliberations and actions. “The appointment is based solely on the relevance of scientific contributions, on the reach and impact of published articles and on the scientific curriculum”, stresses Luís Silva.

This election was followed by another distinction: his election as a corresponding member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences. “I am very honoured to be a member of this Academy, among whose members rank a number of intellectuals whom I admire, including several Técnico professors”, says Luís. Alfredo Bensaúde, who founded IST in 1911, was himself a member of this Academy.

Luís is the second representative of plasma physics in the Academy, following the former academic Armando Brinca, pioneer of space plasmas in Portugal and also a former member of the Center for Plasma Physics (pre-IPFN research unit).
The Lisbon Academy of Sciences is a scientific institution of public utility, established during the queendom of D. Maria I on December 24, 1779. Its current president is Prof. Carlos Salema, also a member of IST,

Each of its two classes – Sciences and humanities – is composed of thirty-five effective and seventy corresponding academics, and up to seventy foreign corresponding academics. With Luís O. Silva, IST now has six effective and nine corresponding members in this academy. The president of the Academy, Carlos Salema, is also a professor at IST.

“I hope to contribute to the mission of the Academy and to correspond to the trust placed in me”, says Luís.

Congratulations on both elections!