The IFT to host researcher Ziad Georges Sakr through the CSIC SAFE Program

The Institute for Theoretical Physics (IFT UAM-CSIC) is set to welcome Dr. Ziad Georges Sakr, a theoretical cosmologist from Lebanon, through the SAFE program (Support for Researchers at Risk in Europe), funded by the European Union and coordinated in Spain by the CSIC.

Dr. Ziad Georges Sakr holds a PhD in Physics from Université Saint Joseph in Beirut and is currently an associated researcher at the IRAP laboratory (France), as well as an adjunct professor at the same Lebanese university. He previously held a postdoctoral position at the Institute for Theoretical Physics of Heidelberg University (Germany). He is also a key member of the Euclid consortium of the ESA, leading the forecast and likelihood analyses in the collaboration.

His research focuses on developing and testing models of modified gravity and dark energy, using the large-scale structure of the Universe. He applies a combination of advanced analytical and numerical tools, along with methods from information theory, to disentangle observational biases and degeneracies.

The SAFE program is part of a European initiative designed to support researchers at risk due to conflict in their home countries by providing them with opportunities to continue their scientific careers in EU institutions. In addition to the proposal submitted to the European call, the CSIC has committed to funding three additional positions with its own resources, reinforcing its commitment to both scientific excellence and humanitarian support.

Dr. Sakr’s arrival at the IFT, expected in the coming months, will strengthen the institute’s research lines in theoretical cosmology and reflects the IFT's ongoing dedication to international collaboration and scientific solidarity.