The Academic Master’s Program of the Department of Physics at UEL was created in 1996. In 2000, the Departments of Physics of the State Universities of Londrina (UEL) and Maringá (UEM) established a PhD program in partnership, which was active for eight years (2000-2008).

In 2009, UEL’s Department of Physics had its own independent PhD program proposal approved. During the first decade, the Graduate Program in Physics (master’s and PhD program) (PPG-Physics) faced and overcame several challenges. Despite all political, geographical, and economic difficulties, the persevering work of all members of the program contributed to its establishment as a regional reference in the states of Paraná and São Paulo. The program has also reached international students and researchers in neighboring countries, such as Colombia, Paraguay, and Venezuela.

Currently, the PPG-Physics stands out for the number of young and active PhD researchers, many of them holders of the Scientific Productivity Scholarship (CAPES), with great influence in their respective areas of research.

PPG-Physics’ mission is to train high-level professionals who will be able to act as protagonists when faced with challenges imposed by both pure and applied physics. The goals of the program are:

• To prepare high-level professionals for teaching and researching;
• To contribute to the creation of new knowledge in the areas of Fundamental Physics and Applied Physics, and their technologies;
• Expand and improve the education of professionals majored in Physics and related areas;
• Contribute to the improvement of scientific research in Paraná;