The Brazilian-German Frontiers of Science and Technology (BRAGFOST) Symposia are a series of interdisciplinary, binational conferences jointly conducted by the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Funding on the German side is provided by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
The conference brings together around 60 outstanding young researchers from Brazil and Germany working in different fields of sciences and engineering. They share knowledge across disciplines and take the opportunity to work on future Brazilian-German cooperations. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation supports such collaborative work with its special follow-up programme CONNECT which funds working visits in the partner countries for up to 30 days.
The scientific program of the symposium is designed by an organizing committee comprised of five Brazilian and five German researchers. Conference co-chairs for the BRAGFOST Symposium 2024 are Maria Carolina Quecine Verdi, University of Sao Paulo and Susanne Zibek, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart.
This year’s symposium will frame the topic Entering a sustainable future.
Participation is by invitation only.
List of Sessions
Artificial intelligence as support for a sustainable future
Session Chairs: Mariza Ferro, Federal University Fluminense & Abhinav Valada, University of Freiburg
Speakers:
"Towards a more sustainable future: Machine Learning for decision making in energy systems"
Nicole Ludwig, University of Tuebingen
"Artificial intelligence for a sustainable future: Trends and challenges in the public services"
Fabio Manoel Franca Lobato, Federal University of Western Para
"Opportunities and challenges of sustainable AI"
Tatiana Nogueira Rios, Federal University of Bahia
"AI and Data Science in Earth observation for social good"
Xiaoxiang Zhu, TU Munich
The future sources of protein for our human food supply
Session Chairs: Vilasia Guimaraes Martins, Federal University of Rio Grande & Jan Paul Lindner, University of Augsburg
Speakers:
"Is it possible to combine sustainable exploration and production of alternative plant-based proteins through the full use of native raw materials?"
Mariana Buranelo Egea, Federal Institute Goiano - Campus Rio Verde
"Technological challenges of emerging alternative proteins: algae, insects, microorganisms and cultured meat"
Fabiana Andrea Barrera Galland, Institute of Food Technology
"Entry into a new development stage for protein-based cheese alternatives"
Isabel Muranyi, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV
"Market challenges of plant proteins"
Dominic Lemken, University of Bonn
Production and use of sustainable textiles
Session Chairs: Fabio Alexandre Pereira Scacchetti, Federal University of Technology of Parana & Iris Elser, German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research
Speakers:
"Responsible Brazilian Cotton | Certification sustainability program objectives and the current challenges to overcome"
Fernando Rati, Brazilian Cotton Growers Association
"Textile waste is raw material!! It is not trash!!"
Francisca Dantas Mendes, University of Sao Paulo
"Towards a circular economy: AI innovations in textile waste sorting"
Karsten Pufahl, TU Berlin
"Release and reduction of fibrous microplastic from textiles"
Kristina Klinkhammer, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences
Our future with sustainable plastic
Session Chairs: Ana Elizabeth Cavalcante Fai, State University of Rio de Janeiro & Philip Moerbitz, Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT
Speakers:
"BIO-PLASTICS EUROPE: Exploring perspectives, risks and solutions offered by Bio-based Plastics in Europe"
Jelena Barbir, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
"Unlocking the potential of microbes in the upcycling process of fossil-based plastics into biodegradable biopolymers"
Sebastian Koebbing, RWTH Aachen University
"Don´t waste food waste: Materializing (macro) molecules and biocolloids from agricultural side streams"
Caio Gomide Otoni, State University of Campinas
"Sustainable bioplastics research: Advances, environmental impacts, and challenges"
Otniel Freitas-Silva, Embrapa Food Technology
This symposium is part of the Frontiers of Research Programme of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The Foundation regularly convenes bi- and tri-national Frontiers of Research Symposia in cooperation with its partner organisations in Brazil, China, Japan, India, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.