RS achieves the largest number of research projects approved on a call from the Instituto Serrapilheira

Rio Grande do Sul has the highest number of proposals approved among the seven states participating in the Sixth Public Call to Support Science in Cerabilera Institute. Six young scientists from the Universities of Rio Grande do Sul will receive funds for projects deemed daring and dangerous in the fields of natural sciences (physics, chemistry, earth sciences and life sciences), mathematics and computer science. In the state, the curators will be jointly funded by the Research Support Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul (Fapergs), linked to the Innovation, Science and Technology Secretariat (Sict).

This result represents a series of actions and investments made in the country, according to Sict’s president, Simone Stülp. She mentioned R$112.3 million from the state government’s Avançar program, which is being invested in innovation, science and technology, including several Fapergs projects. In addition, Rio Grande do Sul won first place in innovation, in 2021 and 2022, in the State Competitiveness Ranking, issued by the Center for Public Command (CLP). Other evaluation criteria include scientific research, master’s and doctoral scholarships.

“The fine performance of these young scientists demonstrates our character in uncovering the brightest minds in the field of scientific production,” Simon highlights. To corroborate this view, the Minister points out that Rio Grande do Sul is the first state in terms of the number of professors with master’s and doctoral degrees, in addition to having the highest academic productivity in Brazil, even with only 5.4% of the population.

In all, 32 researchers from different parts of Brazil will receive total funding of R$22 million. The value is the result of a partnership between Serrapilheira, the National Council of State Research Support Institutions (Confap) and State Research Supporting Institutions (FAPs), which will fund a portion of grants to scholars in their home states. That is, Serrapilheira and the FAPs jointly support those chosen through public advocacy.

On this sixth call, the amount made available by Serrapilheira is R$9.1 million. Of this amount, R$3.2 million is earmarked for the so-called Diversity Bonus, to be invested in the training and integration of people from underrepresented groups into research groups. The total amount provided by the FAPs is approximately R$13 million. The distribution of values ​​will vary according to some criteria, such as the type of use that will be made of resources, and is evaluated on a case-by-case basis with each FAP.

“The partnership between Confap and Instituto Serrapilheira strengthens the research support system in Brazil, enabling greater synergy and integration in the selection and financing of high-risk, high-impact research projects,” highlights Confap’s President and Principal Director of Fapergs, Odir Delagustin. “This collaboration translates into benefits for the scientific community and society at large, with a significant increase in the ability to fund research projects.”

In this call, São Paulo State Research Support Institutions (FAPESP), from Rio de Janeiro (Faberge(from the state of Minas Gerais)fapig), from Ciara (funcap), from Rio Grande do Sul (fapergs), from the Federal District (FAPDF) and parana (Araucaria Foundation).

Selected scholars

The sixth call evaluated risky research projects, based on the premise that science advances most when it takes risks. As such, the candidates were asked to detail how their choices could go wrong and what they intend to do if they do.

These visualizers will receive between 200,000 and 700,000 Brazilian reais, to be used for five years. They will also have access to additional resources – up to 30% of the support they receive – to invest as a diversity bonus.

Meet scholars from selected institutions in Rio Grande do Sul:

Gabriela Sipes
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Project: Can we make better use of genetic sequences to identify new, rapidly spreading viral variants before they appear in the data?
The project will study how machine learning techniques can be used to predict and monitor the emergence of new strains of viruses that could cause a pandemic.

Jefferson Vicentine Beaugoni
Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel)
Project: Can tropical plants rely on seed dispersers to keep up with climate change and avoid extinction?
The project will study how differences in seed dispersal among tropical plants might affect extinction risk, taking into account the impact of climate change.

Diana Duarte
Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM)
Project: Are there exotic phases in the QD phase diagram?
The project seeks to understand the implications of recent data on gravitational waves on quantum chromodynamics – the theory of what goes on inside subatomic particles, such as protons and neutrons.

Carlos Guilherme Demer Kochan
University of Val do Rio dos Sinos (Unicinos)
Project: Were Amazonian wetlands sources or sinks of carbon during recent global warming?
The project seeks to understand the flow of carbon from flooded regions of the Amazon during the period of global warming in the Miocene, about 14 million years ago.

Francisco Vanderson Moreira de Lima
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Project: How do you detect black holes through geometric inequalities?
The interdisciplinary project unites physics and mathematics, in order to search for ways to detect black holes using geometric variations in space-time.

Renata Rojas Guerra
Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM)
Project: Dynamic Models of Random Variables with Boundaries: How to Predict Sustainable Development Indicators Measured by Rates and Ratios?
Using data from the national electrical system operator on hydropower, the project will seek statistical techniques to predict indicators of sustainable development.

The full list of nominees is here.

_{Text: Ascom Fapergs and Ascom Sict
Edition: Secom}