The auditorium of the University Council (Consu) of Unicamp was packed last Thursday (12), during the award ceremony of the Institutional Program of Scientific Initiation Scholarships (Pibic) – 2024. Family members, colleagues and professors honored the 20 students who received the award, given to the authors of the best works presented during the 32nd Congress of Scientific Initiation of Unicamp. Each winner will receive R$ 3.500.
Held in November, the Scientific Initiation Congress was attended by 1.593 undergraduate students from various universities, as well as high school students. The award, which is restricted to Unicamp students, had 1.042 applicants this year from all of the university's colleges and institutes. The evaluation process involved the participation of dozens of professors from different higher education institutions in the country.
Unicamp's rector, Professor Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, presided over the ceremony to award the Pibic – 2024 scientific merit certificate on Thursday. The event was also attended by professors Ivan Toro, the university's provost for undergraduate studies; Ana Maria Frattini Fileti, provost for research; and Marco Aurélio Cremasco, advisor to the Office of the Provost for Outreach, Sports and Culture (Proeec), representing provost Fernando Coelho. During the award ceremony, the four professors emphasized the quality of the winning works, encouraging students to pursue their careers as researchers, and praised the institution's commitment to the constant pursuit of excellence.
When congratulating the students and their advisors, the rector paid particular attention to the importance of Unicamp’s tradition of using research as a learning tool. The university, he pointed out, stands out by teaching its students techniques for dealing with knowledge as early as their undergraduate years. “Increasingly, the idea of scientific activity, or of the method of developing science, influences activities outside of research institutes and teaching facilities. Knowledge linked to the search for solutions based on evidence and facts can make a huge difference not only in the quality of the professional work you will carry out, but also in the quality of the results you generate for society,” said Meirelles.
Responsible for the award and the Scientific Initiation Congress, Fileti highlighted the role of professors both in encouraging students to enter the world of research and in orchestrating the studies carried out in their laboratories, establishing dialogues with other areas and institutions. “I have no doubt that all the work originated in the research of a professor who is in tune with the world, who brings the reflection of this world into his laboratory. This laboratory is made up of master's, doctoral and post-doctoral students who embrace the scientific initiation student. This is what leads to the excellence of the University. Judging by the number of students that Unicamp has and the research that it conducts, it is clear that research flows into the undergraduate program.”
In his speech, Toro encouraged students to continue striving for excellence. “This award is a recognition of the relentless pursuit of knowledge and excellence. That they should not be restricted to academia, but should promote impacts on society,” said the professor.
Cremasco highlighted the diversity of themes and fields of knowledge covered by the award. Mentioning each of the 20 winners and their advisors, the professor argued that knowledge is interconnected, offering a brief summary of each of the works to highlight their importance to society. “We had more than a thousand registrants for the conference. No matter how specific each work was, in some way each one established a dialogic relationship with society. And, when we think of a scientific initiation work, the student is in the classroom focusing on the other. It is an exercise in empathy. We are doing university extension. Unicamp does not neglect this.”
Check out the list of 20 award-winning students:
- Amanda Rocha Rodrigues – environmental engineering
- Beatriz Freitas Macedo – food engineering
- Bruno Brentini Zancheta – food engineering
- Cleyton de Menezes Dores – music
- Gabriela da Cruz Bernardo – nutrition
- Giordanno Oliveira Padovan – social sciences
- Isabella Coelho de Oliveira – geography
- Jonatas Rodrigues de Menezes – physics
- Lara Basseres Novais – biological sciences
- Maria Luiza Vieira Guidi – dentistry
- Mariana Muller Alves – nutrition
- Paula Alves Alcalá – medicine
- Paulo Gonçalves Serra Neto – electrical engineering
- Rayan Gabriel Rodrigues da Silva – pedagogy
- Renan Alves e Cavalheiro – dentistry
- Stephany Vieira Carmello – chemist
- Vanessa de Oliveira Modesto – geology
- Veridiana Lopes Freire – administration
- Vinicius Carluccio de Andrade – geography
- Yasmim Gabriele Matos – pharmacy
