Partnerships

Perimeter Institute collaborates extensively on a range of research, training, and educational outreach operations, in addition to the ongoing, individual collaborations between Perimeter physicists and researchers from other international organizations. Below you’ll find a snapshot of other organizations that Perimeter works with from Canada and around the world.

RESEARCH Collaboration agreements

Perimeter Institute signs collaboration agreements with other world-class institutions in order to promote progress in research areas of common interest and build strong academic ties between institutions. Generally, these agreements encourage scientific exchange visits and collaboration between researchers at Perimeter and its partner institutes. Read on for the specifics of each agreement.

Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Toronto, Canada
The Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics is a nationally supported research centre located at the University of Toronto that is devoted to studying the origin and evolution of the universe, and the many wonderful phenomena revealed by modern astronomy.

The purpose of this agreement is to encourage scientific exchange visits and collaborations between researchers at CITA and Perimeter in order to promote progress in all research areas of common interest and to build academic ties between the two institutions.

Centro de Física do Porto (CFP), University of Porto, Portugal
The Centro de Física do Porto conducts research activities covering a wide spectrum of theoretical physics. Shared research strengths with Perimeter include condensed matter, cosmology, quantum gravity, and string theory.

In addition to creating a strong link between the institutes’ scientists – young researchers in particular – this agreement commits Perimeter and CFP to the organization of an annual Mathematica Summer School; over the long term, the goal is to contribute to the development of powerful new computational techniques in theoretical physics.

Chapman University, California, United States of America
Champan University emphasizes the interdisciplinary study of the arts and sciences as well as professional programs, giving both undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to become multidimensional, original thinkers.

This partnership agreement encourages scientific exchange visits between faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students at both Chapman and Perimeter, typically of two to four weeks. Some particular areas of common interest include quantum foundations and quantum information.

Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada
The Fields Institute is a centre for mathematical research activity, promoting collaboration between mathematicians and those applying mathematics in their work. Mathematical physics is an area of increasing interest and research at Perimeter.

Recognizing these intersecting interests, the Fields Institute and Perimeter have partnered to provide one-year postdoctoral fellowships to African nationals who have recently earned PhDs in mathematics or theoretical physics. The fellowship allows the recipients to conduct research and collaborate with top scientists at both institutions, helping to jumpstart their research careers.

Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, India
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences is India’s national institution for fundamental research in frontier disciplines of the mathematical and physical sciences. Like Perimeter, it covers a wide spectrum of research areas and takes a keen interest in interdisciplinary fields.

This agreement primarily concerns the promotion of scientific exchange visits between faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students at both institutions, ranging from two to four weeks on average. Some particular areas of common interest include condensed matter, quantum gravity, mathematical physics, and string theory. 

International Centre for Theoretical Physics - South American Institute for Fundamental Research (ICTP-SAIFR), São Paulo, Brazil
ICTP-SAIFR was founded in 2010 as a regional centre for theoretical physics in South America. Many of its active research areas overlap with Perimeter’s interests, including condensed matter, cosmology, mathematical physics, particle physics, and string theory.

ICTP-SAIFR boasts an active visitor program and plays host to seminars, mini-courses, schools, and workshops – much like Perimeter. This agreement encourages collaboration on the organization of schools and workshops in areas of common interest, as well as scientific exchange visits of two to four weeks between the faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students of both institutes. 

Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU), Kashiwa, Japan
The Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU) is a research institute located near Tokyo, Japan, with research efforts focused on fundamental physics and mathematics. IPMU was launched in October 2007 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, with the University of Tokyo as the host institution. As of April 2018, the institute has 100 full time researchers. Including affiliate members and students, it is an international research centre for some 300 researchers and many more visitors in physics, mathematics and astronomy.

This partnership agreement encourages scientific exchange visits between faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students at both Kavli IPMU and Perimeter, typically of two to four weeks.

Scoula Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
SISSA is a scientific centre of excellence in Italy, focusing on physics, mathematics, and neuroscience. Areas of common interest between physicists at SISSA and Perimeter include, among others, astrophysics and cosmology, condensed matter, and theoretical particle physics.

This partnership agreement encourages scientific exchange visits between faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students at both SISSA and Perimeter, typically of two to four weeks. In addition, reflecting their mutual belief in the importance of sharing the fascination of basic scientific research with the general public, the agreement encourages collaboration on their institutional outreach programs. 

TRIUMF, Vancouver, Canada
TRIUMF is Canada’s national laboratory for nuclear and particle physics research and related sciences. Located on the campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, it is one of the world’s leading subatomic physics laboratories, housing over 350 scientists, engineers, and research staff – plus a vibrant community of students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting international scientists.

Of particular note to Perimeter, TRIUMF scientists conduct research in particle, nuclear, and accelerator physics. This agreement promotes two- to four-week exchange visits between faculty and postdoctoral researchers working in these areas at each institute. In addition, TRIUMF and Perimeter will work cooperatively on joint outreach activities, and exchange annual sponsorships for one conference or workshop of common interest at each location. 

Additional collaboration partnerships we currently have are: 
Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC), Waterloo, Canada
Laboratoire Astroparticule et Cosmologie (APC), France
Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Princeton University, United States
Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics, Stanford University, United States
University of Guelph, Canada
University of Toronto, Canada
University of Waterloo, Canada

 

RECRUITMENT PARTNERSHIPS

Perimeter works with nearby universities to make joint hires through its Associate Faculty program, enabling the Institute to recruit top scientific talent to Canada and to spread the benefit among multiple institutions. More information on the Associate Faculty program at Perimeter Institute can be found here.


TRAINING PARTNERSHIPS

Perimeter partners with local universities to deliver Perimeter Scholars International (PSI), a one-year master’s program. Perimeter Institute identifies and recruits top physics students from around the world, who are admitted by the University of Waterloo. Researchers from other partners, such as McMaster University and the University of Guelph, assist as lecturers and supervisors. Perimeter provides all the courses, and the students attend lectures and study in the Institute. Upon successful completion of the coursework, students receive an MSc degree from the University of Waterloo. More information on the PSI program can be found here. 


AFFILIATE PROGRAM

Through the Institute’s Affiliate member program, select faculty from Canadian universities are invited to make regular visits, work with Perimeter’s resident scientists, and attend research events. Affiliates help build regional and national research links between Perimeter and Canadian universities. More on the Affiliate member program can be found here.


EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ)
 

PERIMETER’S PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERS

Perimeter Institute's research, training, and outreach activities are funded through an innovative public-private partnership – uniting governments, individuals, corporations, and foundations in a shared enterprise to help advance scientific breakthroughs, nurture scientific talent, and share scientific discovery with the broader public. Learn more about these partners on our funding page.

Forging the necessary partnerships to advance basic research, scientific training, and educational outreach, across Canada and beyond.