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Category: News
B-MRS Newsletter: Year 12, issue 2
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Marcia Bicalho: note of condolence
It was with deep sadness that we received the news yesterday of the death of Marcia Liliane Santos Bicalho, who was secretary of B-MRS from the beginning of the society until 2023. At this time, we remember with great affection and gratitude Marcia’s contributions to B-MRS and offer our condolences to her family and friends.
Board of Directors
B-MRS Newsletter: Year 12, issue 1
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B-MRS Newsletter: Year 11, issue 12
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B-MRS Newsletter: Year 11, issue 11
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End of year message
The year 2024 demonstrated the strength of the Brazilian materials research community, with the B-MRS Meeting held in Santos attracting nearly 1,800 participants from areas ranging from basic to technological sciences. Around 60% of these were undergraduate, master’s or doctoral students, illustrating the importance of the event in bringing together these young scientists and providing opportunities for the dissemination of their research and the establishment of scientific collaborations. Technical lectures and round tables addressed gender issues and encouraged scientific dissemination and entrepreneurship.
B-MRS has contributed to the dissemination of opportunities for researchers and students. The dissemination of papers by the community has illustrated the relevance of the scientific work produced by members of the Society.
In 2025, we hope to strengthen and expand B-MRS’s University Chapters (UCs), which have weakened during and after the Pandemic. We understand that the UCs represent the future of the Society and can contribute greatly to the training of new generations of scientists in Materials, promoting the inclusion of new students and the scientific dissemination of the area.
Professors and students interested in opening a UC at their institution should contact Professor Lucimara Roman (romanlucimara@gmail.com).
The organization of the B-MRS Meeting 2025 is in full swing. The event will be held from September 28 to October 2 in Salvador/BA. There will be 22 scientific symposia in the most varied areas of activity in Materials, in addition to internationally renowned speakers. Do not miss the opportunity to participate in this event.
We wish everyone an excellent 2025, full of personal and professional achievements. May we all contribute to the scientific development of Brazil, to the training of new generations of scientists and to stimulate entrepreneurship.
B-MRS Board of Directors
B-MRS Newsletter: Year 11, issue 10
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B-MRS Newsletter. Year 11, issue 9.
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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!