In Memoriam

ICTP was saddened to learn of the passing of Victor Latorre, a physicist from Peru who had a profound influence on the development of physics and science in his home country.

Latorre was the first Peruvian to earn a physics PhD, completing his doctorate at the University of Maryland, USA. He returned to Peru afterwards, where he enjoyed a long, successful career in promoting scientific excellence. His achievements included serving as director of the Peruvian Institute of Nuclear Energy, as well as co-founding, with Abdus Salam, the “Multiciencias” initiative to develop international cooperation and to bring foreign scientists to Peru in order to get fruitful scientific exchanges. Through his work as a professor at Peru's Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Universidad Ricardo Palma and the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, Latorre influenced hundreds of Peruvian science students. At ICTP, he served on the Centre's Scientific Council as its first member from South America.

Latorre received the Spirit of Abdus Salam prize in 2018.