Where should Brazilian science and technology go in Lula’s government?

Luciana Santos advertisement for Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) The scientific community was greeted with optimism. The engineer has already announced that she intends to take back the role of the folder and fight for the recognition of Brazilian researchers.

As was evident in COVID-19 pandemicScience is essential to promotion Public Health Quality, including improvement of the Unified Health System (SUS), and management environmental risks which tends to increase in the future.

+ Read also: SUS: The Pride and Challenge of Brazil

But now, after four years of enduring budget cuts, management failures and public neglect, where is the MCTI headed in Lula’s government?

I put this question to Renato Jeanine Ribeiro, President of the Brazilian Association for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), former Minister of Education and Professor of Ethics and Political Philosophy at University of Sao Paulo (USP).

The answer is in the form of an article. Read below:

Science and technology priorities

Written by Renato Janine Ribeiro *

After the devastation inflicted on the country and in society by the most incompetent governments in our history, the measures to be taken were entirely consensual in the affected areas: to use Joe Biden’s expression, in the United States it is about “building back better” (Build back better).

In case Sciences And technology, some measures are urgent and I will include them, explaining that here we are talking about the scientific community and not about the government, but we are convinced that it is listening to us.

Perhaps that should be your first priority Reconstruction of stock market values From CNPq and CAPESwhich has not been modified since 2013, ten years later. It is crucial in keeping young talents on the course of scholarly studies.

In addition to increasing the value of scholarships, it will also be necessary raise their numberin order to resume the expansion of the contingent of scholars in Brazil.

Finally, we understand that it is only fair to grant scholarship holders Social Security rights, because many of them, as they are in graduate school, only begin to calculate their retirement time approaching 30. This issue clearly needs to be widely studied and discussed, but it would be reasonable and desirable for it to be equated for the duration of the current presidency.

Returning to priorities, in the famous “first hundred days”, MCTI, on the one hand, needs money, because The budget has been embezzled greatly. On the other hand, you need to restore the main character that you naturally enjoy in areas Science, technology and innovation.

It is necessary, as well as successful SUSin line with the proposal National education system, to constitute the national system of science, technology and innovation. The bill establishing the system should be widely discussed with government bodies and, above all, the scientific, technological and innovation community.

Likewise, the time has come to approve a new national strategy for science, technology and innovation, given that the 2016-2022 strategy expired in the last days of last year. The new version should increase from The role of humanities and social sciences in reducing social inequalitiesand it is a subject that should be a review of all proposed policies, and an emphasis on Conservation of Brazilian Biomesespecially the Amazon, but not only.

+ Read also: Interview: “Destruction in the Amazon threatens everyone’s health”

It’s also worth checking out the points standings; Defense is mentioned first in the current strategy and deserves to be retained, but not in this post. The absolute priority of the nation must be referred to the integrity of its people, which means The full inclusion of vulnerable, discriminated and excluded people as citizens – Which flag should he turn to?

This is what we expect from the new ministry and this is the contribution we are willing to make, as we have always done, even when those in power were hostile to our values.

In conclusion: For much of the 20th century, it was the great scientific invention that was celebrated Atomic bombsymbol for nuclear energy. In recent decades, at least in the scientific community, this role has been transferred to DNA, the symbol of life.

This is very symbolic: it is necessary to free science from the mortgage, from actions aimed at death, and make it clear Our focus is on improving lives. It does not kill. She lives and lives. Today’s scientific community has a strong moral conviction. This is where we go, where we will contribute and collect.

* Renato Jeanine Ribeiro is President of the Brazilian Association for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), Professor of Ethics and Political Philosophy at the University of São Paulo and former Minister of Education.