In the scenario of low investment in Brazilian sciences, PR researchers join the list of the 200 most cited in Latin America | education

Alessandro Dorado Luguercio, Professor of Dentistry at the State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG) and researcher in the field of cosmetic dentistry, has been recognized as one of the 200 best researchers in Latin America by the Albert Duger Scientific Index (AD Scientific Index), updated this year 2023 .

Alessandro ranks 143rd in the international ranking.

In addition to him, Paraná is represented by Alessandra Reis (ranked 149), also professor of the dental course at UEPG and researcher in the field of cosmetic dentistry, and Angelo Antonio Agostino (ranked 153rd), researcher of a graduate program in the field of Ecology of Continental Aquatic Environments at the University Maringa State (UEM).

According to the survey, the rankings take into account the high academic productivity and relevance of work by researchers, which is measured, among other factors, by the number of citations to other scholarly works.

According to data from the Index, Loguercio’s research has been cited more than 13,500 times in recent years.

Alessandra’s work has nearly 13,000 citations, and Professor Angelo’s name appears in 11,900 academic productions.

The most prominent institutions in each Latin American country are also evaluated in the ranking.

In Brazil, Paraná is represented by the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), which ranks 21st. State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG) is in 23rd place.

Still among the top 30 institutions in the country, there is the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), in 27th place, followed by UEM, in 28th place.

The mention of Brazilian researchers in internationally recognized rankings highlights the difficulties and achievements of doing science in a country that is experiencing a scenario of budget cuts for the sector.

According to the publication “Brazilian Science Panorama 2015-2020”, published by the Observatory for Science, Technology and Innovation (OCTI) of the Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE), Brazilian scientific production increased by 32.2% from 2015 to 2020.

This data placed Brazil as the 13th largest scientific production in the world.

Despite the achievement, data published by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) show that the budget of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has decreased in recent years.

In 2015, the federal budget was approximately R$23 billion, and in 2019 it saw a 40% decrease, coming to just under R$14 billion. Now, in 2023, the budget is just over R$10 billion.

Alessandro explains that when one thinks of science, in a broader sense of the word, one is talking about responding to society’s problems.

Alessandra stresses the need for more time, public investment, and funded projects for science to continue to advance further in Brazil.

The researcher also points out that, today, What keeps research going in the country is the collaboration of companies and graduate students willing to discover what’s new.

Angelo shares the same thoughts with his colleague. For the researcher, it is essential Greater distribution of scholarships and the employment of more qualified teachers to replace retirees.

Alessandro and Alessandra are married. He is 49 years old and is from Paje Rio Grande do Sul. She is 46 years old and she is from the capital city of São Paulo. They both graduated in the 1990s in dentistry, each in their home states.

In the early 2000s, they completed their PhD at the University of São Paulo (USP), which is where they met and began their relationship. In 2006, the two passed the selection process by the UEPG.

Together, the couple had two daughters. Over the years, they say, they have learned to separate the private from the professional, but by sharing the same passion, one ends up becoming a proofreader for the other’s work.

Like the researchers, another Paraná professor has been identified by Albert Duger Scientific Pointer: Angelo Antonio Agostino.

At the age of 72, Angelo has retired, but remains in academic life as a volunteer professor and researcher at UEM.

The Paraná native, from Santo Iñácio, in the north of the state, guarantees that retirement has not caused him to reduce his scientific output, on the contrary, he says he has no plans to boycott it.

Angelo was the first in his family to complete a higher education. Graduated in Biological Sciences from Londrina State University (UEL) in 1975. Since then, there have been various majors and many scientific works.

For him, seeing the research he’s worked on over the years become a reference for new studies brings certainty that he’s on the right track.

“This is how science advances. Whatever is produced must be evaluated, discussed and, if necessary, challenged, including the controversy itself,” Angelou asserts.

* In collaboration with Caroline Maltaca, digital product assistance at g1.