I National Meeting of B-MRS University Chapters: event coverage.

Posted on Wednesday 30 de September de 2020

From September 5 to 7, 2020, a few dozen students and young researchers, together with some professors, dedicated the afternoons of the holiday of Brazil’s Independence Day to participate, online, in the 1st National Meeting of the B-MRS University Chapters (I ENUC).

The event brought together members of University Chapters (UCs) and people interested in meeting them. The program was built around two axes: the UCs’ presentations about their teams, institutions, actions carried out and future projects, and the invited lectures on topics of interest to the UCs.

ENUC emerged from the desire of the UC from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) to interact with members of other B-MRS UCs. In this first edition, the event was fully organized and carried out by the members of UC-UFPE.

UCs in action: learn by doing

In his lecture, Professor Newton Barbosa (UFPA), national coordinator of the UCs program reflected that in the scientific career being competent in the chosen area of knowledge is essential, but it is not enough, especially at the present moment in the history of science and technology, in which problem solving requires the interaction between people and areas. Skills such as communication, flexibility, and proactive leadership, he said, are also necessary for the researcher. The scientist explained that “the idea of the UCs program is precisely to help develop these skills, using the learn-by-doing method, with students carrying out team projects.”

“Research alone will not fill our CV,” added Karolyne Santos da Silva, president of UC UFPE. “We will also need to organize events, occupy administrative positions, publicize our work in society, among other things,” added the doctoral student, who was the event coordinator.

A wide range of projects carried out by the chapters were presented throughout the event, which covered from the creation of the unit’s logo and internal statute, to lectures and interviews for laypeople, workshops to motivate girls to work in science and technology, and seminars for researchers. Support for social action campaigns is also part of the activities carried out by the UCs, always with the dual objective of learning-by-doing and generating a positive impact on the environment.

The social impact of research

In one of the invited lectures, Professor Roberto Faria (IFSC-USP), who was president of B-MRS between 2012 and 2015, spoke briefly about the history of the UCs program. “I wanted the students’ greater participation in B-MRS, as they are the country’s greatest wealth for the future,” said the former president of B-MRS. Faria said that it all started in 2013, during his first term as president of B-MRS. At a scientific event in San Francisco (USA), Professor Faria spoke with the coordinator of the Materials Research Society (MRS) university chapters program, who was none other than Mildred Dresselhaus, a scientist internationally renowned for her work with carbon nanomaterials, who passed away in 2017. One year after this conversation, the B-MRS UCs Program was operating with 4 active units. Before ending his speech, Faria invited the members of the UCs to reflect on the relationship of materials research with the development of Brazil and the problems of Brazilians, to find solutions to the contradiction between the country’s natural wealth and the low quality of life of a large part of its population.

The social impact of the research was also addressed in a lecture by professor Eduardo Martinelli (UFRN), scientific director of B-MRS and coordinator of the Materials area at CAPES, the federal government agency, responsible for quality in undergraduate and postgraduate institutions in Brazil. Martinelli shared the work that CAPES has been doing to create metrics that objectively reveal the impacts generated by postgraduate courses on people’s quality of life. “Society invests in us, researchers, and we need to answer how we benefit society.” This concern also appeared in the presentations of the UCs, in actions aimed at showing laypeople the presence and importance of science in everyday life.

Diversity, representativeness and multidisciplinarity

The map of the B-MRS university chapters.

With units in all Brazilian regions, members of different ethnic groups and a good proportion of women on the boards, the UCs program is very close to the ideal of diversity and representativeness. Thus, these two concepts were intensely debated throughout the event, starting with the opening lecture by professor Mônica Cotta (UNICAMP), president of B-MRS (the first woman to occupy this position in the Society). “It is not by chance that today we have two women at the opening of the meeting, the president of the Society and the event coordinator,” stated Professor Petrus Santa Cruz (UFPE), tutor of the UC -UFPE.

In the lecture, Professor Cotta also spoke about the role of scientific societies and, in particular, about the past, present and future of B-MRS. “For me, the future is related to university chapters, because it is their members who are able to better communicate with new generations,” she said. The president showed that the history of B-MRS is linked to the highly multidisciplinary nature of materials research, which requires merging the knowledge of physicists, chemists, biologists, engineers, medical doctors and other professionals.

Belonging to a generation more accustomed to a multidisciplinary approach, the members of the chapters naturally included the subject in their presentations, which showed the efforts by students from different areas of knowledge.

Results

The most evident result of the event was enabling each UC to get to know the other units. In the evaluation of the organizing team, the meeting allowed to reflect on the effectiveness of all projects, and the possibilities for adapting each action to the different realities of the country. “I highlight the exchange of experiences and ideas between the various UCs, which reflect the cultural plurality of Brazilian society and the various areas that compose the materials community,” says Professor Mônica Cotta, president of B-MRS, who participated in the entire event.

The I ENUC was also a generator of joint projects. “Without a shadow of a doubt, ENUC promoted in an unprecedented way the integration between the various UCs in our program, which can already be seen in practical terms with the organization of a cycle of webinars, which was a result of the event,” said Professor Newton Barbosa, national coordinator of the UCs Program, who also followed the event in its entirety.

In addition, the event provided a broader contact between the members of the program with the B-MRS board and with other people who work or have worked in the Society. “It was especially motivating to be able to observe the maturity, commitment and involvement of these students with the values we share at B-MRS and in the academic area in general, such as respect for science and scientific method, ethical values, diversity and representativeness in all aspects,” expressed the president of the Society.

Another important result of the I ENUC, according to Professor Barbosa, was to have perfected the idea of what it means to be a member of a B-MRS UC. “Being part of a chapter means, at a very young scientific age, participating in the discussions of macro problems of Materials Science and Engineering. Being able to think and propose, in a professional and respectful way, solutions to these problems. Go beyond the laboratory bench and become a professional with multiple skills,” summarized the program coordinator.

Communication and sponsorships

The event also featured a lecture by Verónica Savignano, responsible for Communications at B-MRS. The scientific journalist presented all the communication channels of B-MRS, their audiences and contents, in order to open interaction possibilities with the UCs. Speaking to a generation that is much more accustomed to dissemination (via social networks) than the previous generation, the journalist strived to generate a reflection on the criteria and guidelines (ethical, aesthetic and technical) that should guide the work of communication. During the questions, the discussion revolved around the concepts of disinformation, infodemics, pseudoscience and fake news.

Finally, in another invited lecture, Rosely Maier Queiroz, former financial director of UC-UFPE, shared a step-by-step on how to get sponsorship and manage the budget of UC projects, with specific tips for this time of pandemic and economic crisis.

Independence, Technology and Fight

“I think the date of this event is symbolic, as the independence of a country depends on technological independence,” said Professor Petrus Santa Cruz, when opening the meeting. “This year there is no Independence parade because of the pandemic, but there is a fight alert, the fight for education, for science, for the reduction of social inequalities,” said Karolyne, ending the event.

The event was recorded and is available on the UC-UFPE YouTube channel.

(Português) University Chapters: ciclo de webinários.

Posted on Wednesday 30 de September de 2020

Sorry, this entry is only available in Brazilian Portuguese.

Two more universities participate in B-MRS University Chapters program.

Posted on Monday 25 de March de 2019

As of March, with the incorporation of a University Chapter (UC) unit at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Brazil’s five regions are present in the map of the B-MRS’s UCs. In addition, the map of the program gains a new spot in the state of São Paulo, through the participation of a team in the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), campus of São José dos Campos.

The UCs program, which now has 11 units, brings together undergraduate and graduate student teams from Brazilian universities around complementary activities for academic education.

According to the president of UFMS UC, Gustavo Sander Larios, M.S., the creation of the UC was motivated by the desire to increase interaction among students from different laboratories, departments and research groups. Thus, the team, which is made up of undergraduate, masters and PhD students from the areas of Materials Science, Physics and Chemistry, will stimulate the organization of seminars and scientific meetings involving members of the UC and researchers from B-MRS. “We intend to promote activities that stimulate the development of scientific knowledge, given the national and international research trends, provided through the interaction among the UC members,”adds Larios. The supervisor of this unit is Professor Cícero Rafael Cena da Silva.

Members and supervisor of the UC unit at UNIFESP - São José dos Campos. — Members and supervisor of the UC unit at UNIFESP – São José dos Campos.

At the UC of the University of São José dos Campos, UNIFESP, the main objective is to disseminate Materials Engineering and Science among university students from all over the Vale do Paraíba region and also in society as a whole, says the master’s Verônica Ribeiro dos Santos, president of the unit, and Professor Manuel Henrique Lente, the supervisor of the UC. The team intends to “divulge the concept of Materials Engineering, since for many it is still unknown, given the great diversity of areas of expertise that the professional in this field is capable of carrying out.” According to Verônica Ribeiro dos Santos and professor Manuel Henrique Lente, the group aspires, in the future, to make their UC an extracurricular source of scientific and technological knowledge and to increase the number of members. Some of the activities the team intends to promote are: seminar cycles involving students and researchers from UNIFESP and other institutions; lectures by representatives of S&T support agencies, class entities, industrial sectors, etc.; technical visits to R&D institutes, companies and incubators; summer courses; dissemination lectures in high schools. In order to carry out the activities, the UC has a comprehensive team of 24 undergraduate students (Bachelor’s degree in Science and Technology, and Materials Engineering), three master’s and one doctoral students (Post-graduation in Materials Science and Engineering, PPGECM), all from UNIFESP.

Get to know B-MRS’s UCs Program and the eleven units it has so far in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo: https://www.sbpmat.org.br/en/university-chapters/ucs-da-sbpmat/

New University Chapter established at UFPE.

Posted on Wednesday 13 de February de 2019

UC at UFPE: tutor, board of directors (students) and some members of the unit.

The University Chapters (UCs) program of B-MRS begins 2019 with a new member, the UC of the Brazilian Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE). With the creation of this unit, the program will have nine UCs distributed in the south, southeast, northeast and north of the country.

The interdisciplinary team of the new UC brings together 15 students (three undergraduate, five masters and seven doctoral students) from courses in Chemistry, Biological Sciences and Materials Science at UFPE. The tutor of the unit is Professor Petrus d’Amorim Santa Cruz Oliveira.

“What motivated us to create our UC was the need to explore the world of Materials Science, reinventing new ways to broaden and bring people from all parts, thus diversifying and strengthening our education more and more,” says Karolyne Santos da Silva, president of the UC. “Our highest expectation is to awaken young people to science, showing that there are possibilities to be innovative and have the opportunity to undergo new experiences with other researchers,” adds the doctoral student in Materials Science.

In the context of B-MRS’s UCs program, the team initially plans to hold a series of events: a holiday course, the 1st Meeting of Materials Science and Engineering of Pernambuco and annual workshops.

Get to know B-MRS’s UCs Program and the nine units it has so far in the states of Minas Gerais, Pará, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo: https://www.sbpmat.org.br/en/university-chapters/

B-MRS announces new coordinator of the University Chapters (UCs)Program.

Posted on Wednesday 31 de October de 2018

Professor Newton Martins Barbosa Neto of the Brazilian Federal University of Pará (UFPA) is the new coordinator of the University Chapters (UCs) Program of B-MRS. He follows in this role Professor Rodrigo F. Bianchi, who has coordinated the program since its foundation in 2014.

The objective of the UCs program is to bring together graduate and undergraduate students in Materials Science and Technology and related areas, and to encourage and support these teams to carry out activities that complement university education, such as the organization of events and interaction with similar groups from Brazil and abroad. Eight units of UCs have been created within B-MRS to date.

The board of B-MRS wishes Professor Barbosa Neto a good job and thanks Professor Bianchi for his work.

Words by the new coordinator (Newton Martins Barbosa Neto)

“I believe that assuming the coordination of B-MRS’s University Chapters program (UCs) is a major task. UCs are necessary and strategic bridges between today’s and tomorrow’s materials community as they provide students, in the spirit of learning by doing, the opportunity to evolve through the exchange of experience and discussion of problems related to materials research. Another important aspect of UCs is that they give students the opportunity to develop teamwork skills, which are more than necessary for the leaders of tomorrow, especially in a multidisciplinary area such as materials. It is in this spirit, and with the participation of our community, in Brazil and around the world, that I believe in the development of good work in the coming years that should continue to do what has already been done.

These are some of the main challenges we face: 1) Continue with the policy of creating new UCs, 2) Promote increasing interaction, and 3) Effectively organize the fields of action of UCs. The UCs have great action potential in activities such as: scientific dissemination, promotion of events, training of future researchers, among others. All of these things need to be done in an increasingly efficient and synergistic way, drawing the greatest number of results with the least amount of resources available. In other words, we need to do what we already do as materials scientists in our laboratories”.

People in the Materials community: interview with Rodrigo Fernando Bianchi.

Posted on Thursday 31 de March de 2016

In the month when the SBPMat University Chapters program completes two years of existence, we interviewed its coordinator, Professor Rodrigo Fernando Bianchi of the Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP), scientific director of SBPMat.

Curious since his childhood to understand the phenomena of nature, Rodrigo Bianchi chose Physics as his undergraduate major, which he studied between 1992 and 1995 in his native city, at the São Carlos Institute of Physics of the University of São Paulo (IFSC-USP). Research opportunities appeared and later he earned a master’s and doctoral degree in the area of Materials, also in the IFSC-USP, under the guidance of Professor Roberto Mendonça Faria. He received his master’s degree in 1997. In 2000, during the doctorate program, he spent six months doing research in United States, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (a research stage known as a “doctoral sandwich” program). In 2002, he received the degree of Doctor of Science at IFSC-USP.

During his undergraduate studies, Bianchi complemented his academic activities with tutoring at USP, until he became a teacher at the Electronic Systems Engineering Department in 2004. In 2006, he became a professor in the Physics Department of UFOP. That same year he created the Laboratory of Polymers and Electronic Properties of Materials (LAPPEM). From 2011 to 2013 he was a visiting researcher at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. Between 2013 and 2014, he was the coordinator of the Center for Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship of UFOP.

Since the creation of LAPPEM, the research and development work carried out by the research group and collaborators of the laboratory have produced scientific papers, patents and enterprises, and have received national-level awards. For example, in 2008, the group was awarded 3^rd place in the Werner von Siemens Technology Innovation Award in the “Health” modality and the Incentive Award in Science and Technology for SUS, given by the Ministry of Health for the development of neostickers. Designed for blue light phototherapy to treat neonatal jaundice, the neostickers are organic light-emitting diode sensors that indicate the optimum point of blue light accumulation for the treatment.

Another one, among the several recognitions that took place earlier this year, was a project created by LAPPEM members to introduce to the market a development conducted in the laboratory, which was classified in fourth place among 1.500 startups in Brasil in the ranking “100 Open Startups”. In this case, the product was an adhesive, also based on organic luminescent material, which allows to monitor the level of ultraviolet (UV) radiation absorbed by human skin.

Currently, and since 2014, Rodrigo Bianchi is scientific director of SBPMat. When he took over the direction, he received the assignment to create and lead the SBPMat University Chapters (UCs) program, which currently has eight participating groups based in universities of five Brazilian states. Bianchi is also dean of Planning and Development of UFOP and permanent professor of the postgraduate programs in Materials Engineering and Science: Physics of Materials.

Awarded a level 2 CNPq productivity scholarship, Bianchi is the author of 7 filed patents and more than 40 articles published in international indexed journals. He has supervised 19 master dissertations and six doctoral theses.

The following is an interview with the researcher.

SBPMat Newsletter: – Tell us why you became a scientist and what led you to work in the Materials area.

Rodrigo Bianchi: – I was always a curious child trying to understand the phenomena of nature. This “curiosity” has accompanied me throughout my journey as a scientist, from the basic and secondary cycles, through my studies in Physics in the Institute of Physics of São Carlos, USP, and postgraduate studies in Materials Science and Engineering, also at USP, up to the research lines that I coordinate at UFOP, in polymeric electronic devices applied to healthcare. The research opportunities in polymers I had since my undergraduate years led me to work closer in the applied area. As a result, from Physics I went to Materials Science and Engineering, and today I consider myself a “physicist – materials engineer” with research lines focused on both the fundamental study of charge transport phenomena in organic electronic devices, as well as the idealization of sensors applied to neonatology, to the food area and to the monitoring and control of radiation.

SBPMat Newsletter: – In your assessment, what are the main contributions to the Materials area? Please also tell us of the cases in which you participated to transform scientific knowledge into products.

Rodrigo Bianchi: – Without a doubt I believe that the main contribution was to use the phenomena that made organic electronic devices not feasible for the market, such as photodegradation, that led to low durability and poor performance of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDS), to develop innovative sensors. Something like knowing the principles of operation and limitation of devices that were still in the maturation phase to create new sensors with different applications. An example of this strategy was the use of color change of the OLEDs, generated by the exposure of oxygen and light, which precluded many of the commercial applications of these systems, to develop colorimetric radiation sensing in the form of nanofibers, films and gels. In other words, develop 1, 2 and 3D scale sensors to use in different health areas: from phototherapy control for neonatal jaundice to monitoring UV radiation for sunbathers and construction and rural workers, up to the monitoring of cobalt processes, radiotherapy and food irradiation. So, encouraged by such research, partnerships and guidelines, besides our group in UFOP, there are currently other research groups working in the area in Brazil and abroad. Furthermore, our group is currently composed of physicists, chemists, food engineers, pharmacists and many students and professionals focused on developing multidisciplinary research in the field of organic electronics. The group has generated dozens of articles, patents and guidelines, with a focus to always understand the fundamental phenomena in order to develop innovative organic devices. Due to this characteristic, our team members have been awarded important innovation awards, as for instance by the Ministry of Health, Siemens and the Government of the State of Minas Gerais.

From a technological point of view, the As31 startup, created by students to market these products, was recently in fourth place in the ranking of the 100 Open Brazilian Startups, and regularly meets with major companies to establish B2B partnerships (business-to-business) to launch products into the market. This was the second startup created by members of our research group. The lesson we learned is that there are many difficulties related to creating technological and innovative products. Therefore, the first step to launch a startup involves having a well-trained and competent scientific and technological team. However, having the courage to change and modify the direction of the company is fundamental. For example, today the As31 has two Smart Tags as driving-force products: one to indicate to the consumer possible raw meat contamination processes, caused by temperature variations during its shelf-life, and another to indicate when bathers, especially children, should reapply sunscreen. two applications that emerged from the observation of the problems of OLEDs for more than ten years and which are currently very up to date.

SBPMat Newsletter: – The SBPMat University Chapters (UCs) program, which you have coordinated from the beginning, celebrates its two year anniversary this month. Give us your personal assessment of the results achieved to date and tell us about your plans for the program going forward.

Rodrigo Bianchi: – About the SBPMat UC program, I have to say it has been a great pleasure to participate in this creation and in the work done. It’s a challenge and not an easy task setting up a work routine and the involvement of students who are the future of the materials area in the country. We now have materials groups spread out and concentrated in all regions of the country, from north to south, from east to west. Then, it is very important to unite these students in a single cause, and as a result provide them their value in society. How to do this? Our strategy was to encourage students to form their groups, and this included numerous lectures and disseminations of UCs across the country. Once the UC program were created, most important thing was to encourage students to organize a symposium at the annual SBPMat meeting, in which students had a leading role in society by getting involved in establishing the program and also in organizing the event. An innovation, because I don’t know of any other materials entity that has provided such an opportunity until now. This happened in Rio de Janeiro in 2015 and the involvement and success of the students was clearly seen. These were high-level scientific lectures involving not only materials science themes, but also ethics and scientific writing, for example. In other words, themes that interest directly the students, who are the future of the Materials area in the country. For the next meeting in Campinas, the students are organized to again coordinate this symposium. Regarding the future? The answer is to encourage the formation of new groups, interaction among students and consolidate the participation of everybody in SBPMat.

SBPMat Newsletter: – We always ask the person interviewed in this section of the newsletter to leave a message for those who are beginning their scientific careers. Would you like to say something in particular to these future scientists / junior scientists?

Rodrigo Bianchi: – As a final message to the readers, especially the younger ones: “the Materials area is extremely rich and gives us the opportunity to interact with various themes and professionals from many fields of knowledge. So, enjoy this significant feature. Get involved with competent and motivating people, and have the courage to innovate and bring your ideas into the market. Brazil needs this and you can make a difference!”

SBPMat news: international interactions in meetings in San Francisco.

Posted on Friday 8 de May de 2015

Between April 6 and 10 of the present year, professor Roberto Mendonça Faria, president of our SBPMat (the Brazil materials research society), was in San Francisco (California, USA), participating in the “2015 MRS Spring Meeting“, one of the two annual meetings of the Materials Research Society (MRS). In such occasion, representing SBPMat, professor Faria held a series of meetings.

The president, vice-president, and the executive officer of MRS, respectively, Oliver Kraft, Kristi S. Anseth, and Tood M. Osman, took part in one of them. In such meeting, the directors of both societies agreed upon the continuity of the contract that makes the MRS’ publications available to SBPMat’s members, and discussed ways of establishing collaborations between the University Chapters programs of both societies. Additionally, SBPMat’s president invited the three directors of MRS to participate in the fourteenth meeting of the Brazilian MRS.

Another meeting congregated professor Robert Chang, general secretary of International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS), and professor José Alberto Giacometti, member of SBPMat Board of Counselors, in addition to professor Faria. The three professors defined that they will be co-organizers of the “Symposium U” at the XIV SBPMat Meeting, intitled “Importance of social implications of nanotechnologies in Science popularization”. The symposium already counts on two invited speakers: Guillermo Foladori, from Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas (Mexico) and Noela Invernizzi, from Universidade Federal do Paraná (Brazil). In the meeting, professor Chang, who was plenary speaker at the XIII SBPMat Meeting, confirmed his presence in the meeting of this year.

In a third meeting, the president of SBPMat talked to representatives of Institute of Physics (IOP), and both parties manifested the desire of continuing the project of “Science Impact“, publication which, according to professor Faria, has been having an excellent repercussion.

First SBPMat University Chapter in the northern region of Brazil.

Posted on Wednesday 28 de January de 2015

The team of the University Chapter from Belém do Pará.

The University Chapter (UC) program of the Brazilian Materials Research Society (SBPMat) now has a unit in northern Brazil, more precisely in the city of Belém, capital of state of Pará, in the Federal University of Pará (UFPA). Seventeen undergraduate and graduate students engaged in research on Materials Science, as well as two tutors, take part in this UC.

“When we learned what the University Chapter program was, we realized that participating would provide us with a unique opportunity to have contact with other students in the field and thereby increase our exchange of experiences with pupils from other institutions which, just as us, work in Materials research”, says the president of the UC, doctoral student Gregório Barbosa Corrêa Júnior. According to him, as from this year, the UC will hold events such as workshops and courses. “We also expect to acquire a global perspective on what is our branch of scientific research and, with that, have a firm grasp of the opportunities and professional prospects offered by the field”, he concludes.

Learn more about the SBPMat University Chapters program and its six units so far, in the States of Minas Gerais, Pará, Piauí, Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo: http://sbpmat.org.br/en/university-chapters/

Biomaterials in event hold by UC from Bauru.

Posted on Thursday 27 de November de 2014

UCB nota reuniao 7 — Researchers from Portugal and USA lectured in the 7 th meeting of the UC from Bauru.

The University Chapter Biomaterials (UCB), headquartered in Bauru (city in the state of Sao Paulo) held its seventh monthly meeting in the morning of November 19^th, in the São Paulo State University (UNESP). In that occasion, two foreign researchers who were in Bauru delivered seminars in the meeting.

Professor Ana Maria Pires Pinto from Universidade de Minho (Portugal) lectured about new concepts for biomedical applications of metallic matrix composites. Next, nanomedicine in situ was the topic of the seminar given by professor Tolou Shokuhfar, from Michigan Technological University (U.S.A.).

“The researchers were in contact with our group and we were highly complimented by them”, says Diego Rafael Nespeque Correa, president of UCB and PhD Researcher in the UNESP Post-graduate program in Materials Science and Technology. “We managed to maintain an environment of substantial scientific discussions and promotion of our group”, he adds.

UCB is of the five current units of the SBPMat University Chapters Program.

UCB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/universitychapterbiomaterial

About SBPMat University Chapters Progran: http://sbpmat.org.br/en/university-chapters/

First SBPMat UC from the south of Brazil.

Posted on Wednesday 26 de November de 2014

foto UC UCS — The team of the UC from Rio Grande do Sul.

The SBPMat University Chapters program has its first unit in Rio Grande do Sul, since the end of October 2014. Headquartered in the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), this UC has 14 participants, who are connected to UCS, the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).

“What motivated me and all who are part of our UC was the possibility to generate other partnerships and add valuable knowledge”, says Bruna Louise Perotti, president of the UC, Mechanical Engineering student and scientific initiation fellow connected to the UCS Post-graduate program in Engineering and Materials Science. The group has plans for the next semester: organize lectures and seminars (initially with local lecturers and afterwards with visiting lecturers) and carry out scientific events to promote the interaction and collaboration between contributing research groups, generating innovation in the assignments, andfinally contribute to promote them.