João Alziro Herz da Jornada (1949-2026)

It is with deep regret that we report the passing, on August 2nd, 2026, of Professor João Alziro Herz da Jornada, a pioneer in high-pressure research in Brazil and South America, founder of the High-Pressure and Advanced Materials Laboratory at the Physics Institute of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).

His scientific contributions began with his pioneering work in the 1970s, involving the study, by perturbed gamma-gamma angular correlation, of the effect of high pressures on the electric field gradient in metals, and extended over 5 decades in areas such as studies of phase transformations in different families of compounds, development of interferometric methods for measuring optical properties under pressure, synthesis and sintering of superhard materials, amorphization under pressure, etc.

Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and fellow of TWAS, Professor Emeritus of UFRGS, Prof. Jornada received, during his brilliant professional career, numerous honors and awards which, even though absolutely deserved and justified, are insufficient to express the admiration and recognition that all those who had the privilege of living more closely with him inevitably ended up developing.

As President of the Brazilian National Institute of Metrology (INMETRO) between 2004 and 2015, he played a fundamental role in strengthening the Brazilian metrological infrastructure and reshaped the institutional profile of INMETRO, which, under his management, also became an internationally recognized technical-scientific research center.

A privileged mind, a creative researcher, a "lab rat", a creator of instruments, a visionary about the role of science as an instrument of sovereignty and national development, a skilled negotiator with connections in diferent sectors of the society, a passionate teacher, a tireless mentor, ...

These are many facets, all absolutely consistent for a man who embodied, like few others, the mission of a professor/researcher in a developing country, and who clearly understood that the ability to do is as important as knowing.
Adding to, or more precisely, above all of that, Jornada always knew how to take care of what was his highest priority: his family. A loving husband, affectionate father of 4 children and grandfather of 8 grandchildren, he showed us all the importance of knowing how to balance personal and professional life.

It will be difficult to get used to not seeing Jornada inventing new things in the lab anymore and not being able to seek his opinion on that complicated situation.

But we will do our best to carry on the legacy he left.

Contributed by Altair Sória Pereira, Naira Maria Balzaretti, Silvio Buchner, Fabrício Faita and all the team of the High Pressure and Advanced Materials Laboratory of UFRGS