UBC projects and collaborations
Our Brazilian and Caribbean partnerships promote and encourage collaborative working across a range of subject areas
Marcela Uliano da Silva
At University of Plymouth I participated in a project under direct supervision of DoctorJohn Moody. I developed a project together with Marta Vannoni, a student from Italy, to investigate some antioxidant parameters in mussels in the Dartmouth estuary. For five weeks we travelled every Monday to collect mussels, bringing them back to Plymouth for analysis.
The University is a great place to study. The buildings, the library and facilities give students an opportunity to develop their studies and themselves. I really enjoyed the city. I got to make many friends, enjoy student life, and soak up English culture.
The time I spent in Plymouth memorable, I got to improve my English, learn new laboratory techniques and meet people so many people that I will never forget.
Marcela Uliano da Silva collecting Mussels in Dartmouth
Professor Alcir Dafre, Federal University of Santa Catarina
"The joint research activities between University of Plymouth and Federal University of Santa Catarina, initiated through contact with Manuela Schuwerack and the UBC program, have provided opportunities for student exchange resulting in scientific interaction and publications. In 2009 the visit of Rafael Trevisan and Marcela Uliano-Silva to University of Plymouth as undergraduate students, was very important for their scientific improvement. Both went on to become PhD students".
Doctor Andrew Fisher, University of Plymouth
The work performed in collaboration between University of Plymouth and Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil has resulted in a number of successful programmes. There have been publications, manuscripts, and student exchanges. Exchange student work has been submitted for publication and another student, who did not visit Plymouth, had samples sent to here for chemical analysis.
Overall, the collaboration between the two universities has been very fruitful in terms of research undertaken and this is due to UBC introducing us to Professor Alcir Dafre of UFSC.
Juergen Steinheber
I started my PhD at Plymouth Business School’s research node in Munich, researching perceptions of new technologies and why some don’t make it to the marketplace. I was looking for patterns of innovation barriers (e.g. economic area, industry, the type of innovation) to inform a framework for marketing and sales practitioners to use when making strategic decisions.
An essential part of my research was data gathering in both developed and emerging countries. Brazil gained my interest as an emerging country with a strong economy, ideal to research variances with developed countries.
UBCs existing Brazilian collaborations and Doctor Schuwerack's encouragement to apply for scholarships enabled me to get to Brazil. And with the support of both my European and Brazilian supervisors I was able to achieve my goals.
Juergen Steinheber with professor Guilherme Ary Plonski at the Universidad de São Paulo
Vulcano CO2 vent team March 2013
Seaweed research
A six month visit to University of Plymouth cemented a fruitful collaboration between Professor Jason Hall-Spencer (University of Plymouth) and Professor Paulo Horta (Federal University of Santa Catarina).
The pair worked on research manuscripts and organised a research workshop which took place in March 2013. The Workshop enabled scientists to collaborate on research into the effects of CO2 on marine plants and algae on the island of Vulcano, Italy. It provided an opportunity for training as well as for data collection, allowing scientists to apply their techniques to natural CO2 gradients to improve predictions about the long-term effects of CO2 on coastal ocean system functioning.
Rafael Trevisan
In 2009 I visited University of Plymouth on a three month exchange program as part of my Master in Biochemistry at UFSC.
I was able to work with two different projects, both in the area of aquatic and environmental toxicology. Both projects went very well, and I had the chance to meet good researchers, improve my English and have a different work experience. Through the exchange program I learnt new methods that are very important for toxicology studies with aquatic species, this has improved our research back in Brazil.
The laboratory facilities were really good, the technicians were very helpful and I knew I could always count on them if ever I needed assistance. The University is a really nice place, and the city is lovely. I really enjoyed the time spent both at the university and in the city and I would definitely recommend it to other students
Fabiola Santiago Pedrotti
(During my exchange at the University of Plymouth) I worked in the Microbiology Lab with Doctor Daniel Merrifield and Simon Davis, conducting molecular analysis from fish collected in Brazil. The total grant supported by UBC was £1,000 pounds, and this opportunity was very important for my personal evolution and certainly professional as well.
I appreciate the hospitality of Professor Simon Davis and Doctor Daniel Merrifield's help. Also the opportunity I had, thanks to the UBC grant. Thank you Manuela for everything.
Professor Mauricio Noernberg and Doctor Sam Lavender
Professor Mauricio Noernberg was awarded a Science without Border grant to work with Doctor Sam Lavender (Honorary Reader at University of Plymouth) at her company Pixalytics
As a result of their collaboration they presented a
- conference poster at the International Ocean Colour Science Meeting, EUMETSAT, in Darmstadt (Germany), 6-8 May 2013
- conference oral presentation at RSPSoc 2013, Glasgow (UK), 3-6 September 2013.
A peer-reviewed publication was also prepared.
Juliane Vegas
Juliane Vagas, came to the University of Plymouth from the Federal University of Espiritu Santo (UFES), Brazil.
She was using remote sensing chlorophyll and sea surface temperature data to characterise biophysical coupling off the Brazilian coast. She did a great job and her supervisor in Brazil was happy with her progress.
As part of her visit, she came with me to the Ocean Optics conference in Glasgow, and was offered a PhD position.