ABDUS SALAM has never forgotten that he had to leave his native Pakistan in order to pursue his life's work in theoretical physics. He firmly believes that talented scientists from developing nations should be encouraged to carry out their research in their home countries. For Salam, a strong base in fundamental science and high technology is the key to national advancement.
From such uncompromising convictions came a germ of an idea that is growing into a scientific programme of worldwide proportions. The International Centre for Theoretical Physics at Trieste in northern Italy, which Salam founded a quarter of a century ago to help Third World physicists, has become a bold model for other scientific disciplines. Today, Salam envisages setting up centres of excellence all over the developing world in research areas ranging from disaster prediction to biotechnology.
Last year, the ICTP celebrated its 25th anniversary with an international meeting where ...
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