She was born on May 9th, 1953 in Cusco (Peru). She studied Public Accounting at the Superior Institute of Accounting and graduated in 1975. Her father was the Accountant and Mathematician Carlos Alfonso Cerf of Gala and her mother was Mrs. Georgina Arbulú. Her grandfather was the Wise Peruvian Mathematician Fermín Arbulú. On September 29th, 1974 she met Dr. David Juan Ferriz Olivares in Cusco, to whom she was to be a direct disciple. For 18 years she closely collaborated with him and always attended to him. She was also his immediate administrator within the different spheres he worked in. She alone travelled around the continent many times, attending to governmental meetings, for the legal establishment of the ELIC Foundation and the integration of its members.
On May 18th, 1977, she travelled to Valera, Venezuela, under the guidance of Dr. David J. Ferriz O. to build the Free Schools of Scientific Research for Children, in union with the International Year of Science as declared by UNESCO.
In 1978 she began her 5 tours as a representative of the Dr. Serge Raynaud de la Ferrière Foundation, aiding in the Mission of Dr. David Juan Ferriz Olivares. From 1983 to 1985 her international tours culminated, having merit in setting the precedent as a female member who travelled alone throughout the American continent, visiting 127 locations, giving lectures and establishing educational and academic organisms, as well as the ELIC Foundation itself and the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research and Applications (INVESCIENCIAS Foundation). The INVESCIENCIAS Foundation was as well founded by Dr. David Juan Ferriz Olivares in many countries of the American Continent as well as within inhospitable areas of South America.
In March, 1978 she organized a Round Table named “The Epistemology of Man and the Andean Culture”, in the First Conference of Man and the Andean Culture, organized by the San Antonio Abad University of Cusco (Peru) and sponsored by UNESCO.
Dr. David Juan Ferriz Olivares says, “Her grand tours were an exemplary work, from UNESCO in Paris to the badlands of Sucre, Oruro and Potosi in Bolivia, having created and established the Family Unit Course and inaugurating the Lyceum of Synthesis in the White City of Arequipa, Peru.”
In 1981, while studying Systems Engineering at the Universidad Nacional Abierta of Caracas, María Nilda Cerf Arbulú wrote the Manual for the ELIC, presenting it to the Associated Schools of UNESCO in Paris amongst other institutions.
Completely dedicated to the ELIC Foundation, she was able to legally establish the ELIC in various American countries as well as in Spain and Italy. She propelled the ELIC through the development of extracurricular activities which included workshops for both parents and children, establishing networks for the shaping of Childhood Talent for Peace.
Above all, as she herself declares, María Nilda Cerf Arbulú is the direct disciple of the Epistemologist of America Dr. David Juan Ferriz Olivares to whom she had the honour of accompanying in the legal constitution of the E.L.I.C. Foundation, as one of the Main Founders, as well as in the development of advanced methodologies in the Shaping of the Child Researcher, based on the proposals of Dr. Serge Raynaud de la Ferrière.
She has promoted events such as the annual lecture series titled “Nature, Life and Future” since 1997 and the First World Conference of Scientific Youth, organized by the FISS Scientific Exchange Foundation, in 1992 in Puerto Rico. She as well has been an organizer and speaker for the First World Conference for Childhood Talent towards the Third Millennium in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1999.
On October 18th, 1990, she returned to her travels, accompanying Dr. David J. Ferriz O. with José Miguel Esborronda Andrade. Both María Nilda Cerf Arbulú and José Miguel Esborronda Andrade continued the establishment of the work of their Teacher after Dr. David Juan Ferriz Olivares’ sensitive death on October 22, 1992.
She has received numerous distinctions amongst which we find: the Order of Simon Bolivar in Puno (Peru) in 1994; the Order of Bucaramanga from the City Hall of Bucaramanga (Colombia) in 1998; the Gold Medal and Diploma of Honour as an Illustrious Guest of Trujillo (Peru) in 1994; and Illustrious Guest of Arequipa (Peru) in 1994.
The World Conferences for Childhood Talent, created by Acct. María Nilda Cerf Arbulú, are living expressions of the message of Education-Learning-Shaping proposed by Dr. Serge Raynaud de la Ferrière, Dr. David Juan Ferriz Olivares and Acct. María Nilda Cerf Arbulú as well as the living expressions of the constant work and dedication of our Main Founder.