2022 Open Call Announced

The global pandemic has required adaptation from everyone, and ICTP's Physics Without Frontiers (PWF) programme has risen to the challenge. PWF's international network of scientists organises programmes aimed at inspiring, training, and connecting physics and maths students worldwide. Led by local scientists and adapted to different pandemic safety protocols, each activity is customized to the interests of the students.

Young people interested in physics and curious about how the world works live in every country, but access to opportunities for education and research resources are very unequally distributed. PWF works to meet students where they are with a rich schedule of projects every year, helping build the next generation of scientists.

The 2022 Open Call for project proposals is now open, with a deadline of 31 March. From online seminars and university courses to very localized in-person events such as roadshows, international and local scientists work with the PWF team to develop a full activity programme suited to the Covid restrictions and interests of the area. If you are a scientist from a developing country, currently working at home or abroad, and you would like to develop a project with us, please check our page 'Apply now' to propose a project idea.

PWF's work focuses the following three areas: training university students in cutting-edge research in physics and mathematics as well as teaching transferable computational skills, mentoring top students studying at universities to go on to Master's or PhD programmes, and supporting physics and mathematics departments and faculty in universities with few or no research activity.

PWF connects students with mentors from around the region and the world, strengthening the worldwide network of researchers and opening doors for disadvantaged students. In addition to mentoring, some volunteers work with PWF to organise regular projects within the same communities, building relationships with host universities and mentoring students. Multi-year projects are one of the flagships of PWF's work, with project series developed in Nepal, Palestine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and other countries. PWF has worked with over 8000 students worldwide in 30 different countries in its 10 year history.

Projects can take a variety of shapes, but they all share one goal: to break down barriers to accessing physics and mathematics research and training. PWF is especially focused on students and scientists from groups less represented in science: women and girls, those from poorer economic backgrounds, those from ethnic minority backgrounds within regions, those who are geographic barriers or isolated within a region, and those from conflict regions. PWF believes that the luck of birth and location do not determine who can contribute to science and the community of scientists.

Read about PWF, take a look at our current projects, learn about our volunteer network, and read the guidlines to apply.