An undergraduate student, Danilo Goncalves, of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, is now at the University of Maryland under the Brazilian Science without Borders Program. Danilo arrived in Maryland on April 14, 2012, for his 1-year internship.

The Science without Borders program provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students from Brazil for six months or one year of study abroad. Danilo is working under the supervision of Dr. Yilmaz Balci (Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture) and is involved in various projects that include the notorious plant pathogen, Phytophthora spp. This organism, a water mold, is among the most important plant pathogens with world-wide impact in agriculture and natural ecosystems. Danilo says, “I’m sure that this experience will contribute so much to my academic career and to my life.”

Danilo earlier came to Maryland in 2010 with the Brazilian student group participating in the Maryland-Rio Partners student exchange program. That 2-week program brings a group of Brazilian university students to Maryland every other year. In the intervening years, a like group from the University of Maryland travels to Brazil. The exchange program has been ongoing for 19 years and is highlighted elsewhere on this site.

For more information about the Science without Borders Program, please see:

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Brazil-Science-Without-Borders

http://www.cienciasemfronteiras.gov.br/web/csf-eng/home

University of Maryland Student Studies in Rio

February 2012

Ms. Lia Yohannes, a graduate student in the Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology Program at the University of Maryland, was awarded a Boren Fellowship to study for a semester at Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. Her focus area is on social and environmental impact of biofuels on family farms. Lia also is assisting Rio Partners on several other projects. She will be in Rio until July.

American Fellows Architect/Urban Planner in Rio

January 2012

Ms. Carmen Vidal-Hallett, an architect/urban planner in Chicago and member of the Illinois-São Paulo Partnership, was recently awarded an American Fellows grant from Partners of the Americas to work and collaborate with the Subsecretaria de Economia Verde do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carmen will be in Rio for several weeks collaborating with this government organization on projects such as the Rio Climate Action Plan, the transformation of Parque Gramacho (land field featured in the recent documentary “Wasteland”), and their ideas to create a Rio Center for Green Technology. She also is working closely with Rio Partners on the effort. According to Carmen, “To me this is finally an opportunity to give back to my native country as a professional.”

Good luck with your work, Carmen!

Maryland Students Travel To Rio on Exchange

July 2011

Maryland Students Met with Prof Ricardo Motta Miranda (Center), Rector of Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, and Other University Officials

Maryland-Rio Partners and three university cooperators—University of Maryland, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), and Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF)—just completed another successful student exchange program. Six University of Maryland students and one professor traveled to the state of Rio de Janeiro for the 2-week program that focused on ecology and natural resources management (in alternate years Brazilians travel to Maryland). Most of the first week was spent on and around the campus of UFRRJ learning about university research and other activities, with field trip excursions.

The Group Learned About Dolphin Research in Sepetiba Bay from Ph.D. Student Rodrigo Tardin (far right)

The weekend in the middle of the program was spent in the city of Rio with trips to Corcovado, various museums, and other cultural events. Two days of the second week were spent at the Golden Lion Tamarin Reserve learning about research, conservation, and management of this endangered species. In Niteroi, the group visited The Grael Project where Axel Grael gave an informative overview of his successful work with kids, teaching them about the many aspects of sailing and related environmental issues. Also in Niteroi, the group visited the Instituto Vital Brazil (the so-called “snake farm”) where participants learned of work to prepare anti-venom for many poisonous snakes, scorpions, and spiders in Brazil. Many Brazilian university students accompanied the Maryland group, which provided a wonderful opportunity for cross-cultural interactions. This was the nineteenth year of the exchange program. Maryland Partners and the University of Maryland look forward to hosting the Brazilians next year.

Secretary of the Environment for Silva Jardim Visits Maryland

June 2011

Ezequiel Moraes (far right, back row) and friends, University of Maryland, June, 2011

Ezequiel Moraes, Secretary of the Environment for the Municipality of Silva Jardim, Rio de Janeiro, visited Maryland Partners and the University of Maryland on Friday, June 24, 2011. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss environmental matters and possibilities for further exchange between Maryland and Silva Jardim. A number of suggestions were made and will be pursued. “Zique” was last in Maryland in 1994 when he was with the first group of university students from Brazil to visit Maryland on a student exchange program that has been ongoing since 1993. This is a cooperative program between Maryland-Rio Partners of the Americas and several universities, including the University of Maryland, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, and Universidade Federal Fluminense. Every other year a group of Brazilian students and one or more professors come to Maryland for a 2-week summer program focused on ecology and natural resources management. In the intervening years, a like group from Maryland travels to Brazil. Zique credits his student experience in Maryland with influencing his career path. In his own words, “I participated in the Exchange in 1994 (I can never forget!) and it was the year of the world cup in the USA… I can give a very positive testimony of the experience and how much it influenced my future steps…” The 2009 group of Maryland students that traveled to Brazil met Zique at lunchtime in a restaurant in Silva Jardim. The group learned of his work and also visited the nearby Golden Lion Tamarin Reserve to learn about research and conservation measures underway for the species.

Concert Dedicated to the Memory of Dennis R. Shaw

June 2011

The Maryland-Rio Partnership, through the efforts of Lorraine Spiegler, sponsored a fund-raising event for the Dennis R. Shaw Memorial Scholarship Fund of Partners of the Americas.

The June 18, 2011 performance at Strathmore, in Bethesda, Maryland, is based on the theme of “Seeing with our Hearts.” It is dedicated to the memory of Dennis by concert Director Lorraine Spiegler. Former Cultural Attache to Brazilia and Rio de Janeiro and strong Partners of the Americas supporter, Dennis was passionate about Brazilian and US culture and dedicated to encouraging two-way cultural exchange between the countries. Lorraine first met Dennis in 1998, when Dennis encouraged Lorraine to join Partners and apply for a travel grant for work as a guest artist with Escola Maria Olenewa, the world famous Ballet School of Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. Lorraine joined the Maryland-Rio de Janeiro Partnership and was awarded her travel grant. Dennis’s passion and mission for cultural exchange was a constant encouragement for Lorraine who realized many other projects between the US and Brazil, such as the Send a Brazilian Dancer to the Kennedy Center Project and the Goucher College International Dance Course in Rio de Janeiro since 2011. In Dennis’s honor, Lorraine created the current Brazil Dance Project for the CityDance Conservatory. CityDance Ensemble is donating the full price of ticket sales by Partners to the scholarship fund. For further information, please contact Lorraine Spiegler (lorraine.spiegler@gmail.com).

Maryland and Rio de Janeiro Governors Sign MOU

March 2011

Brazilian Delegation Attending the Signing Ceremony

On Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the State House in Annapolis, Maryland, Governor Sergio Cabral of Rio de Janeiro and Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further cooperation between the two states in areas such as education, sports, environment, energy, culture, health, security, and infrastructure. The memorandum includes agreement between the state of Rio de Janeiro and the University of Maryland Medical System Corporation to cooperate in the creation of a collaborative program to enhance trauma medicine in Rio de Janeiro. According to Governor Cabral, “By signing this Memorandum of Understanding, Rio de Janeiro and Maryland face a renewed opportunity to increase their relationship, and we cannot lose this great chance! Let’s work on it!” (Photos courtesy of Gov O’Malley’s Press Office)

Maryland Partners of the Americas and Maryland Sister States Representatives Attending the Signing Ceremony

University of Maryland Medical System Corporation Representatives Attending the Signing Ceremony