Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) celebrated its 65th anniversary on 18 December 2024. Throughout this time, there have been ample reasons to consider UFSC one of the most important universities in the country, featured in various national and international rankings.

The impact of UFSC transcends state borders, achieving national recognition. With excellence in teaching, research, and outreach, the institution has become a collective asset of the Brazilian people – a true public heritage that preserves and promotes knowledge, diversity, inclusion, and sustainable development.

To learn more about the history of UFSC, follow the University’s timeline (in Portuguese).

 

Below, we list the reasons why we are “a source of pride for Santa Catarina and a national heritage”, the theme of our anniversary celebration.

Out of their shells, on plates all over Brazil: the oysters that reach your table, wherever you are in the country, probably came from the Marine Molluscs Laboratory (LMM) at UFSC, in Florianópolis. That is because the LMM is a pioneer in the field and responsible for almost 100% of the state’s oyster production – Santa Catarina is Brazil’s main producer of oysters, scallops, and mussels. Due to its benchmark status, the LLM leads an international network for research on and monitoring of oyster health.

Energy and knowledge: UFSC is a pioneer in green hydrogen research, having installed the state’s first plant to produce the fuel sustainably – using only water and renewable energy. The building, located at the Fotovoltaica/UFSC Solar Energy Research Laboratory at Sapiens Park in Florianópolis, is considered a model, as the installation generates all the energy required and captures all the rainwater needed for green hydrogen production. The project resulted from an investment of R$14 million, bringing together Brazil and Germany in a scientific and technological cooperation effort. The plant received national recognition and won an award for its innovative engineering design. With excellence in research in the field, the University established a partnership with the State Government to investigate the entire hydrogen utilization cycle, inaugurating the Multi-User Laboratory for the Study of Green Hydrogen in 2025. This state-of-the-art infrastructure aims to promote interaction among UFSC research groups, enabling highly complex and impactful projects for the energy sector.

Making a difference in the national economy: UFSC is a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in the state, and the data prove it. The figures are available on the DNA UFSC Companies dashboard, produced by the University’s Innovation Department (Sinova/UFC). The survey reveals that more than 66,000 members of the university community – including alumni, students, faculty and staff – helped create 107,000 companies nationwide between 1966 and January 2024. The university’s innovation incentive policies, pre-incubation and incubation programs, intellectual property support, laboratories, and innovation hubs are all part of these entrepreneurs’ history.

Brazil’s first digital diploma: before the nationwide implementation of the mandatory digital diploma in July 2025, UFSC stood out as a pioneer in issuing this type of document. On 15 March 2019, the University held its first graduation ceremony with diplomas in digital format, becoming the first institution in the federal higher education system to implement the technology, in accordance with MEC Ordinances No. 330/2018 and No. 554/2019. The innovation was developed by the Computer Security Laboratory (LabSEC) and the Superintendency of Electronic Governance and Information and Communication Technology (SeTIC).

A pioneer in the medicinal cultivation of cannabis: at the end of 2022, the Cannabis Development and Innovation Center (Podican) of the UFSC School of Rural Sciences, on the Curitibanos Campus, obtained a court order from the Federal Court authorizing the cultivation, preparation, production, manufacture, storage, possession, and prescription of Cannabis sativa. As a result, UFSC became the first higher education institution in the country to obtain judicial authorization to produce all necessary inputs for research on the application of cannabis in veterinary medicine. Currently, the University is part of a working group focused on developing a regulatory framework for cannabis research in Brazil.

To infinity and beyond: the Space Systems Research Laboratory (SpaceLab) at UFSC elevates research in the University’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering to another level. Responsible for launching UFSC’s first satellite into space in 2019, the laboratory is currently part of the Catarina Constellation Project, created by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to build the country’s first national fleet of nanosatellites for territorial monitoring and responses to climate emergencies. The laboratory also plays an important role in the first commercial mission of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), Spaceward 2025. SpaceLab is responsible for the first commercial satellites launched from Brazil. The satellites are entirely Brazilian-made, as is the antenna, which was designed and tested at SpaceLab. This will be the country’s first in-orbit test of this technology in the country, representing a significant advance for communications systems intended for future satellite constellations.

Birthplace of the sea urchin: the Marine Molluscs Laboratory (LMM), in partnership with the Marine Shrimp Laboratory, places UFSC at the forefront of aquaculture by pioneering the production of sea urchins under controlled conditions. This milestone represents  a decisive step toward creating a new production chain in national mariculture, as sea urchins have high market value and are well accepted in gastronomy as well as in the cosmetic, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries.

National digital certificate bears UFSC’s signature: the personal digital certificates from the Public Key Infrastructure for Education and Research (ICPEdu), currently used across all federal educational institutions in Brazil, are based on a model developed and pioneered at UFSC. This technology enables the signing of digital documents and ensures secure logins to websites for the university communities of all federal educational institutions. Furthermore, it generates savings by eliminating the need to print signed documents – shared economy and security, a national asset proudly developed at UFSC.

Shedding light on sustainable transport: the eBus, developed by the Fotovoltaica/UFSC Solar Energy Research Laboratory, was the first bus in the country to operate 100% on electric power generated by solar energy. Inaugurated in 2016, it served as transportation between the UFSC campus in the Trindade neighborhood and Sapiens Park in northern Florianópolis. Between 2017 and 2020, the eBus traveled the equivalent of three times around the world, providing regular and free services to the UFSC community. By combining sustainability and environmental responsibility, the project served as a pilot to demonstrate the viability of electric buses in public transportation. It was also Fotovoltaica – then called Labsolar – that put into operation Brazil’s first architecturally integrated photovoltaic solar generator, in 1997.

All roads lead to innovation: the Transportation and Logistics Laboratory (LabTrans) at UFSC maintains a portfolio of technical cooperation projects recognized nationally and internationally. The Integrated Road Operations System (SIOR), of the National Department of Land Transport (DNIT), is one example; SIOR is responsible for managing and monitoring all federal highways in the country. Internationally, LabTrans is recognized for its work in road safety and has been accredited as a Center of Excellence within the global network of the International Road Assessment Programme (IRAP), aligned with the United Nations. There are only 10 accredited institutions worldwide, and LabTrans is the only certified institution in South America. Currently, the laboratory is producing technical and scientific studies to modernize Santa Catarina’s intercity passenger transport system through a cooperation agreement with the state government. LabTrans also developed the state’s air transport plan. In geoprocessing, the group advances the use of artificial intelligence in monitoring and maintaining the road network.

A blend of research and pioneering spirit: with more than 50 years of activity, the Welding and Mechatronics Institute (Labsolda), linked to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UFSC, has pioneering spirit in its DNA. In the 1980s, Labsolda provided technical assistance to the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) for the implementation of welding engineering specialization courses. Years later, the laboratory collaborated with the space industry, welding part of an experimental rocket made by the Aeronautics Technological Center (CTA). Labsolda also provided technical support to two UFSC experiments sent to the Centenary mission, in which Brazilian astronaut Marcos Pontes participated, in 2006. Among the institute’s achievements is the development of a groundbreaking technology for repairing hydraulic turbines, which resulted in UFSC’s first patent in 2007. By 2025, three additional patents had been granted. Labsolda is an international leader in welding equipment and monitoring, and also supports the Brazilian oil industry. To enable more accurate evaluation of welding processes, the laboratory developed a  high-speed video production technique that is now an international benchmark.

A pioneering sign: by creating, in 2006, the country’s first undergraduate program in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), UFSC become a national and international reference in the field of sign language. In partnership with institutions across Brazil, the University has already trained more than a thousand professionals nationwide through distance learning, including teachers, translators, and interpreters. This excellence led UFSC to establish an agreement with the National Institute for Deaf Education (INES) to serve as an in-person learning hub for INES programs offered via Distance Education (EaD). The UFSC program has also served as a setting for the Crisálida series: launched in Netflix in 2021, it became the first bilingual fiction series in Libras and Portuguese to be produced in Brazil. Furthermore, it was at UFSC that the first deaf-blind student in Brazil completed an in-person undergraduate degree. Abdel Azziz Moussa Hassan Daoud graduated in 2014 and currently holds a master’s degree in Bilingual Education from INES.

High level of added research: front-of-package food labels indicating high levels of added sugar, salt, and fat became part of everyday life in Brazil in October 2022.  UFSC played a role in this change from the outset through the Research Center for Nutrition in Meal Production (NUPPRE). The University is among the institutions involved in developing the standard, alongside UNICEF, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Ministry of Health, among others. Accurate information is the best product we can consume without moderation.

A benchmark in education: the work to build the National Higher Education Assessment System (Sinaes) involved the active participation of UFSC. Members of the university community contributed directly to drafting the law that created Sinaes, established in 2004. The University also helped design the National Student Performance Exam (ENADE) and the strategy for on-site evaluation of institutions and programs. Sinaes underpins the evaluation framework that supports rankings classifying the country’s leading universities for more than two decades. The knowledge generated at UFSC is a national education asset.

Building Energy Efficiency: The technical basis for the national program for energy efficiency labeling in buildings, applied by Inmetro and the National Program for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (Procel Edifica), originated at UFSC. The Procel seal – widely known for certifying the energy consumption of household appliances – also applied to civil construction, promoting and certifyinh more sustainable buildings based on research from the Laboratory of Energy Efficiency in Buildings (LabEEE /UFSC). But what is the role of the Procel seal in combating the energy crisis on a large scale? Currently, electricity consumption in buildings accounts for nearly 50% of the country’s billed electricity. With renovations that incorporate energy efficiency concepts required for obtaining the Procel seal, this figure can be reduced by half. UFSC already has buildings with the energy conservation label. The expansion of the University’s Department of Civil Engineering received a level A classification (the most efficient) across all three evaluated criteria: building envelope, lighting, and air conditioning. The label was issued by the CERTI Foundation in 2016.

Transmitting knowledge in the health field: the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Serology (LBMMS/UFSC) is recognized by the Ministry of Health as a national reference in research on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). While leading the Sentinel Surveillance of Gonococcus (SenGono) project – which studies the resistance of gonorrhea-causing bacteria to medications, the laboratory also supports the Ministry of Health in the WHO’s international initiative against STIs, the Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Program.

A bridge to the future: public health and education advance further with the Bridge Laboratory, linked to the School of Health Sciences and the School of Technology at UFSC. The official strategy for computerizing Primary Health Care in Brazil (e-SUS APS) was developed by Bridge in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The laboratory also developed the National Implant Registry (RNI) and the O Brasil Conta Comigo [Brazil Counts on Me] platform, used by Anvisa (the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency) in combating the coronavirus pandemic. In partnership with the Ministry of Education, the laboratory developed the award-winning Student Journey app and Habilita, a data management and public resource allocation control system for Basic Education. UFSC drives local innovation with national impact.

Telemedicine, we see it here: UFSC is proud to be a pioneer in telemedicine, telehealth, and telecare through the work of the Telemedicine Laboratory (LabTelemed), of the National Institute of Science and Technology for Digital Convergence (INCoD), within the University Hospital. The team created the Integrated Telemedicine and Telehealth System and the first telemedicine network in Santa Catarina. The initiative is considered unprecedented in Brazil, as Santa Catarina was the first state to integrate its Telemedicine Center into a University Telemedicine Network. By 2021, more than 10 million telemedicine exams had been conducted using the system developed by the University. This pioneering effort led UFSC to extend its partnership with the Brazilian Hospital Services Company (Ebserh) to provide the system across the entire network of federal university hospitals.

Life-saving information: for more than 40 years, the Santa Catarina Poison Control Center (CiaTox/SC), located at the University Hospital, has been a reference in the field. Efforts to implement CiaTox/SC began in 1981 through a partnership between the State Health Department (SES), the University Hospital, and the Ministry of Health, via the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). According to the center’s data, from its creation through 31 December 2024, it handled 376,596 poisoning cases involving agents such as medications, pesticides, veterinary products, rodenticides, industrial and household chemicals, drugs of abuse, toxic plants, and envenomation by venomous animals. These cases came from all 295 municipalities in Santa Catarina. During this period, CiaTox developed more than 30 research and outreach projects and produced over 500 scientific papers. It is a source of pride to provide such an important service to Santa Catarina for so long!

Guardian of historical heritage: for 46 years, UFSC has managed three centuries-old fortifications that helped shape southern Brazil. On 21 November 1979, the University took over the management of the Santa Cruz de Anhatomirim Fortress, in what is now the municipality of Governador Celso Ramos. The site opened to the public in 1984. Subsequently, the Santo Antônio de Ratones Fortress, in Florianópolis, came under UFSC’s care in 1991 and opened to the public the following year. Finally, the São José da Ponta Grossa Fortress opened to the public in 1992 and has been managed by UFSC since then.

Connection to democracy: did you know that the inventor of the electronic voting machine was a UFSC student? His work enabled Brazil’s first electronic election, held in 1988 in the city of Brusque. UFSC’s connection to innovation in elections continues today: the electronic voting machines used nationwide incorporate technology developed by the CERTI Foundation, which designed the equipment for the company that won the TSE’s international tender.

 

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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SpaceLab, the Space Technology Research Laboratory at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), is preparing to place two new satellites into orbit, with launch scheduled by 28 November from the Alcântara Space Center (CEA) in Maranhão. The launch of FloripaSat-2A and FloripaSat-2B is part of the Spaceward 2025 mission, whose exact date will depend on weather conditions and operational checks. This will be the first time a complete platform fully designed by SpaceLab/UFSC will be tested in orbit.

For SpaceLab, the mission’s main goal is the in-orbit validation (IOV) of technologies developed entirely within the laboratory, consolidating the FloripaSat-2 platform as a foundation for future scientific and academic missions. “These satellites represent the maturation of a research line that has been developed over the years, bringing together science, technology, and human development,” says Professor Eduardo Bezerra, SpaceLab coordinator. “Beyond technical advancement, this is the realization of a project that prepares Brazilian engineers and scientists to work in every stage of a space mission.”

Unlike previous projects, the new satellites are entirely Brazilian-made, including the antenna, which was designed and tested at SpaceLab. The equipment underwent an extensive campaign of dynamic, thermal, and environmental tests, and will now be validated in orbit, contributing to Brazilian technological autonomy and the consolidation of an open-source platform for future low-cost missions.

This will also mark the first in-orbit test of this technology in Brazil, advancing communication systems intended for future satellite constellations. The planned mission duration is about five weeks, at an average orbital altitude of 300 km. Strategic in scope, the mission will validate Brazilian-developed onboard systems and reinforce the national nanosatellite ecosystem, bringing together universities, companies, and space agencies.

Training and scientific impact

All systems were designed and integrated by undergraduate and graduate students and researchers from SpaceLab, with support from the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). “More than just putting a satellite into orbit, our focus is on training people who can conceive, design, and carry out complete space missions. That’s the true driving force of academic research,” emphasizes Professor Bezerra.

Operation Spaceward 2025 is the first commercial mission carried out by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) in partnership with Innospace. It was authorized by the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) after meeting all safety, environmental, and performance standards. The SpaceLab team is now heading to Maranhão to accompany the final integration and launch phases.

The team describes this as “a moment of great scientific, institutional, and symbolic importance, reaffirming the leadership of Brazilian public universities in space engineering and technological innovation.” As Professor Bezerra concludes, “seeing our students take part in this directly is the greatest achievement of all.”

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) currently has 35 researchers recognized among the most influential in the world. This recognition comes from an updated international ranking released by Elsevier, a Dutch company specializing in scientific and technical publishing. The ranking considers the 100,000 scientists who are best positioned according to the established criteria or who stand out in a specific sub-field.

The methodology relies on a “composite indicator” – c-score, which evaluates researchers based on citation counts, citation distribution across publications, and other metrics. Self-citations and formally retracted papers, when applicable, are also considered as controls in the calculation.

Research output through 2024

The Updated Science-Wide Author Databases of Standardized Citation Indicators was published on 19 September. It presents two lists of the world’s most influential researchers: one based on career-long impact and another based solely on their scientific impact in 2024. UFSC has 35 researchers on the career-long impact list and 32 on the 2024 single-year list, with 16 appearing on both.

Researchers are ranked according to their c-score. The highest-ranked UFSC researcher on the career-long impact list is 44,768^th globally, while on the single-year impact list, the university’s top researcher ranks 16,457th.

The ranking spans 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields. Metrics were sourced from the Scopus citation database, based on the 1 August 2025 snapshot and updated to end of citation year 2024.

UFSC most influential researchers  – Career-long impact

* Names appearing on both lists

1. Bernhard Welz
2.  Traugott Peter Wolf
3. Diego Augusto Santos Silva*
4.  Ruy Exel*
5. Enedir Ghisi*
6. Rui Daniel Schröder Prediger*
7. Ivo Barbi*
8. Paulo Augusto Cauchick Miguel*
9. Danilo Wilhelm-Filho*
10. Eduardo Carasek da Rocha*
11. Antônio Luiz Braga*
12. Dachamir Hotza*
13. Christian Johann Losso Hermes*
14. Maurício Laterça Martins*
15. Newton Carneiro Affonso da Costa
16. Rosendo Augusto Yunes
17. Afonso Celso Dias Bainy
18. Alexandre Trofino Neto
19. Marcelo Farina*
20. Hazim Ali al-Qureshi
21. Carlos Brisola Marcondes
22. Jamil Assreuy
23. Adilson José Curtius
24. Glen G Langdon
25. Cláudia Maria Oliveira Simões
26. Débora de Oliveira *
27. Denizar Cruz Martins
28. Jader Riso Barbosa Jr
29. Eduardo Camponogara
30. Maria José Hötzel*
31. Maique Weber Biavatti
32. Fabiane Barreto Vavassori Benitti*
33. Ricardo Rüther
34. Moacir Geraldo Pizzolatti
35. Boris Juam Carlos Ugarte Stambuk

UFSC most influential researchers – 2024 impact

* Names appearing on both lists

1. Diego Augusto Santos Silva*
2. Tiago Olivoto
3. Enedir Ghisi*
4. Dachamir Hotza*
5. Ângelo Paggi Matos
6. Paulo Augusto Cauchick Miguel*
7. Ruy Exel *
8. German Ayala-Valencia
9. Graziela De Luca Canto
10. Marcelo Farina*
11. Rui Daniel Schröder Prediger*
12. João Luiz Dornelles Bastos
13. Rafael Cypriano Dutra
14. Débora de Oliveira*
15. Sandra Regina Salvador Ferreira
16. Sergio Ricardo Floeter
17. Christian Johann Losso Hermes*
18. Eduardo Carasek da Rocha*
19. Maria José Hötzel*
20. Danilo Wilhelm-Filho*
21. Bruno Alexandre Pacheco De Castro Henriques
22. Fabiane Barreto Vavassori Benitti*
23. Marcia Barbosa Henriques Mantelli
24. Maurício Laterça Martins*
25. Enzo Morosini Frazzon
26. Antônio Luiz Braga*
27. Ivo Barbi*
28. Luísa Mota da Silva
29. Ione Jayce Ceola Schneider
30. Fernanda Weber Mello
31. Telles Brunelli Lazzarin
32. Louis Pergaud Sandjo

 

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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The World University Rankings 2026, published by the English magazine Times Higher Education (THE), placed the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) fifth among the highest-rated Brazilian universities in the Industry pillar. According to the Rankings Methodology, this score reflects a university’s ability to “help industry with innovations, inventions and consultancy.”

Released on Thursday, 9 October, the World University Rankings 2026, assesses universities based on five core pillars—Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry, and International Outlook — in addition to providing an overall performance score.

In the Industry pillar, UFSC achieved a score of 65.5. Among Brazilian federal universities, only the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) ranks higher, with a score of 84.9. Leading the national ranking in this pillar is the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), which scored 96.6.

According to the Rankings Methodology, the Industry pillar is based on two metrics: the number of patents generated from university research, and the research income an institution earns from industry.

“The metric suggests the extent to which businesses are willing to pay for research and a university’s ability to attract funding in the commercial marketplace – useful indicators of institutional quality. But the extent to which universities are supporting their national economies through technology transfer is an area that deserves greater recognition,” explains THE in its methodology description.

More than 2,100 institutions evaluated

The World University Rankings 2026 evaluated 2,191 educational institutions across 115 countries and territories. In this edition, UFSC was placed in the 1001-1200 band, according to its overall score. The ranking does not assign an exact position within each band.

UFSC’s scores in the main pillars were as follows:

• Overall: 32.1-35.4
• Teaching: 36.3
• Research Environment: 22.4
• Research Quality: 40.8
• Industry: 65.5
• International Outlook: 37.0

Times Higher Education (THE) is a British magazine specializing in higher education news and analysis. In other rankings, THE also recognized UFSC as the fourth-best university in Brazil in interdisciplinary science and as one of the top three institutions in the country for Law.

 

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has been ranked as the eighth best university in Brazil and the 23rd in Latin America, according to the QS World University Rankings: Latin America & The Caribbean 2026, released on Wednesday, 1 October. Among Brazilian federal universities, UFSC holds 4^th place.

The evaluation uses a 1-100 scale, and UFSC achieved a score of 76.6 – the same as in 2024 – placing it among the top 5% universities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The ranking is prepared by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British consultancy specializing in higher education, and evaluated 492 universities. The results are based on eight indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, staff with PhD, international research network, citations per paper, papers per faculty, and web impact.

In this edition, UFSC stood out in web impact (99.6), staff with PhD (99.3), papers per faculty (98.7), and international research network (98.7) – all of which improved compared to last year.

See the full ranking here.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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The Terra competition team, an outreach project of the Department of Mobility Engineering at the Joinville Campus, represented the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) and Brazil in RoboSub, an international robotics competition held in August in Irvine, California, United States.

The group developed an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle), nicknamed Ivy, equipped with artificial intelligence to detect objects in the aquatic environment. The team was the only one from South America to participate in the in-person competition in the United States.

With image recognition and decision-making capabilities, the technology also contributes to research on reef species preservation and environmental conservation, the Terra team reported.

The Ivy vehicle has the potential to operate in a variety of fields, including inspecting vessel hulls in port areas without the need for drydocking, collecting data and samples for scientific research on the environment and its species, monitoring seabeds and marine animals, operating in hard-to-reach locations, and even conducting search missions, according to the Terra team.

In addition to detecting objects, Ivy has control systems that, in future versions still under development, may allow the machine to physically interact with its environment. This could, for example, enable Ivy to pick up items with a claw.

Autonomous operation

The vehicle, while still in its early stages, was designed to operate autonomously, serving as a foundation for future improvements. It was built by students under the coordination of Professor Andrea Piga Carboni, with the support of Professors Anelize Zomkowski Salvi and Tamiris Grossl Bade. The Fundação Stemmer para Pesquisa, Desenvolvimento e Inovação (FEESC) provided financial support for the project, which also benefited from collaboration with Connor Soluções.

During the RoboSub competition, from 11 to 17 August, Ivy passed the inspection stage. However, it encountered a problem with a battery purchased in the United States during the competition. The Brazilian project only scored points for design documentation. Even so, the Terra team reported exchanging knowledge with more experienced teams, who offered support ranging from adapting tools to the North American standard to providing technical contributions during the competition’s challenges.

Good results in other competitions

The Terra team has already achieved strong results in other competitions. At COBRUF 2019 – a competition that brings together teams developing technology for use in different environments – the UFSC Joinville team took first place in both the COBRUF Subspace category and overall, in addition to receiving awards for excellence in gender equality, educational outreach, agile development, among others. At RoboSub 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Terra team participated only online, thus missing the semi-finals and finals. In that edition, they placed 23rd out of 39 participants.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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 The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) is one of the institutions that contributed to an international study on the impacts of droughts on tropical tree growth published in the journal Science. The study analyzed more than 20,000 tree-ring series spanning 483 locations in 36 tropical countries.

The results indicate that, over the last century, droughts reduced stem growth by an average of 2.5%, with significant recovery in the year following the drought. However, the researchers warn that the effects of droughts are intensifying and may compromise tropical forests’ ability to sequester carbon in the future, exacerbating climate issues.

UFSC contributed unpublished data generated at the Curitibanos Campus, based on the analysis of growth rings of the Araucaria angustifolia species, obtained from a native forest remnant located in the campus’ experimental forest area. These data were produced as part of research projects on giant trees, funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the Research and Innovation Support Foundation of the State of Santa Catarina (FAPESC). The participation was coordinated by Professor Marcelo Callegari Scipioni, from the Department of Agriculture, Biodiversity and Forests, affiliated with the Forest Resources Laboratory of the School for Rural Sciences at UFSC.

The research used methods from dendrochronology, the science that studies the annual growth rings of trees as indicators of past environment and climate. According to Professor Scipioni, these rings serve as natural records of climatic and ecological events. “The Araucaria is the species with the largest number of dendrochronological studies in southern Brazil. The database generated by several researchers on this species was essential for filling geographic information gaps in the global study published in Science. It functions as a keystone species, both ecologically and scientifically, allowing us to understand the responses of subtropical forests to climate change,” explains the researcher.

Carbon sequestration capacity

As the effects of droughts intensify, the ability of tropical forests to sequester carbon may be compromised, the authors warn. “When forests stop sequestering carbon, or when previously stored carbon is released, as occurs during deforestation and fires, there is an increase in the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere, intensifying the greenhouse effect and, consequently, global warming,” explains Professor Scipioni.

Large trees, in particular, store significant amounts of carbon, the researcher points out. This is why their felling results in proportionally higher emissions. However, some of this carbon can remain stored for longer if the wood is used for durable purposes – such as furniture, building structures, or wooden flooring – as long as it is not burned, the professor adds.

Study brings together more than 100 researchers

The research also involved Professor Amanda Köche Marcon, from the Department of Natural and Social Sciences at UFSC Curitibanos, who contributed growth ring chronologies of Araucaria angustifolia and Cedrela fissilis derived from her doctoral research.

The international study published in the journal Science was led by teams from Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Bangladesh) and the University of Arizona (United States), and authored by more than 100 researchers from various tropical regions of the planet.

Giant trees: challenges and equipment

Professor Marcelo Scipioni coordinates the cataloging of giant trees in southern Brazil and manages the website “Giant Trees in Brazil“. According to the researcher, the work aims to date the largest Araucaria and Imbuia trees — the latter a symbol of Santa Catarina — in addition to investigating the environmental records contained in their growth rings. “Studying these trees is challenging: they are rare and often present anomalies, such as missing or false rings, which makes cross-dating difficult. To overcome this, we also use many young trees in dendrochronological studies,” explains the professor.

Currently, the UFSC Forest Resources Laboratory in Curitibanos has a digitizing table specifically designed for large wood samples — the well-known discs. According to Professor Scipioni, this equipment is unique in the world. The table is equipped with an A3 scanner, and the images generated are being used in a research mission at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the United States to develop artificial intelligence-based tools, in a project funded by CNPq.

In addition, bark and wood samples will be analyzed using carbon-14 dating to help determine the age of giant trees. The work also involves producing seeds and seedlings from these trees, aiming to preserve the species in the face of climate change by promoting planting at higher altitude areas in the Santa Catarina mountain region – a process known as assisted migration. These projects are supported by FAPESC and CNPq.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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Last Friday, 8 August 2025, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) hosted a welcome event for international students from 20 countries in the Shared Building (EFI) Auditorium, on the Trindade Campus in Florianópolis. The event marked the start of the second semester of 2025 and featured a diverse day-long program.

Organized by the Office of International Relations (SINTER), in partnership with the Prorectorate for Undergraduate Studies and Basic Education (PROGRAD) and other institutional projects, the initiative aimed to support international students in adapting to university life and local culture. Their study buddies – volunteer UFSC students who help newcomers integrate – were also invited for the event.

The official welcome ceremony began at 9:00 a.m., with opening remarks from Rector Irineu Manoel de Souza, Secretary for International Relations Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho, and Director of International Relations Fernanda Leal. In their speeches, they stressed the role of internationalization in strengthening the University and presented the services and infrastructure available to the 1,643 international students currently enrolled at UFSC and who chose our university as part of their academic journey.

Rector Irineu Manoel de Souza highlighted one of UFSC’s core pillars:

“UFSC has grown significantly in terms of internationalization, reflecting our collective work and commitment to excellence. The internationalization of our University occurs, above all, through our people. The work of our students, faculty and staff ensure that UFSC is recognized not only in Santa Catarina, but throughout Brazil, Latin America, and the world. We are a well-established University, with approximately 120 undergraduate programs and 156 graduate programs – all supported by our commitment to quality teaching, research, and outreach.”

He also reaffirmed UFSC’s commitment to inclusion:

“Even in the face of financial challenges, UFSC maintains solid student support policies, as we believe that inclusion and retention are fundamental pillars of the institution. We work tirelessly to ensure that all students entering UFSC have the necessary conditions to complete their degrees.”

Following the speeches, Secretary for International Relations Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho presented an institutional video showcasing UFSC’s history, values, and social impact, featuring testimonials from students. He also introduced the new international students by country, underscoring the diversity of backgrounds and academic programs. Of the 127 students, 120 are participating in the Incoming Program, coming from countries such as Germany, Spain, Canada, France, China, and Norway. Another seven joined UFSC through the Escala Estudiantes de Grado Program, of the Association of Montevideo Group Universities (AUGM), coming from Argentina and Uruguay. The Programa de Estudantes-Convênio de Graduação (PEC-G) brought four students from Angola, Cape Verde, Chile, and East Timor, who are studying at the Florianópolis and Joinville campuses.

About UFSC

Founded in 1960, UFSC has played a key role in the socioeconomic and cultural development of Santa Catarina. Present in five cities – Florianópolis, Araranguá, Curitibanos, Joinville, and Blumenau – the University is a multi-campus, democratic institution committed to diversity.

Ranked among the best universities in Brazil and Latin America, UFSC offers programs from early childhood education to doctoral degrees, with an academic community of around 40,000 people. Its inclusion policies include pioneering initiatives such as reserving places for Black, Indigenous, and Quilombola people, alongside student retention and assistance programs that benefit thousands of students.

In research and outreach, UFSC maintains partnerships with public agencies, civil society organizations, and private companies, reinforcing its role as a driver of innovation and social transformation.

Internationalization is another defining feature of UFSC, fostering the mobility of faculty, students and staff, and encouraging global knowledge exchange. For international students, UFSC strives to provide an enriching academic, professional, and cultural experience.

The welcome day also featured a performance by the Devassa Percussion Band, from the Medicine Student Athletic Association (AAAMEDUFSC). Afternoon activities included cultural workshops and guided tours; however, the visit to the São José da Ponta Grossa Fortress was postponed due to bad weather. Other activities on the Florianópolis Campus went ahead as planned.

For more information about the mobility programs and welcome initiatives for international students, visit SINTER website.

   

   

   

   

Rosiani Bion de Almeida | SECOM
imprensa.gr@contato.ufsc.br

Photos: Gustavo Diehl | Agecom | SECOM
agecom@contato.ufsc.br

 

Translated  by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.

Four representatives from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) will be sworn in as members of the Council for Sustainable Social and Economic Development (CDESS) on 5 August 2025, at the Planalto Palace in Brasília. The Vice-Rector Joana Célia dos Passos, Professor Marcelo Henrique Romano Tragtenberg, doctoral student João Carlos Nogueira – from the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Human Sciences (PPGICH) – and Ligia Moreiras Sena, a graduate of the doctoral programs in Collective Health and Pharmacology, will be officially appointed to the Council by the President of Brazil. This strategic forum plays a key role in advising the President by developing recommendations on public policies aimed at Brazil’s sustainable development.

Joana Célia dos Passos and Marcelo Tragtenberg are joining the CDESS for the first time, while João Carlos Nogueira and Ligia Moreiras Sena are beginning their second terms. The first three are also associated with the Antonieta de Barros Chair at UFSC, and Sena contributed to the formulation of the National Integrated Policy for Early Childhood, signed by President Lula in 2024. The UFSC representatives will join a body whose mission is to strengthen ties between the Federal Government and civil society, promoting plural dialogue among different sectors and contributing to the formulation of proposals essential for economic, social, and environmental progress.

The composition of the Council reflects a commitment to territorial, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity, ensuring it is representative and inclusive. Currently, 40% of its members are women and 30% are mixed race, Black, or Indigenous.

In addition to its diverse membership, the Council is organized into five Thematic Committees: Economic Affairs; Combating Inequalities; Law and Democracy; Environment and Sustainable Development; and Technology and Digital Transformation. These committees analyze government initiatives, develop specific recommendations, deepen debates, and offer solutions on topics such as energy transition and early childhood.

The appointments reaffirm UFSC’s commitment to developing public policies based on interdisciplinary knowledge and social inclusion. The presence of UFSC representatives in the CDESS not only highlights the University’s role as a leading voice in national debates but also provides opportunities to help shape guidelines and propose actions that positively impact the country, fostering economic growth, social justice, and environmental sustainability.

Rector’s Office  – Press Service / SECOM
imprensa.gr@contato.ufsc.br

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.

A pioneering research network involving the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) and institutions in France and Chile is launching a major project aimed at improving oyster health. The goal is to identify pathogens potentially involved in oyster mortality during the summer and to help develop preventive farming strategies aligned with the One Health concept.

At UFSC, 13 researchers from the School of Biological Sciences (CCB), the School of Agricultural Sciences (CCA), and the School of Health Sciences (CCS) will take part in the network, along with a collaborator from the Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). International partners include the universities of Montpellier and Perpignan, Ifremer (a French ocean research institute), and the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), in France; and the Pontifical Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), the Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN) and the Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), in Chile. In total, about 30 researchers will participate in the network activities. The network will also include postdoctoral fellows and master’s and doctoral students from five UFSC graduate programs: Aquaculture, Biotechnology and Biosciences, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, and Food Sciences.

The work will center on two major international research projects: EcoHealth4Sea – International Consortium on One Health Applied to Coastal Ecosystems, funded by CNRS, and Sentinels – Ecological Health in Coastal Marine Environments Used for Oyster Farming, funded by the Capes/Cofecub Program, which supports joint Brazil-French research. UFSC will host the Brazilian headquarters for the initiative in an international laboratory to be established at the School of Biological Sciences (CCB). The effort also has support from the Research and Innovation Support Foundation of the State of Santa Catarina (Fapesc): the DiagnOSTRA project was approved under Call for Proposals 21/2024 (Universal Research Program), enabling the acquisition of consumables and equipment.

One Health

Professor Rafael Diego da Rosa, from CCB, researches oyster immunogenetics and is one of the partnership coordinators. He explains that aquaculture is an economic activity highly impacted by emerging or existing marine pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, which affect not only farmed animals but also the human populations that depend on these ecosystems.

One Health applied to coastal ecosystems means looking at the health of the entire environment, not just humans or other isolated species. “Oysters are sentinel organisms. Because they filter large volumes of water, they accumulate everything present in it. So studying oysters also means studying water quality and the overall health of the marine ecosystem,” he explains.

According to Professor da Rosa, the causes of high mollusc mortality during the hottest months of the year — a phenomenon similar to that studied in other oyster-farming countries — are not yet fully understood. Since the 1990s, when farming of the Japanese oyster Magallana gigas  (formerly Crassostrea gigas) began in Santa Catarina through the Marine Molluscs Laboratory at UFSC, high mortality rates have been observed during the summer, with losses reaching up to 50% of production, according to data from the Santa Catarina State Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Agency (Epagri-SC). Possible causes include predation, pathogen infections, pollution, or limited resistance to environmental stressors such as temperature, salinity and PH fluctuations.

Investigation

Over the coming years, UFSC researchers will conduct sampling and analyses of oysters farmed in Florianópolis’ North and South Bays to determine whether the mortality causes resemble those found in Europe. There, research has identified polymicrobial infections known as Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) as the main cause of oyster mortality, with Vibrio bacteria and the oyster herpesvirus OsHV-1 recognized as the principal etiological agents.

“Because these are very distant locations with different environmental conditions, it is possible that here the situation will be different, with mortality caused by other infectious factors, such as viruses and bacteria distinct from those found in Europe, or by some aspect related to climate change,” explains Professor da Rosa. The network will exchange information to identify common phenomena and seek solutions to ensure oyster health, preventing losses and the spread of pathogens that may affect other organisms.

Oyster farming overview

Brazil ranked as the world’s 13th largest aquaculture producer in 2024 – an industry covering molluscs, fish, crustaceans, algae, and other commercial species. In 2022, global fishing and aquaculture production reached a record high in aquaculture production of aquatic animals, surpassing capture fisheries for the first time, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The organization recognizes aquaculture production as a key solution for improving food and nutritional security, alleviating poverty, and driving socioeconomic development, especially in coastal communities. The sector employed approximately 61 million people in 2022.

The state of Santa Catarina is Brazil’s leading producer of oysters, scallops and mussels, accounting for 93.2% of national production in 2023, according to data from Epagri. The main oyster farms are located in the municipalities of Florianópolis, Palhoça, and São José. In 2023, the state produced 1,731 tons of oysters, 98.5% of which were Magallana gigas, with the remainder consisting of native species such as Crassostrea gasar.

Ana Paula Lückman | ana.paula.luckman@ufsc.br
Agecom Journalist | UFSC

 

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.