Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) is ranked 23rd among the best universities in Latin America, according to the QS World University Rankings 2023. The survey places UFSC among the thousand best universities in the world, in the 801-1000 band, the same as in the previous edition. The ranking is prepared annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British company specialized in education, and includes almost 1,500 universities from all continents.

In the overall ranking, UFSC appears in the eighth band among the Brazilian institutions, alongside the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP), the Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) and the Universidade de Brasília (UnB). Among the federal education institutions, UFSC is only behind the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) and the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).

The evaluation is conducted based on several criteria, including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, international students ratio, employment outcomes and international research network. Out of these indicators, academic reputation, faculty/student ratio and international research network are UFSC’s strongest indicators.

Access the document detailing UFSC’s results.

The overall score and more information on the methodology can be found on the QS World University Rankings page.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here. 

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has stood out in the international ranking of Research.com, a platform which gathers the most cited scientists and universities in the world. The ranking is based on metrics covering data from researchers and institutions in 22 areas of scientific knowledge.

The areas of knowledge analyzed by the ranking involve the natural, medical, exact and technological sciences. UFSC has stood out among the most prestigious institutions of the world and leading institutions in Brazil in the areas of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine; Chemistry; Ecology and Evolution; Electrical and Electronics Engineering; Engineering and Technology; Mathematics; Medicine and Neuroscience.

According to the methodology published on their website, the main objective of the ranking is to promote high quality venues of research and establish a place for young scholars to be inspired by leading scientists.

The ranking of top scientists was launched in 2014 and takes into account a metric called “H-index”, proportion of the contributions made within the given discipline, in addition to the awards and achievement of the scientists. The H-index is used to rank scholars in descending order combined with the total number of citations. It is an indicative measure which reflects the number of influential documents authored by scientists. The H-index and citation data is obtained from Microsoft Academics, which is the largest open bibliometric database.

As for the universities, the first edition of the university ranking was released in 2020, covering over 591 research institutions, but limited to computer science. The ranking of universities is based on simple metrics highly related to the reputation of academic staff.

UFSC scientists are among the most cited in the world. Professor Ivo Barbi, from the Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering (PPGEEL), was the best ranked in Brazil in the area of Electrical Engineering. Among the most cited Brazilian scientists in the areas of Chemistry, eight are from UFSC.

Check below the highlights of the ranking (information obtained from the Lattes platform)

:: Agriculture

Miguel Pedro Guerra

Guerra is a full professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, being a faculty member in the Graduate Program in Plant Genetic Resources, and a visiting professor at the Universidade Agostinho Neto de Angola. He works in the field of Plant Genetic Resources and is particularly concerned with aspects related to characterization, conservation, improvement and sustainable use, by using apppropriate biotechnologies based on cellular and molecular biology and with an emphasis on native species of plants in several Brazilian biomes.

:: Ecology and Evolution

Sergio R. Floeter

Floeter has an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo – UFES (1992), a master’s degree in Social Psychology from UFES (1999), a doctoral degree in Environmental Sciences from UENF (2003), and a postdoctoral degree from the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at the University of California. He has been an associate professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina since 2006 and, currently, he is a faculty member in the Graduate Program in Ecology at UFSC. He has been a CNPq research productivity fellow since 2009. He was cited more than 8,200 times, according to Google Scholar (h-index 48).

:: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Ivo Barbi

He has an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina and a doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering from the Toulouse Institut National Polytechnique (1979). Barbi is one of the founders and honorary chairman of the Brazilian Power Electronics Society – SOBRAEP (1990), chairman of the first Brazilian Power Electronics Conference (1991), and founder (2016) and current director of the Brazilian Power Electronics Institute – IBEPE. He is currently a faculty member in the Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering (PPGEEL) at UFSC, a researcher in the Fotovoltaica/UFSC Solar Energy Research Laboratory, and the coordinator of the Energy Processing Research Group, registered in CNPq.

Julio E. Normey-Rico

He has an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (1986), a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (1989), and a doctoral degree in Automatic and Electronic Robotics from the Universidad de Sevilla (1999). Currently, Normey-Rico is a full professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, a CNPq researcher, a coordinator of several research projects in the area of energy, and a member of the editorial board of the International Renewable Energy Congress. He has experience in the field of Automation and Control Engineering, with emphasis on process control, working mainly on the following topics: control of time-delay systems and predictive control, with applications in several sectors of the industry, mainly oil and natural gas and renewable energies.

:: Engineering and Technology

Roberto Lamberts

He has an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (1980), a master’s degree in Engineering from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (1983), and a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Leeds (1988). Currently, Lamberts is a full professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. He works in the area of Civil Engineering, with an emphasis on energy efficiency, thermal performance of buildings, bioclimatology and thermal comfort. Lamberts is the supervisor of the Building Energy Efficiency Laboratory (LabEEE) at UFSC.

:: Mathematics

Ruy Exel

He has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the Universidade de São Paulo (1976), a master’s degree in Mathematics from the Universidade de São Paulo (1978), and a doctoral degree from the University of California in Berkeley (1985).  Exel is a volunteer professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. He has experience in the area of Mathematics with an emphasis on Functional Analysis.

:: Medicine

João B. Calixto

He is a retired professor of Pharmacology at UFSC, level IA CNPq researcher, and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC) since 2000. He was twice elected chairman of the Brazilian Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (SBFTE).

Adair R. S. Santos (in memorian)

:: Neuroscience

Reinaldo N. Takahashi

He is a retired professor and supervisor in the Graduate Program in Pharmacology at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina and a level IB CNPq researcher. Takahashi has experience in the field of Pharmacology, with an emphasis on Neuropsychopharmacology, working mainly on the following topics: neurobiology of cannabinoid drug addiction and psychopharmacology in memory models, attention deficit and neurodegenerative diseases.

Roger Walz

He has been a full professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UFSC since 2004, having occupied the positions of head and deputy head of department (2011). He idealized and was responsible for the Center for Epilepsy Surgery in Santa Catarina (CEPESC) at the Celso Ramos Hospital (2008-2014).

Peter Wolf

He is a German neurologist who has dedicated his entire career to studying epilepsy. A leading international epileptologist, he was the chairman of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) from 2005 to 2009. Wolf is a visiting professor in Brazil and a fellow of the Science without Borders program, affiliated to the Graduate Program in Medical Sciences.

:: Veterinary Sciences

Maurício Laterça Martins

He is a full professor in the Department of Aquaculture, School of Agricultural Sciences (CCA), at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Martins is a member of the Center for Studies in Aquaculture Pathology and is responsible for the Sanity of Aquatic Organisms Laboratory (AQUOS). He has integrated projects with EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), EPAGRI (Santa Catarina Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company), national and international universities, fish farms, and private companies. His research interests involve fish pathology, fish parasitology, hematology, ecology of fish parasites, stress and inflammation in fish, probiotics in aquaculture, immunoprophylaxis, parasitic diseases, and hemato-immunology of cephalopods. He is a level IB CNPq research productivity fellow.

Maria José Hötzel

Hötzel is an associate professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). She develops teaching, research and outreach activities in the field of applied ethology and animal welfare in the Department of Animal Sciences and Rural Development and in the Graduate Program in Agricultural and Natural Ecosystems, as well as through collaborations with other national and international scientists. Her work aims at developing sustainable agroecosystems, with a focus on understanding and improving animal welfare, considering the various ethical, environmental, social and economic implications of husbandry practices and livestock production systems. She is a level 1A CNPq research productivity fellow.

:: Chemistry

Bernhard Welz

He has an undergraduate degree (1960) and a master’s degree in Chemistry (1964) from the Ludwig Maximilian Universität München and a doctoral degree (1966) in Inorganic Chemistry from the Technische Hochschule Stuttgart. Currently, he is a volunteer professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Welz has experience in the area of Chemistry, with an emphasis on Trace Analysis and Environmental Chemistry.

Antonio L. Braga

Braga is a full professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. He has experience in Organic Synthesis, working mostly on the following topics: green chemistry, asymmetric catalysis, bioactive molecules of selenium and tellurium derived from amino acids and other natural sources, and mimetic synthesis of the Glutathione Peroxidase enzyme. He is a 1A CNPq research productivity fellow.

Adilson J. Curtius

He is a full volunteer professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina and a specialist in atomic spectrometry, particularly in ICP-MS and AAS (conventional and high-resolution continuum source). Curtius develops analytical methods for the determination of trace elements in geological samples (waters, soils, sediments, ores, minerals, etc.), biological samples (blood, urine, hair, etc.) and industrial samples (fuels, effluents, alloys, etc.).

Rosendo A. Yunes

Yunes is an emeritus professor at UFSC. He graduated in Chemistry (1962) and has a doctoral degree in Chemistry from the Universidade Del Litoral (1965). Currently, he is a CNPq senior researcher and a volunteer professor at the Universidade do Vale do Itajaí. He has experience in the area of Chemistry, with an emphasis on Physical Organic Chemistry, working particularly on the following topics: chalcone, chemical study, Phyllanthus sellovianus, mice, and thermodynamic parameters.

Vladimir Oliveira

Oliveira is a level 1A CNPq research productivity fellow. He currently develops research in the following areas: thermodynamics of phase equilibrium at low and high pressures, encapsulation and release of bioactive compounds in nanostructures, enzymatic production of biopolymers, activity/stability of enzymes in pressurized media, enzymatic reactions in pressurized fluids and in ultrasound, inactivation of microorganisms and cell disruption using pressurized fluids, alternative techniques for producing biodiesel (enzymatic, supercritical method, ultrasound), alternative processes of membrane separation, experimental determination of thermodynamic properties and transport coefficients, and process development in the presence of magnetic field. Oliveira is currently a faculty member in the Environmental Sciences Program at Unochapecó and a full professor at UFSC.

Ademir Neves (in memorian)

Debora de Oliveira

Oliveira is a 1D CNPq research productivity fellow. She has experience in the area of Biotechnological Processes, working mainly on the following topics: production, purification and immobilization of enzymes; development of enzymatic processes; production of biocompounds of industrial interest; production of biofuels, with emphasis on biodiesel and biohydrogen; biotechnological use of industrial waste, focusing on research, development and innovation within these areas. Oliveira has about 350 articles published in scientific journals in the area and has supervised around 130 master’s dissertations and doctoral theses, in addition to having supervised several postdoctoral internships. Currently, her H-Factor is 42.

Moacir Geraldo Pizzolatti

He joined the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in 1985 as a lecturer and is currently an associate professor at UFSC and a level IB CNPq researcher. Pizzolatti leads the Natural Products Chemistry Research Group in the Department of Chemistry at UFSC and is the coordinator of the Natural Products Chemistry Laboratory (LQPN). He has experience in the area of Chemistry, with emphasis on biological chemistry and natural products chemistry, working mainly on the following lines of research: a) exploitation of the natural resources of the South Atlantic Forest to obtain new substances with therapeutic properties (phytochemical and bioprospecting studies and biological activities), b) chemosystematics, chemical ecology and bioactivity of the Polygala genus, and c) synthesis and semi-synthesis of active molecules from natural models, enzyme bioassays, ADME studies, and structure-activity correlation studies.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here. 

The Times Higher Education (THE) has published the results of the Impact Rankings 2022, which assess universities against the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda.

In this edition, 1406 universities from 106 countries/regions were assessed. At a global level, the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) occupies the 401-600 position among the 1406 assessed universities, with a score of 65.0 to 71.9.

At the national level, UFSC is ranked among the 19 best Brazilian universities, standing out in the following Goals:

• SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure. UFSC is ranked 23^rd among 785 institutions in this goal, with a score of 98.4.
• SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth. With a score of 65, the university is in the 101-200 range, among 849 institutions.
• SDG 5: Gender equality. UFSC is ranked 101-200 among 938 universities, with a score of 63.3.

The best overall performance is from Western Sydney University, in Australia, followed by Arizona State University, in the United States, and by the Western University, in Canada. Among the Brazilian universities, the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) reached the best performance, holding the 62^nd overall position.  The Impact Rankings 2022 indicators provide comparisons across four broad areas: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching.

The Times Higher Education (THE) is a British journal affiliated to The Times newspaper that publishes news and articles on higher education and prepares, annually, a set of rankings considered one of the most comprehensive, balanced, and reliable in the world. In addition to the institutional actions regarding the SDGs, the Impact Rankings 2022 also assessed the institutions based on the research carried out for each goal.

See the THE Impact Rankings 2022 results here.

Learn about the methodology of the Impact Rankings 2022 here.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here. 

The Permanent Commission for the Vestibular (Coperve) at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has published a Call for Applications for admission of refugees to undergraduate programs at UFSC. The university will offer 10 remaining places from the UFSC Entrance Exam (Vestibular) 2022 to refugees, low-income asylum seekers and humanitarian visa holders. The places are for admission in the second semester of 2022, in undergraduate programs on the Florianópolis campus.

The application is free and shall be submitted online at  www.refugiados2022.ufsc.br from 4 to 13 May 2022. To apply, the applicants must access the website, fill in the Application Form and send it (via internet) to Coperve/UFSC by 11:59 p.m. on 13 May 2022.

Ten places will be offered, observing the limit of one place per undergraduate program. The applicant must choose only one of the programs listed in the General Table of Programs (Annex I of the Call for Applications). These places will be filled according to the applicants’ overall position in the admission test.

The identification documents that will be accepted for the application are: Passport or National Foreigner Registration (RNE) or National Migrant Registration (RNM) or Provisional National Migrant Registration (DPRNM) or National Driver’s License (CNH). Exceptionally, the applicant may present another photo identification document. All applicants will need to inform their Individual Taxpayer Number (CPF) in the Application Form.

The test will take place on 12 June 2022, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The applicants will have to answer 30 questions: Portuguese Language (10 questions), General Knowledge (17 questions) and Foreign Language (3 questions, of Spanish, English, or French), in addition to writing an Essay. The General Knowledge test will include knowledge of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, History, and Geography. The Test Content Outline is available at www.refugiados2022.ufsc.br.

To access the test location, the applicants will have to present, besides the identification document, a proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test result from up to 72 hours before the day of the test. Applicants may only enter the test location wearing a face mask (N95 type or equivalent is recommended), which will be mandatory for the duration of the test. Eating will not be allowed during the test.

The answer keys and the full test will be available at www.refugiados2022.ufsc.br  from 12 June 2022, at 7 p.m. The official list of ranked applicants, containing their names and number of application, as well as the applicants’ individual performance report will also be made available on the website.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here. 

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) has stood out in the 12^th edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds last week. The independent comparative analysis evaluated the performance of 1543 institutions across 51 academic disciplines, grouped into 5 broad subject areas – Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management.

In this edition, UFSC was ranked in 3 out of the 5 broad subject areas: Engineering & Technology, Arts & Humanities, and Life Sciences & Medicine. According to the analysis, Engineering & Technology is the institution’s strongest field at rank 401-450, with an overall score of 64.0.

Still according to the QS ranking, UFSC is one of the world’s top universities for the study of 13 subjects. The university’s best performance was in Architecture / Built Environment; Engineering – Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing; and Agriculture & Forestry. The three subjects (or disciplines) were among the best ranked in the world, at rank 201-250.

Quacquarelli Symonds publishes every year the results of several university rankings that evaluate Higher Education Institutions around the world. The methodology takes into account academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper, and h-index (research productivity and impact).

In academic reputation, UFSC’s best performance is in Engineering – Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing, in which it scored 63.5. In terms of employer reputation, the university’s best performance is in Computer Science & Information Systems, where it earned a score of 55.1. In research citations per paper, Agriculture & Forestry is the subject in which UFSC obtained the highest score (83.8). Regarding the H-index (research productivity and impact), UFSC received a score of 80.8 for Business & Management Studies – its highest-scoring subject for this indicator.

With 268 ranked programs from 32 institutions in this year’s subject rankings, Brazil is the 15^th-most-represented country in the world. In terms of top-100 programs, Brazil is the 21^st-strongest global higher education nation based on 51 programs across 7 institutions.

For further information, access:
https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/2022
https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/methodology

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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All administrative and academic units at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) and the Polydoro Ernani de São Thiago University Hospital (HU) shall resume full in-person activities starting from 4 April 2022. The determination is included in the Normative Ordinance no. 430/2022/GR, of 15 March 2022. With this, all technical and administrative staff, as well as faculty members holding administrative positions, shall return to on-campus work. In-person classes, however, will start on the dates set out in the 2022 academic calendar: 18 April for undergraduate programs.

For the return to in-person activities, proof of vaccination against Covid-19 is required, as well as the use of face masks in all indoor settings at the university.

The required proof of vaccination extends to all “faculty and staff; temporary staff; substitute, visiting and volunteer faculty; amnestied civil servants; researchers and/or research fellows; outsourced workers; interns; as well as students of all levels of education”.

Expectation and seriousness

“The division of the university life into three phases was a measure implemented in 2020, when there was a lack of information about how to face the Pandemic. It was a collective construction, and a decision of the University Council (CUn). Over time, we kept updating it with information from the Permanent Commission for Epidemiological Monitoring, as we decided to move forward in the phases. This last stage, Phase 3, for which we have been preparing since 2020, begins with great expectation, but also with the seriousness of those who know that the Pandemic is not over yet, and does not end by decree. So, yes, we are returning, but with a conscience for a safe living together”, emphasizes the Rector Ubaldo Cesar Balthazar.

The return planning observes the recommendations of the Permanent Commission for Epidemiological Monitoring, constituted by the Normative Ordinance no. 882/2021/GR, and considers the content of the Normative Resolutions no. 140/2020/CUn and 149/CUn/2021, as well as of the Resolution no. 06 /2021/CUn, of 30 March 2021.

As for the teaching activities, Phase 3 has already begun in the Colégio de Aplicação [Laboratory School] (CA) and the Child Development Center (NDI) on 10 and 14 February, respectively. Graduate academic activities are being resumed in the university since 7 March.

“The ongoing experiences in the university sectors [that have entered Phase 3] taught us about the importance of being careful with the use of masks in the workplace, as well as the importance of actions indicated by the researchers, such as the measurement of CO2, which made it possible to create occupancy parameters regarding air quality in the classrooms, and the testing policy, which has been in place for several months. In Phase 3, we will maintain these policies, expand them wherever is possible and continue evaluating our decisions,” explains the Prorector for Undergraduate Studies, Daniel Vasconcelos.

Risk Groups

According to the Normative Ordinance no. 430/2022/GR, the activities at UFSC in all its spheres become essential activities, within the scope of the Normative Instruction no. 90/2021, issued by the Ministry of Economy. Therefore, the Risk Groups for in-person work are suspended, and the remote work modality at the University is also suspended from the publication of the Normative Ordinance.

An important UFSC tool to monitor the university community’s adherence to immunization was the registration of the proof of vaccination, made through an online environment developed by the Superintendency of Electronic Governance and Information and Communication Technology (SeTIC).

Based on this registration, we were informed that more than 16 thousand faculty members, staff members and students had vaccinated until 15 March. In percentages, 86% of faculty members and 78% of technical and administrative staff members have already reported their vaccination status. Another system developed by the SeTIC technicians is a QR-Code, which will make it possible to check, in the UFSC settings, if the user is up-to-date with vaccinations.

Parameters

In accordance with the initial definition, from 2020, progress to Phase 3 would occur in a scenario characterized by the end of the state of health emergency, availability of the vaccine, number of new cases decreasing for 60 days, and number of deaths equal to or less to one per week for 30 days. These parameters were continuously evaluated through the Active Dashboard of Epidemiological Data, and following guidelines from the commission of researchers.

According to the Central Administration of UFSC, what was decided in June 2020, through the Normative Resolution no. 140/2020/CUn, remains current. However, when the Scientific Subcommittee pointed out the indicators to be observed for the progress of phases in the management of the pandemic at UFSC, there were uncertainties regarding many aspects of Covid-19. The indicators did not include, for example, vaccination, which was only consolidated in Brazil at the end of the first semester of 2021.

Rector Ubaldo recalls that, after the approval of the Normative Resolution no. 140, issued by the CUn, permanent commissions for pedagogical, psychological and epidemiological monitoring were created at UFSC. The latter, thus, became responsible for monitoring and evolving the Pandemic framework and recommending decision support parameters.

The Commission has evaluated other parameters, in addition to those established in 2020: status of immunization of faculty, staff and, particularly, students; testing and isolation of positive cases; room ventilation; and continuous and universal use of efficient face masks N95 or PFF2 type). These new parameters were considered in the transition process between the phases for combating the pandemic.

The Normative Ordinance that announces the resumption of in-person activities for the entire university community was published in the UFSC Official Bulletin. Access it here.

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

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With a decree issued by the mayor of São Francisco do Sul, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina, the Nascentes do Saí Wildlife Refuge (WR) – the newest full protection Conservation Unit (CU) in the State and the first municipal CU in São Francisco do Sul – has been officially created. With an area of ​​67.07 km² and a perimeter of 64.9 km, the Nascentes do Saí WR involved the work of a team of professors, professionals and students from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) together with the local community. In September 2021, the UFSC Communication Agency (AGECOM) made a series of reports gathering the main data collected in the process and presenting the scientific arguments that indicated the importance of preserving the site.

“The baseline study carried out by UFSC to diagnose the conditions of the environment was fundamental to support the creation of the conservation unit, helping to determine the perimeter, the objectives of the UC and the restrictions on the use of the territory. However, it is from the publication of a law or decree that a Conservation Unit really starts to exist as a legally protected space”, explains Professor Rodrigo de Almeida Mohedano (from the Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering at UFSC), coordinator of the project that suggested the creation of the CU.

Professor Orlando Ferretti, from the Department of Geosciences, recalls that, for UFSC and the entire team involved in the work, the creation of the Nascentes do Saí WR is the final achievement, but also a new gateway to the continuity of research in the region. “We hope that the outreach and research work will serve as an example to other proposals in the State, and inspire communities and municipalities to develop new studies aimed at creating protected areas, with the support of UFSC”, he observes. “This is a fundamental step towards the defense of nature on the north coast of Santa Catarina”, he summarizes.

In addition to being a region of high biodiversity, the Distrito do Saí is also endowed with rich water resources. Mohedano explains that, in this sense, the creation of the CU also brings security to the population. “Despite being blessed with abundant rainfall, the municipalities located in the coastal regions of the Atlantic Forest generally have low water storage capacity. Thus, maintaining the flow of springs, through the preservation of vegetation, is essential”, he argues.

Ferretti also recalls that the now protected region is a priority for the preservation of the Atlantic Forest, through the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve (MABR) and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), present in the limits of the Distrito do Saí. “The studies were delivered in 2021 to the city hall and the community of the Distrito do Saí, with emphasis on the high biodiversity of the Saí region, the good preservation of the area, and the involvement of the community in contributing to the creation of a protected area, a dream cherished for a few years by most residents”, he points out.

Now, the next step will be the mandatory creation of a Management Plan, an official document for the planning of Conservation Units, which must cover the area, its buffer zone and the ecological corridors, and ways of reconciling preservation with the economic and cultural activities of the neighboring communities. “The management plan must be prepared in a democratic and participatory manner, with the identification of the interested social actors”, highlights Mohedano. “The UFSC team that worked on the Nascentes do Saí Project and the local community are very happy with the creation of the Wildlife Refuge and we know that this is the beginning of a new stage of continuous work for the preservation of natural wealth, so important in the current context”, he concludes.

 

Read more:

UFSC and the community of São Francisco do Sul suggest the creation of a Wildlife Refuge in the Distrito do Saí

Abundant water and regenerated forest will be preserved with the creation of a Wildlife Refuge in São Chico

A never-seen-before bird and a lot of richness: get to know the fauna of the Distrito do Saí, which should be protected by Wildlife Refuge

 

Translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here.

11 February is annually marked by the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which has been institutionally celebrated at UFSC since 2021. The University has been taking actions that aim at seeking gender equality in science and, consequently, at the institution. In the last year, UFSC established a committee to implement equity policies; launched a course for undergraduate students on the subject; and awarded women scientists. In 2022, new goals are set with the creation of a permanent and representative committee and the planning of new advances that can be institutionalized on a permanent basis.

“For a year now, UFSC has turned its gaze to its women scientists with increased attention. But this is just the beginning. There is still a lot to be done”, emphasizes the Vice-Rector of UFSC, Cátia Carvalho Pinto. “We understand that this is a path of no return and that it is the result of the movement of our entire university community. The women and girls at UFSC want to be seen, heard, and they want their research to be supported”, highlights the manager and researcher.

Rector Ubaldo Cesar Balthazar believes that every step that has been taken is an important step forward. “It was a milestone in 2021 to have so many actions aimed at equity at UFSC. It is now vital that these efforts continue, and that is what we have been striving for,” he points out.

The actions that stood out in 2021 will have a new investment in 2022: UFSC has just formalized the Permanent Equity Committee; the courses on Gender, Diversity and Equity taught by the Institutional Program for Educational Support to Students (PIAPE) will have resources available to be offered in 2022; and the new edition of the Women in Science Award, which will be launched on 8 March (International Women’s Day), will reward black women researchers at UFSC.

Learn more about each of the actions and how they shall be developed throughout 2022:

Women and Girls in Science: Equity Committee becomes permanent

Women and Girls in Science: Gender, Science, Diversity and Equity become subjects debated in courses for more than 900 people

Women and Girls in Science: unprecedented award recognizes nine UFSC women researchers in 2021

 

See also:

‘Elas na Ciência’ series honors the work of UFSC women researchers

 

Translated by SINTER/UFSC

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The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) will require from all faculty, staff and other professionals working at UFSC a certification of complete vaccination cycle from the beginning of phase 2, which starts on 14 February. The measure was published in the University’s Official Bulletin last Monday, 7 February.

>> Phase 2 begins 14 February, access the Ordinance

The rules of the Normative Ordinance no. 422/2022/GR are valid not only for permanent faculty and staff, but also for substitute, visiting and volunteer faculty, temporary staff, researchers and/or research fellows, outsourced workers and interns. Proof of full vaccination will be required, which consists of two vaccine doses against Covid-19 and one booster dose; or one dose of the Janssen vaccine, plus the booster, according to the instructions of the Prorectorate for Personnel Management and Development (PRODEGESP).

Workers from the Colégio de Aplicação [Laboratory School – CA] and from the Child Development Center (NDI) will follow specific rules once they are entering phase 3, with in-person classes for all students starting in February. The Laboratory School enters Phase 3 on 10 February, and the NDI on 14 February.

>> Check the rules for Colégio de Aplicação and NDI workers         

Anyone without the complete vaccination cycle must present, with a frequency of five working days, a negative RT-PCR test result, or result from another test approved by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa), performed within the last 72 hours, according to the instructions.

In addition to the vaccination, the Central Administration reinforces the necessity of keeping protective measures, such as wearing PFF-2 masks and practicing social distancing. All of the biosafety measures are detailed in the Biosafety Guide.

Phase 2

Phase 2 for combating the COVID-19 pandemic at UFSC, which starts 14 February, is regulated by the Normative Ordinance no. 416/2021/GR, which was suspended last January due to the increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases. The Ordinance was now declared valid again, based on the justification presented by the Epidemiological Monitoring Committee that indicated the pandemic would enter a phase of stability. It is a stage of resuming in-person activities with organization tasks and staff scheduling. When the Phases for Combating COVID-19 were defined at UFSC, there was no expectation for immunization, which currently has a wide reach.

For details on how to present the vaccination certification and other information, you can read the full news report here.

Learn more:

University life in three Phases
Biosafety Guide for Phase 2
How to use PFF2 masks
Legislation – Coronavirus.ufsc.br
Visual Signaling – Coronavirus.ufsc.br

Adapted and translated by SINTER/UFSC.

Read the original article here. 

 

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), through the Office for International Relations (SINTER) and the Prorectorate for Graduate Studies (PROPG), recently formalized its membership with the Normandy Chair for Peace, an initiative supported by the United Nations (UN). UFSC is the only participating Brazilian university.

The Chair was created by initiative of the Normandy region in France, with the support of the United Nations, aiming to build lasting world peace. It participates in the World Forum and in international initiatives, respecting the freedom of professorship and the values of peace. Under the motto “We will have Peace on Earth when we have Peace with the Earth”, its work is very engaged with environmental issues, with a focus on success stories in protecting the environment.

The agreement signed by UFSC is valid for three years, with the possibility of renewal. It is expected that UFSC will create, based on this agreement, research groups and interact with researchers in carrying out the Chair’s activities.

The Prorector for Graduate Studies, Cristiane Derani, was personally in France in January to represent UFSC and formalize the institutional membership. She explained that the Chair houses multidisciplinary activities developed around themes proposed by any of the members.

“The signing of this agreement by UFSC opens doors for our researchers to develop projects that are supported by the Chair. It therefore facilitates partnerships and dissemination of our scientific activities. With this, UFSC projects itself internationally as a recognized research institution able to develop thematic projects with international partners. We know that, in the university rankings, publications and their impacts, as well as network activities, are valuable indicators of university quality”, emphasizes Derani.

“Among our strategic partnerships, French universities have always been the ones that send students and receive Brazilian students the most. We have a consolidated relationship with France, mainly in the areas of engineering and earth sciences. It is worth mentioning here the Brafitec and Brafagri Programs, which have been standing out in a relevant and significant way in our internationalization process. Strengthening these partnerships, with the inclusion of new areas of knowledge, will help us to maintain and strengthen ties with our French-speaking partners,” points out Lincoln Fernandes, Secretary for International Relations at UFSC.

Invitation

UFSC was invited to participate in the Chair after a collaboration of researchers from the School of Law (CCJ) in a project on environmental legal indicators. As the Prorector for Graduate Studies explains, the international project had, at the Estação de Carijós, in Florianópolis, a first field study environment.

“It was during this activity that UFSC was invited to join the Chair. This was a first project, in which UFSC was invited. Now, from this agreement, our researchers will also be able to propose projects and integrate existing ones”, she points out.

Prorector Cristiane Derani is part of the Chair’s list of collaborators, as are other CCJ researchers, such as Professor Norma Sueli Padilha, Professor José Rubens Morato Leite, and researchers Fernanda de Salles Cavedon-Capdeville, Ligia Ribeiro Vieira and Camila Segovia Rodriguez.

Learn more:
Normandy Chair for Peace
Agreement with UFSC (in French)

 

Translated by SINTER/UFSC

Read the original article here.