“The flag in Brazil depends on who owns the pen”

For the first time, a woman has just been elected to the presidency of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, which is headed by men for the last 105. The new president, Unifesp biomedical medicine Helena Nader, will take office at the beginning of May and should last until 2025

VEJA spoke to Helena about the state of the flag in Brazil, the epidemic and denial.

What is your goal as the new president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences?

My greatest desire is to continue the fight for education, science, technology and innovation in Brazil. I want to make these branches part of a project for the state of Brazil, not of a government that depends on who is in power. I would also like to be a role model for girls and women to show that doing science and doing research is very important and fun, it’s a career that brings many accomplishments. A woman can get anywhere she wants, just say “I will” and face obstacles. They should break down doors or build side doors if necessary, but never accept a “no”.

What is the impact of the pandemic on global and Brazilian science?

The main effect was to unite researchers around the world and within the country. In Brazil, the value of the flag is becoming clear. The population, through the role of the media, had access to opinion, clarification and information from scholars, which was necessary at the time. Today we see that the vast majority of Brazilians believe in scientists. Despite all the harmful and often harmful publicity, people accepted the vaccine, and wanted to get vaccinated, showing that the science in Brazil and the culture of the importance of the vaccine is well established. It can always get better, but compared to other places in the world the difference is huge and it’s in our favour.

How has science changed in recent years?

The pandemic has also shown that without basic basic research, we do not have access to advanced technology. The vaccine itself has come from adaptations of basic knowledge and technologies that already exist. This process has never been faster because there was not a lot of information accumulated and ready to use. The knowledge and methodology was already there. The past few years have highlighted the need for continued investment in science and technology.

Is Brazil investing enough in science?

Here, investments in science are cyclical, starting and stopping. It’s very hard to evolve, and yet we produce good science, if not for century-old institutions like Vuecruz we wouldn’t have.

Is the trend that science is increasingly being valued?

I’m pretty sure of that. With the pandemic, the former First World began to invest more in science. The same thing happened with the BRICS countries. But in Brazil, no. Here, science still depends on who has the pen in hand. It is not state policy, and it should be. There are reports showing that investing in basic sciences is the only way to solve the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, but despite this, Brazil has chosen not to invest its resources in science and technology. can not be explained.

How do we combat misinformation about science and give the public a proper understanding of its importance and reliability?

We have to show proof. Controversy with deniers is not resolved. Misinformation is often associated with a religious or political belief or position, which can be difficult to resolve. In cases such as parents who refuse to vaccinate their children, the responsible person should be seen as irresponsible and charged with the Child and Adolescent Act. You need a firm attitude. A child may not be subjugated to the beliefs of others, even if they are his parents. With anti-vaccine behavior in some older adults, it is either political ideology or misinformation. Part of the blame lies in an outdated and now completely unproven study that has linked vaccines to the development of autism in children. The research was baseless, but it remained in the subconscious of some people. To combat this, we must bring in data and show evidence. If the problem is ideological, I find it almost impossible to convince the task, but we must try. We must remember that smallpox was eradicated by a vaccine. Polio was terrible before vaccination. just look. But for this dialogue to take place, there has to be someone who wants to listen and another who wants to explain.

Is Brazil a good country to be a scientist?

It saddens me to say no, but I think it can be reversed. For example, we researchers rely a lot on a student who works with us, and in return receives a scholarship. These scholarships, in most fields, require exclusive dedication, but the value is not enough to survive, it has been without any modification for eight years. There are a lot of resources for parliamentary activities, but don’t we have the resources to fund those who are building the future of science, and thus the Brazilian economy? We can no longer accept this kind of thing. We need to remember that at election time, to choose well who will act on our behalf. In addition to work, the Brazilian scientist has to constantly prove why science is important, rebelling against limitations … In this sense, the researcher in Brazil performs multiple tasks.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a scientist in Brazil today?

I tell the young man that we will reverse this negative scenario. I have not given up on Brazil. Science is a wonderful profession. With each new question or experience, the answer can either support what the scientist was thinking or lead or steer them in a different direction. As scientists, we are always looking to understand something, which is amazing. We spend our entire professional life looking for solutions. Besides, we are our bosses. I ask young people to come with us to be a part of this building of a better Brazil and to reverse the current situation so that Brazil realizes that science is an investment, not an expense.