The results of the Capes-Natura Campus Excellence in Research Award have been announced. The names of the winners were revealed at a ceremony held on Tuesday, the 22nd, in Brasília. In the sustainability category, Fernando Couto Rosa Almeida, a doctoral student at the University of Caledonia Glasgow in Scotland, was the author of the awarded article. The winner in the sociobiodiversity and biological conservation category was Diogo Soares Samia, a researcher at the Federal University of Goiás.
This initiative is a partnership between Natura and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). In this first edition of the award, a total of 268 scientific works were submitted. Each category had three finalist articles. Now, in addition to the trip to the federal capital and the certificates, the winners will each receive R$ 25,000.
Awarded in the sustainability category, Fernando Couto's article addressed the substitution of materials obtained from nature with others capable of resulting in some added value, especially in environmental terms. In this case, the research replaced sand with sugarcane bagasse. The award was received by the study's advisor, Professor Almir Salles, from the Federal University of São Carlos, as the winning student could not attend because he is in Scotland developing his doctorate.
In the other awarded article, in the sociobiodiversity and biological conservation category, Diogo Soares Samia discussed the interface between behavioral ecology and the biological conservation of birds and mammals. The study sought to identify the characteristics of species that are more or less tolerant to the increasing anthropic impact. Currently in the editing phase, Diogo's research is about to become a book. The publication addresses ecotourism, its promises and dangers, through a biological assessment of impacts. The launch is scheduled for August 2017.
