Spirit of Salam 2026 Awardees Announced

The family of ICTP founder and Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam has revealed the recipients of the 2026 Spirit of Abdus Salam Award. Announced annually on Abdus Salam’s birthday, the award recognizes those who, like Salam himself, have worked tirelessly to promote the development of science and technology in disadvantaged parts of the world.

This year’s Spirit of Abdus Salam Award recipients are:

Karim Aoudia (posthumously): In recognition of his many years of selfless and dedicated service to the promotion of scientific excellence in developing countries, demonstrated through his teaching, his organization of conferences and workshops, and his direct engagement with researchers.

Karim Aoudia, a geophysics researcher and former acting head of ICTP's Earth System Physics section, played a transformative role in building scientific capacity throughout the developing world. He was an outstanding educator and mentor who inspired students, fostered critical thinking, and encouraged independent research. His guidance shaped the careers of numerous young scientists, many of whom now contribute meaningfully to academia, research institutions and applied geoscience sectors around the world. His collaborative spirit reflects the true values of the award: he has worked extensively with researchers from diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds, building inclusive and sustainable scientific networks. His commitment to knowledge sharing, capacity building and mentorship closely aligned with the vision of Abdus Salam -- using science as a tool for development, equality and global cooperation.

The Postgraduate Diploma Programme: In honour of the many people involved in this successful programme since its inception.

ICTP's Postgraduate Diploma Programme embodies Abdus Salam's founding vision of science for all nations. Over the years it has trained  more than 1200 students from 84 countries, including 326 from 28 least-developed countries, preparing them for advanced research careers. It has been recognised as a model for capacity building that limits brain drain and strengthens regional scientific networks across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Many alumni now lead institutions in their home countries, expanding the reach of ICTP -- and Salam's -- vision. In every sense, the Postgraduate Diploma Programme embodies Abdus Salam's ideals, translating them into an enduring impact: empowering individuals, building institutions, and nurturing a global scientific community grounded in cooperation and equity.

Mahbubul Alam Majumdar: For his efforts to strengthen Bangladesh's scientific and educational foundations.

Mahbubul Majumdar, a professor and dean at BRAC University in Bangladesh,  has consistently put nation-building and public benefit at the center of his work, choosing to return to Bangladesh after elite training abroad to strengthen the country's scientific and educational foundations. He has relentlessly worked to develop science in Bangladesh, a country whose scientific development has been consistently overlooked since its independence. He actively engages with the public through writing and speaking, and serves on the advisory board of the most widely circulated monthly science magazine in Bangladesh, BigganChinta. Additionally, he participates in interviews to discuss the improvement of research and education quality at BRAC University. He collaborates with ICTP's Physics Without Frontiers programme to organise educational conferences in his home country, including the 2025 Jamal Nazrul Islam Memorial Winter School in Mathematical & Theoretical Physics that attracted world renowned experts as lecturers.

Scholarship to Honour Late Colleague

In announcing the 2026 Spirit of Salam winners during a special Salam centennial event held on 29 January, the ICTP founder's birthday, ICTP Director Atish Dabholkar said that a new campaign has been launched to fund a scholarship named for Karim Aoudia, who passed away in October 2025. "As a further memorial to Karim in honour of his many years of dedication and service to ICTP, we have launched - as part of our fundraising efforts - a campaign to support the Abdelkrim "Karim" Aoudia Memorial Scholarship Fund, " announced Dabholkar.  The scholarship will be awarded annually to an Earth Systems Physics or other Postgraduate Diploma student from Africa or the Middle East. 

Donations can be made via the ICTP/UNESCO PayPal account here. Please select the option "Students From Developing Countries" and add "For Prof. Karim" in the notes section.

Donors interested in making a tax-deductible donation in the U.S. or Europe can contact abaldoni@ictp.it for additional information.