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Category: News
Featured scientist: interview with Ingrid David Barcelos, winner of the 1st B-MRS Early Career Woman Scientist Prize
It was in public school, during high school, that Ingrid David Barcelos first heard about college entrance exams. No one in her neighborhood, on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte, had gone to the university, but the girl showed an interest in Physics, and her school teachers encouraged her to prepare for an undergraduate course.
With great dedication to her studies, Ingrid managed to get into the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFGM) and obtain her bachelor’s and undergraduate degrees in Physics. Initially, she thought about working as a teacher, but at university she learned about the profession of researcher, in which she began to train with a scientific initiation project on carbon nanotubes and graphene.
After that, despite having only one woman and only one black person as professor in her undergraduate studies, the young black woman decided to pursue an academic career, completing her master’s degree and then her doctorate, both with research on two-dimensional materials, in the prestigious Postgraduate Program in Physics at UFMG. During her doctorate, she spent a period at the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), in the city of Campinas.
Then, the awards began. Her doctoral thesis won the José Leite Lopes Award from the Brazilian Physics Society (SBF) and received an honorable mention in the 2016 Capes Thesis Award in the Astronomy and Physics category.
After two years of postdoctoral studies at UFMG, which included research internships in Italy, in an Advanced Photonics laboratory at CNR-NANOTEC, she became part of the research team at CNPEM’s National Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), where she currently, at the age of 38, heads the Microscopic Samples Laboratory of Sirius, the Brazilian 4th generation synchrotron light source.
In 2021, Ingrid was awarded the “For Women in Science” prize in Physical Sciences, granted by L’Oréal, UNESCO and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC). And now, in October 2024, she was chosen from 13 excellent candidates as the winner of the first edition of the B-MRS Prize for Early Career Woman Scientist.
Learn a little more about this outstanding young scientist in the interview.
B-MRS Newsletter: The B-MRS award was a recognition of the quality and impact of your scientific production over the last 5 years, including the work you presented at the XXII B-MRS Meeting. Please give some tips for the younger members of our community on how to achieve these results.
Ingrid Barcelos: To achieve results with significant impact, some strategies were essential for me, and I believe they can help other young researchers:
– Choosing the topic is important. Dedicate yourself to themes that present knowledge gaps that are still little explored. To do this, being up to date with recent publications and research trends is essential.
– Collaborations in different areas and with theorists broaden the perspectives of the work and can bring new insights that make the research richer and more complete. This increases the chances of producing innovative articles.
– The quality of the results depends on the rigor of the methods. I strongly recommend investing in advanced techniques and methodologies that bring new information, thus making the work more relevant to the scientific community.
– Patience and persistence! Publishing in high-impact journals often requires several revisions and even reformulations of the study. Do not be discouraged by CONSTRUCTIVE criticism; it is an opportunity to improve the work and make it even more solid and impactful.
B-MRS Newsletter: Tell us a little about the research papers you are most proud of.
Ingrid Barcelos: The paper I am most proud of is my first paper as corresponding author, published in Nature Communications in 2021. This milestone represents an important personal and professional advancement in my career, symbolizing my growth as an independent researcher. It gave me the responsibility of coordinating and guiding all stages of the research and writing, as well as strengthening collaborations with other researchers. This role was essential for my development in scientific management and in the consolidation of collaboration networks.
This study investigates the behavior of SnO₂ nanoribbons, a widely known material, using an advanced experimental technique that allows us to observe, at the nanoscale, the interaction of the vibrations of the crystal lattice with light, revealing optical confinement phenomena. We explore how these interactions can be tuned, paving the way for applications in optoelectronic technologies in an energy range still little explored in the literature: the terahertz region.
B-MRS Newsletter: What do you consider to be the most rewarding aspects of being a scientist?
Ingrid Barcelos: The most rewarding aspects for me go beyond those experienced in the laboratory, such as the following: The outreach projects allow me to see the sparkle in the girls’ eyes when they learn about science and realize the impact of research on their lives. Their curiosity is inspiring and reinforces the importance of making science accessible to everyone. Being a role model for black girls and inspiring them to see science as a career possibility is extremely rewarding. Being able to show them that they have a place and can thrive in the scientific field is a constant motivation in my work and a commitment that I carry out with pride.
B-MRS Newsletter: Based on your experiences, what do you think organizations like B-MRS can do to help more black women become prominent scientists?
Ingrid Barcelos: I believe that organizations like B-MRS can play a key role in promoting a more inclusive environment and equal opportunities for black women in science. Based on my experiences, I see some initiatives that can make a difference, such as promoting spaces for dialogue where black women can share their experiences and discuss strategies for mutual support, strengthening the network of scientists and creating a sense of belonging. In addition, encouraging scholarships and funding exclusively for black women in research projects is essential, as it expands opportunities and reduces inequalities, enabling more women to develop their careers independently. Increasing the visibility of the achievements of these scientists is also important, with awards, events and publications that recognize their work, inspiring new generations and showing that success is possible. These actions, together with institutional inclusion policies, contribute to a more diverse and rich science, where black women can stand out and inspire future generations.
B-MRS Newsletter: Leave a message for black girls who are starting a career as scientists in Brazil or are considering this possibility.
Ingrid Barcelos: Believe in your potential and don’t let anyone limit your dreams! It’s often difficult to find role models who look like you in science, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a place here. Quite the opposite: science needs your perspectives, your courage, and your determination. Whenever possible, surround yourself with people who support your growth. Diversity enriches science, and I’ll be rooting for each of you to reach your full potential! It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it!
Report on the XXII B-MRS Meeting: record number of participants in an edition with several new features
September 29, 2024, a sunny Sunday with mild temperatures. Through the glass façade of the Blue Med Convention Center, we see the end of the estuary of Santos with its port complex, which is the largest in Latin America.
At the secretariat, open since 8:30 am, people pick up their badges. They all have one interest in common: Materials Science and Technology. They will enjoy the rich program of the twenty-second edition of the B-MRS Meeting, the scientific event held annually by the Brazilian Materials Research Society, always in different cities in Brazil.
This edition, which took place in the city of Santos, on the coast of the state of São Paulo, from September 29 to October 3, saw a record number of participants: 1,777 people from 36 countries around the world and 24 states in Brazil. Just over 40% of them were professors, researchers, business professionals and post-doctoral students. And almost 60% were undergraduate, master’s or doctoral students.
Opening with 1,250 people in the room
“For us, the students are the most important part of the event,” said Ivan Bechtold (UFSC), president of B-MRS, at the opening ceremony of the event, held on Sunday at 7 pm, in front of an audience of about 1,250 people. The scientist recalled his first participation in the annual B-MRS Meeting, in 2004, when he was still a doctoral student. Later, he organized one of the event’s symposia. In 2019, he was the general chair of the B-MRS Meeting. And today he presides over the society.
The B-MRS event, in fact, provides many Brazilian students with very valuable experiences that are typical of international scientific conferences, but on national soil. In this edition, social networks were responsible for demonstrating this, through posts from participants sharing, for example, that they were giving their first presentation, whether oral or poster, or that they were acting for the first time as chairs of a session.
In addition to the B-MRS president, the opening table of the XXII B-MRS Meeting included the event chairs, Lucas Fugikawa Santos (professor at UNESP Rio Claro) and Laura Oliveira Peres (professor at Unifesp); the president of the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS), Osvaldo Novais de Oliveira Junior (professor at IFSC-USP), and the pro-rector of Graduate Studies and Research at Unifesp, Fernando Atique. The master of ceremonies was Eduard Westphal, professor at UFSC.
In his speech, Lucas Santos also addressed the students. “I participated in the first B-MRS event in 2002, when I was finishing my doctorate,” he said. “It will be a pleasure to see students who are participating in this edition being chairs of the event in 22 years!”
In his speech, Atique highlighted the importance of developing materials to build a better world and its impact on all sectors of the economy, while Oliveira Junior recalled that collaboration is essential to face global challenges and that scientists have a fundamental role to play in overcoming these challenges. “We have to work hard and together,” he said.
After discussing the event’s program and thanking everyone for their participation, coordinator Laura Peres encouraged attendees to make the most of the meeting. “Interact with your peers, challenge your ideas and explore new research avenues so that, together, we can push the boundaries of Materials Science and contribute to a more sustainable and innovative future,” she said.
After the opening speeches, the room was filled with lightness and joy with the song “Here comes the sun”, by the Beatles. On the three screens, a photo of a sunrise and the text “Here comes the Sunlight”. On the stage, very excited, was the IFUSP professor Marília Junqueira Caldas, a researcher in the area of Materials Physics for 45 years, ready to begin the Memorial Lecture Joaquim da Costa Ribeiro, an honor from B-MRS for researchers with a long and distinguished trajectory within the community.
During her talk, Marília shared with those present her pleasure in scientific discovery driven by curiosity. The scientist told the story of her main contributions to understanding the behavior of various semiconductors, such as silicon, some polymers, graphene and, more recently, materials for use in solar energy, which set the tone for the talk.
[Read our interview with Marília Junqueira Caldas.]
New activities in special sessions and at the booths
Although the sunny Sunday invited a pleasant walk along the seafront in the famous Jardim da Orla de Santos, more than 280 people decided to take advantage of the day to train themselves by participating in the four pre-event short courses, lasting 3 or 6 hours, that the XXII B-MRS Meeting offered, at no extra cost, to participants. In these sessions, renowned experts shared their knowledge on nanoparticle synthesis, microscopy techniques (TEM, 4DSTEM) and writing and publishing scientific articles.
In addition, throughout the week, event attendees were able to enjoy other special sessions. On Monday morning, the American Chemical Society brought ACS on Campus to the B-MRS Meeting, a session to learn about academic publishing and meet editors. On Tuesday afternoon, between 3 and 4 p.m., participants could choose from ten lectures and discussion panels that took place in parallel. Instead of researchers from the field, different guests took the stage at these special sessions: journalists, entrepreneurs, startup investors, representatives of scientific publishers, experts from the scientific instrumentation market… The highlight of this special moment in the program were the three roundtables with their lively discussions about successful scientific dissemination and extension projects, the challenges of being a woman and a scientist, and the possibilities for scientists who want to be entrepreneurs.
Interaction and entertainment were also present in the exhibitors’ area. The booths hosted a wide range of activities: prize raffles, technology demonstrations, competitions and challenges. There were 36 exhibitors at this edition of the event, including companies of research instruments and supplies, research centers, startups and scientific publishers.
Symposia: more than 1,700 contributions presented with much scientific discussion
Between Monday and Thursday, 1,732 research contributions were effectively presented within the 29 thematic symposia that comprised the event. To make this possible, around one hundred researchers from 17 countries acted as organizers of these symposia. Under the coordination of the event chairs, Laura and Lucas, these scientists led the organization of their symposia in all phases, from the submission of the proposal, at the end of last year, to the selection of the best papers, on the last day of the event.
This participation of the international community in organizing the symposia of the B-MRS event ensures, time and again, the desired variety, topicality and thematic and geographic representation. In fact, the symposia of this edition addressed the most diverse types of materials: two-dimensional and three-dimensional, electronic ceramics and polymers, high-entropy alloys, smart and sustainable materials, among many others. In more than 500 oral presentations and approximately 1,200 posters, participants presented and discussed recent advances in the design, synthesis, production and characterization of these materials, as well as their applications in areas as varied and important as health, renewable energy, agriculture, environmental remediation, electronics and cultural heritage.
“We were privileged to host renowned international researchers who delivered inspiring talks on the latest advances and opportunities in the field of Organic Electronics,” says researcher Rafael Furlan de Oliveira, from LNNano – CNPEM, who was one of the organizers of the symposium on organic conductive materials and their applications in Electronics, Photonics and Bioelectronics. “The contributions from Brazilian researchers and students were equally impressive, demonstrating the creativity, resilience and scientific excellence of our community,” he adds.
The oral sessions, held in up to 12 simultaneous rooms at the convention center, featured 12-minute presentations (and 25 minutes for invited speakers), followed by a few minutes for questions from the audience. “Each talk at the symposium was followed by lively discussions, reflecting the significant interest in the specific but promising field with vast potential for application of our symposium,” says Frank Alain Nüesch, one of the organizers of the symposium on organic materials that absorb and emit radiation in the near infrared. Nüesch is a researcher at Empa, a Swiss institution dedicated to the science and technology of advanced materials.
The thematic focus of the symposia, present since the first edition of the B-MRS event, brings together people with different backgrounds who are approaching very similar topics from different perspectives, creating an environment conducive to collaboration. “The room was filled to capacity, with attendees engaged in lively discussion with the speakers, which contributed to the high scientific standard of the symposium. Furthermore, it was evident that there was a notable
degree of interaction between researchers with regard to potential future collaborative endeavours and the formulation of new research projects,” reports João Coelho (Universidad de Sevilla, Spain) as co-organizer of the symposium on sustainable development of Printed Electronics.
Scientific discussions also flourished during the event’s three poster sessions, held each late afternoon on the ground floor. Given the large number of posters (about 400 per session), people approaching the area and walking through the exhibition halls could experience the transformation of loud unintelligible noise into interesting conversations and motivating encounters.
Social program: socializing is a must
At the XXII B-MRS Meeting, there was no shortage of opportunities for socializing for all tastes.
The traditional welcome cocktail party, open to all event participants at no extra cost, was held on Sunday evening at the convention center itself, providing the first reunions of the event in a celebratory atmosphere, with delicious food and drinks.
During the week, morning and afternoon coffee breaks were served in the booth area. In addition to replenishing energy and injecting caffeine to face the following sessions, these breaks were very important moments for interaction between researchers and exhibitors.
In addition, on Tuesday evening, the Conference Party took place, another successful tradition of B-MRS events. The party was held at Arena Clube, one of the main nightclubs in Santos. With rock and pop from different decades and countries, the DJ pleased the various generations and tribes present at the venue, who were able to have fun dancing in groups of friends.
Plenary sessions: basic and applied science and innovation for sustainable development
Over the following days, in the main hall of the convention center, with hundreds of people in the audience, six plenary lectures were given by renowned scientists from Brazil, the United States, Italy, Poland and Singapore.
On Monday morning, opening the scientific program, Thomas Randall Lee presented in a didactic and pleasant manner the results obtained by his research group at the University of Houston (USA) in the production and characterization of nanoparticles of various shapes (such as stars, cubes and spheres) with interesting photonic and magnetic properties. “Randy”, who has participated in several editions of the B-MRS event, also spoke about the applications of these nanostructures in the generation of clean energy and as sensors in the medical field.
The second plenary lecture corresponded to the José Arana Varela Award, granted annually by B-MRS to an outstanding researcher in the field of materials in Brazil. This year, the distinction was granted to Bluma Guenther Soares, a professor at UFRJ and researcher at IMA, in recognition of the dimension and quality of her scientific production and her work in training researchers. In the lecture, the honoree addressed part of her wide range of impactful work in the field of organic materials: the use of ionic liquids as additives in conductive polymeric nanocomposites.
[Read our interview with Bluma Guenther Soares.]
“Semiconductors in bottles” that can be used in the production of flexible electronics were the subject of the third plenary lecture, given by Professor Wojciech Pisula, from the Lodz University of Technology (Poland). In these materials, semiconductor films are formed from solutions through self-organization processes of their molecules. The plenary lecturer, who is the author of several articles on the subject featured on the covers of renowned journals, showed that understanding and controlling this process is crucial to achieving high performance in electronic devices.
In the fourth plenary session of the event, Federico Rosei, from the University of Trieste (Italy) captivated the audience with his speech. The scientist pointed out that the Sun emits more energy in one hour than the planet Earth consumes in a year. On the other hand, he said, there are one to two billion people who still do not have access to electricity. However, the conversion of energy from the Sun into electricity is far from sustainable. The devices developed to date use materials based on fossil fuels, or on toxic or scarce elements, in addition to being difficult to recycle. The Italian scientist, who until recently worked at the University of Quebec (Canada), is studying materials that can be used to generate more sustainable photovoltaic devices. But his vision is not optimistic. According to him, in order to achieve truly sustainable development, what humans need is to change their consumption patterns.
The fifth plenary lecture demonstrated the potential of paper, a sustainable material, as a substrate for high-performance electrochemical sensors that can be used to detect substances such as pesticides, botulinum toxin or mustard gas. Scientist Fabiana Arduini, from the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy), showed the research and development work that her group has been carrying out until producing small devices that, using only electrodes printed on paper, can replace a complete laboratory.
The last plenary session of the event was given by a prominent researcher and inventor in the field of batteries, Rachid Yazami. In 1980, the scientist created the graphite anode that is now used together with the lithium cathode in batteries that are prevalent in almost all applications, from portable electronics to electric cars. In 2011, Yazami founded KVI, a company based in Singapore that develops, manufactures and exports batteries. In his lecture, the scientist showed how he is working to improve the charging speed, safety and lifespan of lithium batteries through non-linear voltammetry. After showing a map of Brazil revealing that almost all the elements needed to manufacture batteries are present in the country, he expressed his desire to see a battery gigafactory installed here and many young Brazilian researchers working in this area.
Closing ceremony: 3 young female researchers and 41 students awarded
On Thursday, at around 11:15 a.m., the room was packed to attend the last session of the event, the closing and awards ceremony. Chair Laura presented the event’s figures, celebrated the record number of participants, and thanked the participants, symposium organizers, invited and plenary speakers, exhibitors, B-MRS staff and directors, local and program committees, and volunteers who, together, made the event possible.
In turn, chair Lucas said that, for him, organizing the event was a way of thanking B-MRS for everything the society has given him throughout his career. He shared that, upon accepting the challenge, he had to put aside his insecurities and think about his duty; he simply had to do it, because someone has to do it. “This event is very important to motivate the next generation of scientists,” he said.
The floor was then turned to the coordinators of the next B-MRS Meeting: Luiza Amim Mercante (UFBA) and Daniel Souza Corrêa (Embrapa Instrumentação), the youngest duo to accept the challenge so far. The chairs quickly showed the event location, the city of Salvador (BA), with its undeniable cultural and natural richness, and the meeting venue, which will be the Salvador Convention Center, an impressive building on the seafront. In addition, the coordinators announced the speakers for the 6 plenary sessions and the memorial lecture of the event and the launch of the call for symposia, which was open until November 4.
[Access the webpage of the XXIII B-MRS Meeting.]
Closing the panel’s statements, the president of B-MRS reinforced the importance of the event to keep the community united and announced the location of the 2026 B-MRS Meeting, the city of Curitiba (PR), and its chairs, Gregório Faria, from IFSC-USP, and Paula Rodrigues, from UTFPR.
Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived when the winners of the awards for the best contributions of the event were announced. Representing the award committee, Professor Iêda Maria Garcia dos Santos, financial director of B-MRS, spoke with pride that the society was granting an award exclusively to women for the first time, the B-MRS Award for Early Career Woman Scientist. Sponsored this year by the journal Electronic Materials (MDPI), the award recognizes the female author of the best oral presentation of the event, considering, in addition to the work presented, her previous scientific production. This year’s winner was Ingrid David Barcelos, a researcher at CNPEM. However, the award committee, composed of B-MRS scientific directors Ingrid Weber (UnB) and Lucimara Stolz Roman (UFPR), also granted honorable mentions to Janaína Artem Ataide (Unicamp) and Ingrid Rodríguez Gutierrez (UFABC and CNPEM).
[Read our interview with Ingrid Barcelos.]
Finally, amidst rounds of applause, the winners of the student awards were announced. Forty-one Bernhard Gross awards were given to the best oral presentation and best poster of each symposium. The list of winners showed a good level of gender representation (23 males and 18 females) and geographic representation (institutions from the 5 Brazilian regions, as well as Germany, Canada and Italy), in addition to the presence of 11 undergraduate students, standing out at the beginning of their scientific training. Among these winners of the B-MRS award, six contributions were chosen as the best to receive cash prizes from the scientific publisher ACS Publications and another six from journals of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
[Learn more about the criteria used to select the winners.]
[See the list of all the 2024 winners.]
And so, with the award-winning students on stage posing with their certificates for a group photo, the twenty-second edition of the B-MRS event came to an end.
See you in Salvador!
[All photos taken by the official photographer of the XXII B-MRS Meeting can be accessed and downloaded in the shared folders here.]
(Português) Nota de apoio ao presidente da FAPERJ, Professor Jerson Lima da Silva.
Sorry, this entry is only available in Brazilian Portuguese.
Call for symposia for the XXIII B-MRS Meeting (Salvador, September 28 to October 2, 2025) is open until November 4th.
The call for thematic symposia is now open as part of the XXIII B-MRS Meeting program. The meeting will take place at the Salvador Convention Center, in Salvador, Bahia (Brazil), from September 28 to October 2, 2025. The chairs of the event are Luiza Amim Mercante (UFBA) and Daniel Souza Corrêa (Embrapa Instrumentação).
Proposals must be submitted by researchers with a PhD degree by November 4, 2024, using the form available at https://sbpmat.org.br/proposed_symposium/.
The program committee of the XXIII B-MRS Meeting will evaluate the proposals. The preliminary list of approved symposia will be available on November 29, 2024.
Due to the growing interest in participating in the B-MRS Meetings, the number of submitted proposals far exceeds the symposia that can be accommodated in the scientific program. The program committee will therefore give priority to proposals of exceptional interest to the materials science community.
Each symposium will receive four (4) registration fee waivers. In addition, for every 100 abstracts submitted, the symposium will receive one (1) additional waiver.
We recommend that at least two of the co-organizers rotate for symposia with previous editions. A diverse international group of four (4) co-organizers, with gender equality, is considered the best choice. Including interdisciplinary research and industrial involvement is highly encouraged for symposia. Furthermore, we suggest caution with excessive number of invited speakers, so that oral sessions are available for presentations by members of our community. Likewise, gender and geographic balance of invited speakers is strongly encouraged.
XXII B-MRS Meeting Awards and Prizes.
B-MRS Early Career Woman Scientist Prize
(It recognizes the best work presented within the oral sessions of the B-MRS Meeting symposia by a woman with a PhD degree at the beginning of her scientific career. Sponsored by the journal Electronic Materials (MDPI))
Winner: Ingrid David Barcelos.
Honorable mentions: Janaína Artem Ataide and Ingrid Rodríguez Gutierrez.
Bernhard Gross Student Awards
(Established by B-MRS in honor of Bernhard Gross, a pioneer of Brazilian materials research. It distinguishes the best oral and poster contributions presented by students in each symposium)
Symposium AC01 – Poster – Crivian Pelisser. Understanding the interactions is ZIF-8 with Solvents: Implications for stability.
Symposium AC01 – Oral – Guilherme Boenny Strapasson. Shedding light on oxygen vacancy-induced phase transformations of Ti-FeOx Using total X-ray scattering.
Symposium AC03 – Poster – Maria Gabriella Detone Guaita. Influence of co-solvent and methylammonium chloride additive on low-dimensional perovskites for solar cells.
Symposium AC03 – Oral – Francisco Mateus Cirilo da Silva. X-ray Dose Effects and Strategies to Mitigate Beam Damage in Metal Halide Perovskites under High Brilliance X-ray Photon Sources.
Symposium AC04 – Poster – Henrique Ferreira dos Santos. Materials Informatics for ultra-wide bandgap design: A study of 1D perovskites of the Jakobssonite family.
Symposium AC04 – Oral – Caroline Binde Stoco. Genetic Algorithm integrated with Machine Learning for high toughness High-Entropy Alloy design.
Symposium AC06 – Poster – Heloisa Helena Pereira Silva. Growth of thin film of CuZr metallic glass by sputtering.
Symposium AC06 – Oral – Alisson Ceccatto dos Santos. Engineering two-dimensional nanoporous networks selected by metal and nonmetal adatom coordination.
Symposium AC07 – Poster – Aline Borges de Andrade. Effect of metallic oxide nanoparticles on corrosion in 1020 steel.
Symposium AC07 – Oral – Astrid Yáñez-Hernández. Tailoring Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon-based Coatings Deposited by PECVD for Improving Adhesion on PDMS for Medical Applications.
Symposium BS01 – Poster – João Paulo dos Santos Prado. A new biomaterial developed from a marine compound for use in bone tissue engineering.
Symposium BS01 – Oral – Laura Ordonho Libero. Cytotoxicity and modulation of cell death in fibroblasts caused by Ag2WO4 dose and morphology-dependent.
Symposium BS02 – Poster – Letícia Cerqueira Vasconcelos. Development of luminescent nanoparticles based on Nd3+ and Yb3+ for use as nanothermometers in biological systems.
Symposium BS02 – Oral – Cleber Gomes de Jesus. Urease nanoflowers in conjugated polymers as think films: an alternative approach for biosensor.
Symposium BS03 – Poster – Vinícius Pereira Pinto. Study of Laser-Induced Ablation of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) for Ophthalmic Applications.
Symposium BS03 – Oral – Érica Mendes dos Santos. Formulation with coffee pulp extract for wound healing.
Symposium BS04 – Poster – Diego Beltrame Pereira. Synthesis of bio-based polyurethanes using cellulose and lignin as polyols with simultaneous film formation: incorporation of SiO2 nanoparticles for antibacterial properties.
Symposium BS04 – Oral – Maria Clara dos Santos Oliveira. Combining and concentrating nanocelluloses for cryogels with remarkable strength and wet resilience.
Symposium BS05 – Poster – Rodrigo Borges Rhinow. SANS data analysis of poloxamer-based drug delivery systems.
Symposium BS05 – Oral – Andrea Delledonne. Polymeric unimer micelles as nanocarriers of organic fluorophores for bioimaging applications.
Symposium EP03 – Poster – Talles Benites. OUT OF EQUILIBRIUM VORTEX DINAMYCS: interaction of vortices with triangular defects and transport currents.
Symposium EP03 – Oral – João Felipe Pierdoná Antoniolli. Superionic conductor glass-ceramics for ionic selectivity of alkaline metals.
Symposium EP05 – Poster – Milton Alexandre Cardoso. Cathodic Performance of Polyaniline-Based Hybrid Materials in Biofuel Cells.
Symposium EP05 – Oral – Júlia Ketzer Majewski. Water Based Inks for Active Layers in Organic Photovoltaics.
Symposium EP06 – Oral – Gabrielle Coelho Lelis. Exploiting the Synergy Between Molecularly Imprinted Polymers, Electrolytic Transistors, and Machine Learning Towards Sensing of Small Analyte Molecules.
Symposium EP07 – Poster – Eduardo Oliveira Ghezzi. Synthesis and characterization of glasses and fiber for ultrassensive magneto-optical sensors.
Symposium EP07 – Oral – Guilherme Conceição Concas. Control of the photoluminescence quantum-yield of gold organometallic nanocomposites by pulsed laser driven CO2 reduction reaction.
Symposium FM01 – Poster – Gabriel Menegolo de Castro Meira. Analyzing the quality of our drinking water: by examining the presence of total coliforms and e. coli.
Symposium FM02 – Oral – Agnes Candido Teixeira. Siloxane-polyether nanocomposites with iron oxide nanoparticles for future applications as magneto-responsive drug delivery systems.
Symposium FM03 – Poster – Guilherme Cardeal Stumpf. Characterization of different carbide distribution for a CrCoNi alloy.
Symposium FM03 – Oral – Vinicius Pereira Bacurau. Detection of chemical short range ordering through thermal analysis in the equiatomic CrCoNi alloy.
Symposium FM04 – Poster – Iara de Lacerda Pataca. Synthesis and characterization of jacutingaite (Pt2HgSe3): exploring solid-state reactions.
Symposium FM04 – Oral – Rafael Reis Barreto. Evidence of Thickness-dependent Surface Induced Ferroelectricity in Few-layer Germanium Sulfide obtained via Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy.
Symposium FM05 – Oral – Jéssica Menezes de Mélo Luzardo. Processing of Biomass from Agricultural Waste for Production of Graphene Nanoplatelets for Soil Fertilization.
Symposium FM06 – Poster – Paula Fabiola Pantoja Pinheiro. Characterization of Arc Welding Coating of Metal Matrix Nanocomposite based on CNTs/Ti6Al4V/CaF2.
Symposium SS02 – Poster – Karolayne Emanuelly Gomes Xavier. Study of sugarcane biochar synthesis towards a recyclable waste application.
Symposium SS02 – Oral – Pedro Sales Toro Alonso. Scalable methods to isolate cellulose nanofibers from sugarcane bagasse.
Symposium SS03 – Poster – Jessica Gil Londoño. Al2W3O12 from the low-positive thermal expansion ceramic to an efficient photocatalyst under low-power visible light.
Symposium SS03 – Oral – Leonardo Shoji Aota. Grain boundary-controlled lithiation of Li-solid solution systems for lithium metal batteries.
Symposium SS04 – Poster – Lucas Silva Ricci. Effect of CTAB addition on Ni/CeO2 vacancy aiming CO2 catalytic methanation.
Symposium SS04 – Oral – Adervando Sebastião da Silva. The effect of Sn3+ centres on SrSnO3’s photocatalytic activity: An EPR study.
ACS Publications Student Prizes
(Sponsored by journals of ACS Publications, a division of the American Chemical Society. Prizes for the best student contributions of all the event)
Symposium EP07 – Poster – Eduardo Oliveira Ghezzi. Synthesis and characterization of glasses and fiber for ultrassensive magneto-optical sensors.
Symposium SS03 – Poster – Jessica Gil Londoño. Al2W3O12 from the low-positive thermal expansion ceramic to an efficient photocatalyst under low-power visible light.
Symposium AC06 – Poster – Heloisa Helena Pereira Silva. Study of thin film of CuZr metallic glass by electron pair distribution function.
Symposium AC03 – Oral – Francisco Mateus Cirilo da Silva. X-ray Dose Effects and Strategies to Mitigate Beam Damage in Metal Halide Perovskites under High Brilliance X-ray Photon Sources.
Symposium FM03 – Oral – Vinicius Pereira Bacurau. Detection of chemical short range ordering through thermal analysis in the equiatomic CrCoNi alloy.
Symposium EP06 – Oral – Gabrielle Coelho Lelis. Exploiting the Synergy Between Molecularly Imprinted Polymers, Electrolytic Transistors, and Machine Learning Towards Sensing of Small Analyte Molecules.
RSC Student Prizes
(Sponsored by journals of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Prizes for the best student contributions of all the event)
Symposium BS01 – Poster – João Paulo dos Santos Prado. A new biomaterial developed from a marine compound for use in bone tissue engineering.
Symposium BS03 – Poster – Vinícius Pereira Pinto. Study of Laser-Induced Ablation of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) for Ophthalmic Applications.
Symposium AC03 – Poster – Maria Gabriella Detone Guaita. Influence of co-solvent and methylammonium chloride additive on low-dimensional perovskites for solar cells.
Symposium BS01 – Oral – Laura Ordonho Libero. Cytotoxicity and modulation of cell death in fibroblasts caused by Ag2WO4 dose and morphology-dependent.
Symposium FM04 – Oral – Rafael Reis Barreto. Evidence of Thickness-dependent Surface Induced Ferroelectricity in Few-layer Germanium Sulfide obtained via Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy.
Symposium SS02 – Oral – Pedro Sales Toro Alonso. Scalable methods to isolate cellulose nanofibers from sugarcane bagasse.
Featured scientist: interview with Marília Junqueira Caldas, distinguished by B-MRS with the Memorial Lecture Joaquim da Costa Ribeiro
When Marília Junqueira Caldas began working with computers in 1970, their use was still in its early stages in Brazil, even at universities. However, from then on, computational tools constantly accompanied the scientist on her path of scientific discoveries.
At that time, Marília was a student in the undergraduate Physics course at the University of São Paulo (USP), where she had enrolled in 1968. She graduated in 1974 and, the following year, began her Master’s degree in Physics at the same institution. She obtained her Master’s degree in 1978 with a thesis on mathematical modeling applied to Oceanography. In the same year, she began her PhD in Physics, also at USP. In 1981, she defended her dissertation in Materials Physics, an area in which she works to this day, having made a series of impactful contributions in materials such as silicon, conductive polymers, graphene and hybrid structures.
Between 1983 and 1984, she did her postdoctoral studies at the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) in the United States. Back in Brazil, she became a professor at the Gleb Wataghin Institute of Physics (IFGW) at Unicamp. In 1986, she returned to her alma mater, USP, as a professor at the Physics Institute (IFUSP) in the Department of Mechanics and Materials Physics. Throughout the 1990s, the scientist worked as director and administrator of the IFUSP Electronic Computing Center. In 2000, she became a full professor at USP. From 2010 to 2014, she served as head of the department.
Now 74 years old, Marília continues to teach at USP. From her imminent retirement, she will dedicate herself entirely to continuing the research she has been conducting on organic and inorganic semiconductor materials with applications in devices that interact with light.
With over 100 scientific articles published in international journals and 23 supervisions of master’s and doctoral projects, Marília Caldas is a CNPq research productivity fellow at the Senior Researcher level.
At the opening of the XXII B-MRS Meeting, on September 29 of this year, she will deliver the Memorial Lecture Joaquim da Costa Ribeiro, an honor granted annually by B-MRS to senior researchers with outstanding careers within the Materials research community.
Learn more about this distinguished scientist in this interview.
B-MRS Newsletter: Tell us how you became a scientist.
Marília Junqueira Caldas: Mathematics has always been a great attraction for me, starting as a game when I was a child and continuing throughout my adolescence – initially touching on geometry and the beauty of shapes, their appearances in nature, their movements, and so on. My father was an architect and at first I thought about becoming one too. During high school – which I chose, as it was called at the time, the “scientific” one – I had Physics classes with Professor “Dona” Célia, brilliant and motivating like few others! My classmates also remember Dona Célia, and it was she, in her classes, who encouraged me to take the Physics entrance exam (at the same time as the Architecture one!). Just to top it off, the textbook we used with Dona Célia was Halliday’s, which I later found in my first years at IFUSP!
During my undergraduate studies, right after those “lead years” of 1968-69, in 1970 I began my life in the computing environment. This was due to the existence of the Nuclear Physics particle accelerator (Pelletron) at IFUSP, which needed and implemented the Applied Mathematics Sector (SEMA), that is, a sector for analyzing data acquired by the accelerator and which needed to be “translated”. Under the guidance of Prof. Claudio Mammana, I began my career in IT, initially to assist users, which later led me to become a user. I was introduced to data analysis, the FORTRAN programming system, and so on, so that as my academic life progressed I continued to use computing resources to obtain results for problems that aroused my curiosity. Another very important factor was being able to visit the IFUSP library, since at the time it was the place where scientific news arrived from international journals.
As for the topics of interest, there were many, in different directions of Physics. I joined experimental laboratories and finally, at the beginning of my Master’s degree, I moved on to the sea, to ocean currents, how they develop and how they continue – an area of Fluid Dynamics that both fascinates and frightens us, especially if, like me, we have often been near the sea since childhood. Thus, during my Master’s degree I was able to go to the ocean (Oceanographic Ship Prof. Wladimir Besnard) to collect samples of “sea water”, an unparalleled experience. As for my thesis specifically, under the guidance of Prof. Luiz Brunner de Miranda, I worked on analyzing current data collected to understand the flow of currents along our coast. This research already developed my interest in marine life and its dependence on the chemistry and photochemistry of the sea, the ocean, and led me to the study of molecules, etc. Thus, in another group, now at IFUSP, I initially studied microsamples of various origins experimentally using gas chromatography. Later, I resumed my mathematical-computational characteristic and focused on the quantum mechanics of solids, which was of interest to me and to the general public at the time, specifically semiconductors such as silicon (Si) and the effect of the infinitesimal presence of other atoms and elements in their “body”, which are called defects in semiconductors. It is interesting to note that the term “defect” is strange, since they are what give the semiconductor the property we desire, such as photoactivity. In my case, I worked at the Group of Electronic Structure of Materials in the Department of Physics of Materials and Mechanics, where I did my doctorate under the supervision of Professor José Roberto Leite, who has unfortunately passed away.
I now turn to my doctoral work, which focused on “defect” states in Si, but which was carried out in a group that investigated several families of tetrahedral semiconductors, and which mainly introduced me to the use of electronic structure calculations, which are extremely important for the worldwide development of the entire science of electronic and optoelectronic devices.
B-MRS Newsletter: Think about the scientific discoveries you have made throughout your career and briefly describe those that you consider most relevant or interesting.
Marília Junqueira Caldas: Our first discovery, which was quite impressive for the entire semiconductor community, was an impurity in Si, the replacement of an atom in the crystal by an oxygen atom (O). Since the number of valence electrons in O is the same as in Si, plus 2 extra electrons, it was thought that it would act as a double donor, just like the isovalent impurities sulfur (S) and selenium (Se), with greater conductivity than the pure semiconductor. However, our study showed that in the case of O, a structural reorganization occurs at the location of the defect, electron-phonon coupling, which in fact introduces an acceptor state (captures electrons) in the Si band gap. Thus, the creation of a conductive state was ruled out, and the result was associated with a defect labeled at that time (late 1970s, early 1980s) as an A-center in Si, which extracts the conductive electrons from the system. This work was part of my PhD, and was carried out with what was available at the time for realistic first-principles calculations. As was common, my work became widely known by colleagues through its presentation at an international conference, and although it is rarely cited (based on today’s measurements), the result is now part of the knowledge base for Si devices [Caldas et al. 1980]. I continue to investigate defects in several different semiconductors to this day [Atambo et al. 2019]. On the other hand, after my PhD, I became interested in organic semiconductors, and I highlight here our work in the late 1980s on Polyaniline (PANI), a polymer that generated controversy in the community, as it was considered an insulator, or a high-gap semiconductor, even with doping, but experimentally it behaved like a p-type semiconductor with excellent conductivity. We showed that this very interesting property comes directly from the disorder inherent in polymeric systems, which caused quite an impact on the community. In this case, we used empirical and semi-empirical methods that allowed us to access very large systems [Galvão et al. 1989]. I continued working on polymeric systems, moving on to the conductors polyparaphenylene (PPP) and polyvinyl paraphenylene (PPV), now in collaboration with the University of Modena, focusing on electronic properties and moving on to optical properties, applying mostly first-principles functionals [Ferretti et al. 2003]. I believe that our contribution to understanding the behavior of these systems was impactful in the community. In another very common area now, I became interested in and we worked on two-dimensional systems such as graphene and variants, with defects or other atomic components, an area in which I also continue to work [Valência and Caldas 2017, Bonacci et al. 2022]. In another perspective, I focused on organic/inorganic interaction systems, such as polythiophene (PT) or oligothiophenes and oxide surfaces, and so on, where I continue to work given their importance for device assembly. In the last ten years (or more) I have focused mainly on devices for solar energy conversion, that is, photovoltaic devices, due to the global need for clean energy, which will continue to grow. As a final comment, I must say that the creation of the Brazilian National Institutes of Science and Technology (INCTs) was very important, of which I have been a member since the beginning through the IMMP (Multidisciplinary Institute of Polymeric Materials), which is now INEO (National Institute of Organic Electronics). Collaboration and interaction between researchers in Brazil was expanded and motivated by this great initiative of the INCTs, which in my case was very important due to the interaction with the experimental side.
B-MRS Newsletter: From the point of view of training researchers, creating laboratories, scientific dissemination and other aspects of a researcher’s career, what are your achievements that have had the greatest impact or given you the greatest satisfaction?
Marília Junqueira Caldas: It is difficult to choose, but probably what brought me the most satisfaction was, during my work as Coordinator of the USP Electronic Computing Center (CCE), the creation and implementation of a program which gave students at our university the opportunity to work directly with microcomputers, which at the time was very difficult and only possible for young people from high-income families. This achievement does not fall into the “categories” mentioned above, but the administration of a university is extremely important for the effectiveness and continuity of humanity’s progress. At the CCE, I dedicated myself to setting up the USPnet network, expanding and improving the quality of high-performance computers available for research activities, and, as I have already emphasized, making computing available to students. As for my research work, the interaction with Brazilian researchers outside my institute, whether in the state of São Paulo, in other states of Brazil, or abroad, has always been a very important stimulus for the continuity of my research activity. Finally, knowing that I helped to form, through mentoring activities, high-quality researchers, is my greatest return.
B-MRS Newsletter: In your profession as a professor and researcher, have you encountered many difficulties related to the fact of being a woman?
Marília Junqueira Caldas: As in any profession, these difficulties exist, perhaps – I hope – less so now than in my time. I must say that due to my family, I have had fewer problems than usual, since my maternal grandmother was an anti-racism and anti-sexist activist, always applauded by my grandfather; my parents were extremely strong in these areas and always encouraged me. When working in the scientific community, I faced problems, as was common, but my advisor, Prof. José Roberto Leite, always had a positive and anti-sexist stance regarding the training of female students and supported our activities, including post-doctorate studies at other institutions, in an exemplary manner. As for the problem that I still remember as the most emblematic, it was when I asked for resources from a Brazilian funding agency to do my post-doctorate abroad, and it required a greater effort than usual – but I was granted the scholarship. I must also emphasize that, as advised by Prof. Leite, I did not put my full name when submitting a paper, only my initials and surname to avoid the sexist effect, and I remember to this day the first time I went to a conference abroad and presented a paper. At that time, we would put the complete article on paper, to be published in the proceedings or in a journal, and deliver it to the conference committee before the oral presentation. When I submitted my paper, I remember my colleague’s reaction: “Ah! So Caldas is a woman?”. I replied: “Yes, it is me!”.
B-MRS Newsletter: Leave a message for our younger readers who are starting a career as scientists in Brazil or are considering this possibility.
Marília Junqueira Caldas: Science is always a beautiful, intriguing road, and whenever you see something you don’t understand, it’s exciting. This beautiful road has a shortcut, a fork in the road every millimeter, where you can study, investigate, and learn. Apart from this almost poetic vision, the development of science in the current world brings many job opportunities to young people, in different directions, and along the way you can still learn and teach more.
References cited
Atambo, M.; Varsano, D.; Ferretti, A.; Ataei, S.S.; Caldas, M.J.; Molinari, E.; “Electronic and optical properties of doped TiO2 by many-body perturbation theory” – Physical Review Materials 3, p. 04501, 2019.
Bonacci, M.; Zanfrognini, M.; Molinari, E.; Ruini, A.; Caldas, M.J.; Ferretti, A.;” Excitonic effects in graphene-like C3N” – Physical Review Materials 6, p. 034009 2022.
Caldas, M.J.; Leite, J.R.;Fazzio, A.; “Theoretical-Study of the Si-A Center” – Physica Status Solidi B 98, p. K109, 1980.
Ferretti, A.; Ruini, A.; Molinari, E.; Caldas M.J.; “Electronic Properties of Polymer Crystals: The Effect of Interchain Interactions” – Physical Review Letters 90, p. 086401, 2003.
Galvão, D.S. ; Santos, D.A. ; Laks, B. ; Melo, C.P. ; Caldas, M.J.; “Role of Disorder in the Conduction Mechanism of Polyanilines” – Physical Review Letters 63, p. 786-789, 1989.
Valencia-García A.M.; Caldas, M.J.; “Single vacancy defect in graphene: Insights into its magnetic properties from theoretical modeling” – Physical Review B 96, p. 125431, 2017.
B-MRS Newsletter. Year 11, issue 8.
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Featured scientist: interview with Bluma Guenther Soares, winner of the José Arana Varela Award
It was while working on a scientific initiation project as an undergraduate student in the early 1970s that Bluma Guenther Soares identified with the profession of scientist. And for this reason, throughout her career as a researcher, she has always found great motivation and satisfaction in acting as a supervisor, especially for scientific initiation students.
Bluma Guenther Soares was born in Rio de Janeiro city, but she spent her childhood and adolescence in Barra do Piraí, in the interior of Rio de Janeiro state. At the age of 18, she moved to the capital to fulfill her dream of studying Chemistry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). She completed her undergraduate degree at the Chemistry Institute of that university in 1973. The following year, she enrolled in a master’s degree in Organic Chemistry, also at UFRJ, and completed it in 1978.
In 1979, Bluma began her career as professor at UFRJ. At the same time, in 1981, she began her PhD in Polymer Science and Technology, also at UFRJ. In 1987, she defended her dissertation on cationic polymerization.
Between 1992 and 1993, during her postdoctoral studies at the Université de l’Etat a Liège, in Belgium, the scientist worked for the first time with conductive polymer composites, a topic in which she continues to work to this day.
Between 1998 and 2004, Bluma was coordinator of the Postgraduate Program in Polymer Science and Technology at UFRJ. In 2005, she became a full professor at UFRJ. In 2010 and 2016, she was a visiting researcher at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) in Lyon, France.
In 2014, she was one of ten female scientists from Brazil honored with the Capes-Elsevier Award for their outstanding scientific production. In 2020, her name appeared in the ranking published in the journal PLOS Biology among the 2% of researchers in the world in her field with the greatest impact on publications.
Over 50 years of scientific activity, she has authored more than 370 scientific articles. With over 11,000 citations according to Google Scholar, Bluma currently has an H index of 54 and is a CNPq research productivity fellow at the highest level (1 A). In addition, she has supervised 60 scientific initiation projects, 74 masters and 49 doctorates to date.
At 73 years of age, the scientist has no less than 25 students under her supervision in her laboratory at the Macromolecule Institute Professora Eloisa Mano (IMA) at UFRJ and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at the university. In addition, she is a member of the editorial board of several journals and is part of the board of directors of the Brazilian Polymer Association (ABPol).
At the XXII B-MRS Meeting, which will be held in Santos (Brazil) from September 29 to October 3 of this year, Bluma Guenther Soares will receive the José Arana Varela Award, which is granted annually by B-MRS to an outstanding researcher in Brazil. On the occasion, the honoree will give a plenary lecture on ionic liquids in polymeric materials and nanocomposites.
Learn more about this prominent scientist from our community in this interview.
B-MRS Newsletter: Tell us what led you to become a scientist.
Bluma Guenther Soares: I was still in high school when I fell in love with science classes. I decided then that I would study Chemistry at the National School of Chemistry. The motivation to become a scientist came later when I began my scientific initiation internship at the Organic Chemistry Department of the IQ/UFRJ.
When I finished the basic cycle at the College (Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at UFRJ had the same basic cycle) I requested to transfer my student registration to the Chemistry Institute. My professional path was the same as always: I enrolled in the Master’s degree program at the Organic Chemistry Department of the IQ/UFRJ. During my Master’s degree, I realized that I wanted to follow an academic path and approached the head of the department to teach classes in the department without a contract – and without a salary, of course.
He encouraged me and I began teaching Organic Chemistry from that moment on. In 1979 I was hired as a professor by the Organic Chemistry Department. I then started my PhD in Polymer Science and Technology at the Institute of Macromolecules.
B-MRS Newsletter: Think about the scientific discoveries and advances in which you have participated throughout your career and briefly describe those that you consider most relevant or interesting.
Bluma Guenther Soares: As previously mentioned, I began my career as a researcher in the area of Organic Chemistry and joined the Polymer Group, coordinated by Professor Eloisa Mano. After finishing my PhD, and based on student demand, I began working in the area of polymer applications.
When I went to do my postdoctoral internship in Liège in 1992, the project was to be the synthesis of block copolymers, that is, organic chemistry applied to polymers. When I got there, the supervisor, Professor Jerome, changed my project to the development of electrically conductive polymer composites. It was truly the greatest challenge of my life, because I had no knowledge whatsoever about the physics involved in this area. I had to study a lot. Therefore, the discoveries involving materials that absorb electromagnetic waves were of great relevance.
Another discovery of great impact was the verification that some ionic liquids could act as non-covalent agents on carbon nanotubes and improve their dispersion. This discovery also resulted in the preparation of anticorrosive coatings involving epoxy resin and hybrid material containing polyaniline and carbon nanotubes, whose dispersion was aided by the ionic liquid.
B-MRS Newsletter: From the point of view of training researchers, creating laboratories, scientific dissemination and other aspects of a researcher’s career, what are your achievements that have had the greatest impact and/or that have given you the greatest satisfaction?
Bluma Guenther Soares: In my opinion, training human resources is always what gives us the greatest satisfaction. And every publication made with master’s, doctoral and scientific initiation students is of great importance to me.
I would like to highlight my work in advising scientific initiation students. Since I became excited about a career as a scientist after my scientific initiation internship, I am concerned with providing good guidance and inspiring these students, thus contributing to creating a critical mass of researchers in Brazil.
B-MRS Newsletter: In your profession as a professor and researcher, have you encountered many difficulties related to being a woman and/or being a mother?
Bluma Guenther Soares: Although I began my professional career in the 1970s, I never encountered any difficulties, either during my undergraduate studies or later as a professor and researcher, due to the fact that I was a woman. In these places, there was no discrimination because I was a woman.
In fact, I had some difficulties because I had to balance my professional life with a marriage and three children. For example, I ended up having to postpone my postdoctoral project in Liège, because I had to balance it at the best time. My male friends went abroad to do their doctorates and postdoctoral studies more easily than we women did. But we managed to balance the double shift well.
B-MRS Newsletter: Leave a message for our readers who are starting a career as scientists in Brazil or are considering this possibility.
Bluma Guenther Soares: As a message, I would like to say that studying new things is very challenging and tiring at times. Therefore, the first point is to know how to choose your field of activity so that research is truly a pleasure. When choosing a career that fascinates you, young people cannot be discouraged by the first difficulties.
Just to tell you a little story, I lived in Barra do Piraí when I was in middle school and high school – what we called the “science course” at that time. The only science course was at night, and the Chemistry teacher didn’t know Chemistry. He was a doctor. I had to study alone for the entrance exam to the university. It was very difficult, but I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by because I didn’t have a teacher. We don’t have good teachers, we have good books.
Good luck to everyone and don’t forget to pursue your dreams.
B-MRS Newsletter. Year 11, issue 7.
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