The role of physicists in the "rebirth of a scientific movement" in Portugal during the inter-war period

• Autores: Augusto José dos Santos Fitas, Emília Vaz Gomes, María Fátima Nunes, J.P. Príncipe
• Localización: The Circulation of Science and Technology: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of the European Society for the History of Science. Barcelona, 18-20 November 2010 / coord. por Antoni M. Roca Rosell, 2012, ISBN 978-84-9965-108-8, págs. 810-817
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The advent of the Republic in 1910 brought with it important reforms to higher education in Portugal. In spite of severe political and financial difficulties of the next two decades, Portuguese universities financed the graduation studies of few young teachers abroad. Despite these relevant initiatives the Portuguese republican government was not successful in creating a national institution capable of promoting and funding the organization of scientific research in the country. Only in 1929 did the government set up this kind of institution, the Junta de Educação Nacional (JEN) [«National Board of Education»], with the aim of funding research centres in the universities and of providing grants for students to continue their advanced studies both at home and abroad. In the thirties, an important group of young scientists continued their studies in renowned European universities and laboratories where some of them attained their PhD degree. Paris University was the most sought after university for post-graduation in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics and the Curie laboratory received an important group of Portuguese students during this period. After four years abroad and having established important international scientific links, some of these young scientists returned home and played an important role in their universities promoting the rebirth of a scientific movement. This lasted until the end of the Second World War, when several of them were dismissed from their positions because of their active opposition to Salazar’s dictatorship.