IEA holds a conference on the influences of French researchers at USP
In 1934, the University of São Paulo was created from the union of the then Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences, and Languages and Literature (FFCL) - founded at that time - with the Polytechnic School of São Paulo, the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ), the School of Medicine, the Faculty of Law and the School of Pharmacy and Dentistry. The first years of formation of USP were strongly influenced by French researchers, a link which will be presented on November 27, at 9.00 am, during the French-Brazilian Conference.
Organized by IEA's Brazil-France Research Group and the Institut des Amériques, the event will feature panels on medicine and biology, humanities and social sciences. In addition to the legacy of USP's initial period, later and current experiences will also be presented. One of the sessions will discuss the French presence in the FFCL, as was the case of professor Roger Bastide and geographer Pierre Monbeig, both important figures in the founding of the Faculty.
Another example of how the Brazil-France relationship will be presented is the speech of physician Jorge Kalil on medical science and biomedical research. A professor at USP's School of Medicine, he will report on his experience during a visit to the Institute of Blood Diseases at the Saint Louis Hospital in Paris, where he undertook a doctorate research under the guidance of Jean Dausset, a Nobel Prize winner in Medicine. Kalil will also present the context in which the Brazilian Association of Organ Transplantation has emerged, making Brazil the second country in transplant numbers in the world. Another important influence of French science in Brazil was the creation of the Pasteur Institute in São Paulo, with which there was intense exchange during its almost 120 years, culminating in the installation of the representation of the Institute at USP. This exchange has also influenced the creation of the Butantan Institute, of which Kalil has been director.
On this occasion, the IEA and the Institut des Amériques will sign a cooperation agreement which aims to establish communication channels, exchanges of scientific and cultural knowledge, and stimulate research and training activities. The idealization of joint research projects and the facilitation of exchanges between researchers, doctoral students and post-doctoral students are also among the objectives of the agreement.