The Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Valencia, has been recognized once again as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence in the latest call for public funding under the State Programme to Promote Scientific and Technical Research and its Transfer, within the framework of the 2021–2023 State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research. The distinction acknowledges the quality and level of excellence of the research carried out at the institute and entails funding of €5,660,000 for the next four years, according to the provisional resolution.

This is the second time IFIC has received the Severo Ochoa distinction, following a first period from 2015 to 2019. On this occasion, the application was submitted through the University of Valencia. In this way, IFIC continues to be part of the network of excellence formed by Severo Ochoa Centres and María de Maeztu Units, which currently includes 36 centres and 26 units accredited in previous calls. In this same call, in addition to IFIC, 9 more research institutes and 6 scientific units have joined the alliance. The full list of newly accredited Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu centers is available [here].

The centers awarded in this highly competitive programme stand out for both the international significance of their scientific contributions and their innovative capacity and close ties with the business sector. They are also internationally recognized institutions capable of attracting global talent.

The Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu Excellence Programme identifies and promotes scientific excellence by recognizing leading research centers and units, and by providing greater support to increase their impact, international scientific leadership, and competitiveness. It spans a wide range of disciplines, from life sciences and medicine, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and engineering to humanities and social sciences.

About IFIC

The Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC, CSIC–UV) is a leading center in experimental and theoretical research in particle physics, astroparticle physics, and nuclear physics. IFIC has a long-standing involvement in prestigious international research programs and is at the forefront of scientific knowledge in fundamental physics.

IFIC's scientific activity is highly internationalized. On the experimental side, the institute participates in scientific collaborations all over the world; in particular, it is involved in several experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Theoretical research at IFIC covers a broad range of topics in Nuclear, Particle, and Astroparticle Physics.

IFIC has a staff of over 300 people. Although its main focus is basic research, the institute is also engaged in various technology transfer initiatives, especially in the field of Medical Physics.