22/09/2020

Você S/A magazine highlights Artur Avila's career path.

Imagem: Davi Augusto/VOCÊ S/A

An extraordinary researcher at IMPA and winner of the Fields Medal in 2014, Artur Avila is one of the five Brazilian scientists highlighted in the article published in Você S/A magazine last Thursday (17) . The report recalls the trajectory of the Rio de Janeiro native, who at age 16, with the conquest of a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), began attending courses in the IMPA master's program. Currently, the mathematician specializing in dynamical systems divides his time between the Brazilian institute and the University of Zurich (Switzerland), where he works as a senior researcher.

Young Juliana Estradioto, director of the Brazilian Association for the Promotion of Science (Abric) and coordinator of the Brazilian Fair of Young Scientists; ecologist Edenise Garcia, director of The Nature Conservancy Brazil (TNC); physicist and astronomer Marcelo Gleiser, researcher at Dartmouth College; and biologist Natália Pasternak, president of the Instituto Questão de Ciência, were among the other scientists featured in the article.

Check out the full report:

Learn about the career paths of these five Brazilian scientists.

The careers and work of some of the country's brightest minds in the fields of biology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and ecology.

In the United States, three out of four young people up to the age of 24 do not believe the Earth is round. In Brazil, the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) found that 11 million inhabitants—or 7% of the population—are certain that the planet is as flat as a pancake.

This is just one example of something that has been growing in the world in recent years: anti-scientific mobilization. Those who disbelieve in science spread fake news on the subject, disseminate conspiracy theories, and encourage people not to get vaccinated.

But while these people share ideas that refute scientific evidence, the world has been struck by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has highlighted the importance of science for something basic: the survival of populations. That's why the subject has never been discussed so much. "Society is seeing that the solution will come from universities, and the credibility of science is being taken into consideration," says Hamilton Varela, advisor to the Instituto Questão de Ciência (Institute for Science Issues), which advocates for the use of scientific evidence in public policy, and professor at the Institute of Chemistry in São Carlos.

However, being a scientist in Brazil is not so easy. Besides the lack of faith, the lack of government management and incentives (with the interruption of investments and the paralysis of research) makes life even more complex for professionals in the field; it's no wonder that many go abroad. "An interrupted research project doesn't restart from where it left off. It's years of work thrown away."

“The problem is the lack of knowledge about the scientific method by those in power,” says Hamilton. Mateus Rockenbach, president of the Brazilian Association for the Promotion of Science (Abric), which promotes science among young students, adds: “We don’t lack resources and technical training, but rather intelligent public administration with a long-term vision.”

Despite so many challenges, the country has great scientists — and below, some of them talk about their career paths and explain what it takes to pursue a career in the field.

The student

Juliana Estradioto, 20, hasn't even started college yet, but she already has an impressive research resume. While packing her bags for the United States, where she received a scholarship to study chemical and biological engineering and research funding at Northwestern University, she dedicates her time to encouraging budding scientists. "My biggest dream is to show young people that it's possible to do research from an early age," says Juliana, who is the director of Abric and one of the coordinators of the Brazilian Young Scientists Fair.

It all started when Juliana was studying for a technical high school degree in administration at the Federal Institute of Science, Technology and Education of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS) and enrolled in an extension course on product utilization. There she came into contact with the scientific method, fell in love with it, and began to become a researcher.

Juliana's discoveries in high school — a biodegradable plastic made from passion fruit peel and a product based on the fruit's seed that cleans textile effluents from waterways — were awarded prizes at the world's most important science fair, the American Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

Last year, she was the first Brazilian to win gold in the Materials Science category, with the product she created and patented: a biological material made from macadamia nut shells that can be used as fabric for clothing and as artificial skin and veins. "I use the shell as food for microorganisms and they produce a plastic residue."

In addition to the recognition, Juliana will have an asteroid named after her. “I am proof that being a scientist is accessible. You don't need to be a genius,” she says, who is the daughter of a public school teacher. “Seeing my mother struggle with her students, I always wanted to be the best I could be. So I worked hard.”

The mathematician

A collector of discoveries and awards, 41-year-old Artur Avila studies dynamical systems and spectral theory. His goal is to find solutions to problems never before solved.

His research earned him, in 2014, the highest honor a mathematician can receive: the Fields Medal, considered the most important award in the field. "The role of these awards is to bring visibility outside the field. In the case of Brazil, which has few role models of scientists in the public imagination, it becomes useful to be able to say that a Brazilian won such an award."

The Rio de Janeiro native's journey as a researcher began at age 16, when he won the International Mathematical Olympiad and was awarded a scholarship to the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA) — a social organization linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC) and the Ministry of Education (MEC) — where he completed a master's degree, even without being in university. "Since I was little, I wanted to be a scientist."

But I had an inaccurate view of the profession. Due to my aptitude, I developed in the direction of mathematics. When I came into contact with IMPA (National Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics) it was an important moment, because I realized that a career as a mathematical scientist existed, which became my goal.”

Artur graduated from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro at the age of 22 and, at the end of the academic year, defended his doctoral thesis. He then moved to Paris, where he conducted his postdoctoral research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) — an exchange that proved essential to his career.

“As a scientist, it’s very important to work in other cultures. In Paris, I was with people whose interests were slightly different from mine, which began to encourage me to look at things in other ways and broaden my perspective,” he says, who divided his work between IMPA and the French institution in the following years. In 2008, at the age of 29, he became the director of research at the CNRS—the youngest person to hold the position.

For the past two years, Artur has shared his knowledge as a full professor at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, where he currently lives. But he continues to dedicate part of his time to Brazilian research, with the staff at IMPA. “In Brazil, there are difficulties such as accumulated crises and political instability. However, there is potential for growth, for the development of academic knowledge, and opportunities for a scientific career. It's different from Europe, where there is even a saturation of researchers in universities.”

The ecologist

Although she enjoyed science, a lack of knowledge in the field led Edenise Garcia, 52, down a somewhat more tortuous path. A graduate in literature and journalism, both from the University of São Paulo, she began her career as a reporter for VEJA magazine (part of the Abril Group), where she stayed for two years. But the daily routine in the newsroom highlighted the longing she felt for nature.

That's why she returned to USP (University of São Paulo) to study biology with an emphasis on ecology. That's where she found her calling. "I realized I wanted to pursue a career as a researcher when I understood I had completed 60 credits when only 24 were required."

Fresh out of college, she competed for and won a scholarship to pursue a master's degree in aquatic ecology at the University of Montreal, Canada, where she then went on to complete her doctorate.

In 2006, she went to work at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, as an advisor on issues related to environmental contaminants. Following that, she received a scholarship to participate in a program on climate change and land use at Brown University (in Rhode Island, United States), where she was able to attend lectures by one of the leading experts on the subject: Al Gore, the former US vice president.

After the program, Edenise had two options: work in the Arctic or the Amazon. “The choice was difficult, but my childhood passion for the Amazon ended up prevailing.” Thus, in 2008 the scientist returned to Brazil to join the team at The Nature Conservancy Brazil (TNC), a non-governmental organization that works to conserve the environment.

Today, she is the science director of the institution and lives in Belém (PA), from where she coordinates the science team of the Amazon Program. Her focus is on analyzing deforestation, searching for sustainable land use alternatives, and researching climate change in the forest. “In the midst of this immensity, I feel so small and at the same time I ask myself: 'How can we stop so much damage?'” For those who want to work in science, Edenise's advice is not to stand still. “Don't miss opportunities, always be alert. Applying for scholarships is the secret.”

The physicist

Physicist and astronomer Marcelo Gleiser, 61, gained international recognition beyond the walls of universities. This happened thanks to two fronts: appearances on TV programs broadcast in the United States, England, and Brazil (where the series "Stardust," shown on Fantástico in 2006, was a success); and the authorship of eight books published in several languages.

“I grew up in a family with a good library. At 13, I was reading Edgar Allan Poe and Fernando Pessoa. And I managed to combine my interests in human issues and science.” His work in cosmology, astrobiology, and complex theories, and his encouragement to listen to different points of view, led Marcelo to receive the Templeton Prize last year, described as the Nobel Prize for dialogue between science and spirituality.

But Marcelo's life only took this path because he went against his father's wishes, who wanted a son who would be a chemical engineer. Two years after starting engineering at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, he transferred to physics at PUC.

“My father didn’t support me, and I had to fend for myself to achieve my dream. I wasn’t the type to only get top marks, but I had the spirit of a warrior and never gave up.” With a master’s degree from UFRJ and postdoctoral studies at the University of California and the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (one of the most important particle physics laboratories in the world), Marcelo has been a professor at Dartmouth College in the United States since 1991, where he teaches physics, astronomy, and natural philosophy.

His most recent project connects with the purpose of bringing science to everyone. Through a YouTube channel named after him, Marcelo wants to share high-quality content for free.

To begin with, he is producing the course Physics for Poets, based on his book The Dance of the Universe (Companhia de Bolso, R$29.90). It will consist of 20 lessons on humanity's questions about the creation of the Universe, showing, in chronological order, the relationship between science, philosophy, and religion. “Brazil is censoring science and cutting scholarships. When I see this youth full of energy without a chance to contribute as scientists, I feel I can help. My classroom is the world. I have a moral duty to share as much as I can.”

The biologist

Scientific skepticism, a practice that encourages scientific ideas to be tested and questioned before becoming public, is one of the topics most dear to biologist Natália Pasternak, 44.

With a degree in biological sciences from the University of São Paulo and a Ph.D. with postdoctoral studies in Microbiology from the same institution, Natália is one of the founders and president of the Instituto Questão de Ciência (Institute for Science Issues), a pioneering organization in promoting critical thinking and advocating for science-based public policies through its website iqc.org.br.

The São Paulo native gained notoriety when she was one of the first to question the use of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 without scientific evidence. She had already been one of the scientists who raised the alarm in the "cancer pill" (synthetic phosphoethanolamine) episode in 2016, and refutes any suggestion made without scientific proof. "That is my mission."

The daughter of university professors, Natália was always certain about her academic career. "I fell in love with genetics in college and knew that research was the way to go." But it was after becoming a mother that she felt the calling to spread science. It all happened when the anti-vaccine movement emerged in the school mothers' WhatsApp group.

“I got carried away and started explaining various topics until I was kicked out of the group. I realized that doing science communication wasn't so easy. Science isn't a ready-made dish. You have to teach critical thinking and investigative processes.”

That's when she created the blog Café na Bancada and began to gain recognition and be invited to be a columnist for specialized publications. Natália was the director in Brazil of the international science outreach festival Pint of Science: A Toast to Science, coordinating lectures in 85 cities, and is also the author of the book Ciência no Cotidiano (Contexto, R$35). “There is a need for outreach work for society so that people value the work of scientists.”