Gleb Wataghin and his mission in Brazil: a memoir

Abstract This contribution, based on a talk delivered at the Workshop Ukrainian Contributions to Particle Physics: History and Prospects, offers a personal memoir of Gleb Wataghin (1899–1986) and his role in the institutional development of modern physics at the University of São Paulo and in Brazil. Born in what is now Ukraine and educated in Turin, Wataghin joined the newly created university in São Paulo in 1934, where he helped establish a physics department and research school. He developed an internationally recognized cosmic-ray program and encouraged exchanges of students and researchers with leading scientific centres abroad. His students included Cesar Lattes, who participated in the discovery of the pion in 1947. After returning to Italy in 1949, Wataghin rebuilt the physics department in Turin while preserving strong ties with Brazil. This memoir is not intended as an archival study in the history of science. Instead, it is written from the perspective of a physicist who knew Wataghin in Campinas and whose career in ultra-high-energy cosmic rays traces back to him through her PhD advisor, Cesar Lattes. Viewed through this scientific lineage, Wataghin’s legacy combines scientific vision, institutional commitment, and intellectual leadership.