Jayme Tiomno

Jayme Tiomno (1920-2011) was one of the most influential Brazilian physicists of the 20thcentury, interacting with many of the renowned physicists of his time, including John Wheelerand Richard Feynman, Eugene Wigner, Chen Ning Yang, David Bohm, Murray Gell-Mann, RemoRuffini, Abdus Salam, and many others. This biography tells the sometimes romantic, often discouraging but finally optimistic story ofa dedicated scientist and educator from a developing country who made importantcontributions to particle physics, gravitation, cosmology and field theory, and to theadvancement of science and of scientific education, in many institutions in Brazil andelsewhere. Drawing on unpublished documents from archives in Brazil and the US as well asprivate sources, the book traces Tiomno's long life, following his role in the establishment ofvarious research facilities and his tribulations during the Brazilian military dictatorship. Itpresents a story of progress and setbacks in advancing science in Brazil and beyond, and ofthe persistence and dedication of a talented physicist who spent his life in search of scientifictruth.