UFPA Professor Honored in Life Sciences Category for Women in Science 2021

Ecologist Thaísa Sala Michelan, Professor at the Federal University of Barra (UFPA), has been honored in the Life Sciences category.a, Act a program “For Women in Science” (For Women in Science) 2021. The researcher is dedicated to studying the aquatic plants of the Amazon, especially those in the state of Bar.a. currently It prepares for the challenge of crossing the state’s streams, swamps, and lakes to identify new species and understand how human activities, such as agriculture and livestock, affect the occurrence of these plants.

The program is an initiative of UNESCOL’Oréal Brazil and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC). In addition to the UFPA professor, six other young researchers at Life sciences, physical sciences, chemical sciences, and mathematics were awarded a Scholarship 50 thousand Brazilian riyals. The goal is to change the Brazilian science landscape, and to contribute to the gender balance in the region.

For Taisa Michelin, the recognition was a surprise. We are all researchers Who is this Country, we want our work to be recognized.. a The Life Sciences category is my area of ​​expertise and where I develop my research, that’s why I won that it The prize in the area is the ability to represent and inspire many other girls and say qEuropean Union, Yes, we can and even succeed in conducting high-quality research and making our dreams come true,” he says.

According to the researcher aquatic plants They are fundamental to the environment in which they occupy. “These are types of water quality indicators, they provide structure and shelter for various aquatic species. For example, they serve as a refuge for aquatic insects and as a nursery for fingerlings (baby fish), including some that we use in our diet,” he explains. In the project submitted to L’Oréal-Unesco-ABC for Women in Science – Bratorrent The goal is to address the distribution and a Preservation of aquatic plants, especially in the state of Para.

These plants are living things that can be used alternatives of aquatic biodiversity, due to their sensitivity to environmental changes, their importance in structuring the ecology of other species and used by riverine communities for food, decoration and to me TK,” he continues. Currently, there is a need to conduct studies that somarezyme Knowledge and assessments of how environmental changes may alter the distribution of large aquatic plants in the state.

The award will fund the project, through which Taissa intends to uncover the gaps that exist for these organisms, and to provide an estimate of the potential distribution of species to bridge this gap in macrophyte knowledge, with a focus on species of interest to the community.

At the same time, the impacts of multiple land uses on the diversity of these plants will be evaluated in Pará, and the extensive work of human resource training carried out by environmental laboratories for primary producers will continue (ecopro) Based on environmental science and conservationLapco) was actually developed at the UFPA. “Bringing this award to the UFPA is very rewarding. In addition to highlighting the university and the research being done here, the amount received for project development will help undergraduate, masters and doctoral students who directOh, afterThis makes it possible to strengthen research and improve laboratory structures,” notes Michelin.

anticipation Is that L’Oréal also encourages the university to create public notices and No Support the girls inside education and yes Science. “I always say that we work for and for society, with no goal but to do high quality research and teaching, with reversible results to improve people’s quality and living conditions – and that is what moves me as a scientist and educator. I hope this upcoming women’s award will be in Science They can serve as an inspiration to our girls,” concludes the UFPA award winner.

To learn more about the results of this edition of For Women in Science, click Here.

Text: Jessica Souza – UFPA Corporate Communication Consulting
Art: Reproduction Award