1st Edition of International School on Advanced Quantum Materials (INCT-MQA event)

Por Prof. Milton André Tumelero, professor do Instituto de Física da UFRGS.

The International School on Advanced Quantum Materials was held from July 13 to 17, 2026, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The event was nicknamed SuperSchool 2026, in reference to its central theme, “Superconducting Functional Materials for Advanced Quantum Technologies.” The main goal of the School was to contribute to the training of highly qualified researchers and professionals for the advancement of both fundamental and applied science in superconductivity and quantum materials.

The event was a joint initiative of the National Institute of Science and Technology in Advanced Quantum Materials (INCT-MQA) and the Institute of Physics of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). SuperSchool 2026 was organized by Professors Sergio Garcia Magalhães, Milton Andre Tumelero, and Sabrina Nicolodi Viegas, with the support of a local organizing committee and an international scientific committee. The complete composition of the committees, as well as additional information about the School, is available on the official event website: https://www.ufrgs.br/superschool2026.

The School marked the first major in-person event funded by INCT-MQA. Originally included in the Institute’s work plan approved by CNPq, the event brought together researchers affiliated with INCT-MQA and collaborators from several national and international institutions, including participants from Argentina, Uruguay, France, and Russia. The meeting provided an important opportunity to strengthen and expand scientific collaborations, promote the exchange of knowledge, and increase the international visibility of the research activities carried out within INCT-MQA.

The “school” format was strategically chosen to encourage broad participation by students both affiliated and not affiliated with INCT-MQA. In addition to promoting discussions on current topics in superconductivity and quantum materials, the program was designed to contribute to the scientific training of the participants and to encourage young researchers to pursue careers in these fields.

Supporting scientific events of this nature is one of the activities promoted by INCT-MQA. Therefore, proposals for future editions of the International School on Advanced Quantum Materials are very welcome and may be submitted for evaluation by the INCT-MQA Management Committee. Research groups interested in coordinating future editions of the School are warmly encouraged to submit their proposals.

SuperSchool 2026 in numbers:

Confirmed participants: 110
Invited speakers: 25
International speakers: 8
Minicourses and lectures: 27
Poster presentations: 58
Awards: 7 — including 3 awards and 4 honorable mentions