New Funding Initiatives and Mobilizations Bolster Public Research Support in Brazil

Brazil is witnessing significant developments in support of its scientific community, with new funding programs launching alongside strong mobilizations advocating for enhanced public research investment. Central to these efforts is the Programa de Apoio à Fixação de Doutores no Brasil — Conhecimento Brasil (Profix-CB), which is now inviting researchers to submit proposals aimed at reinforcing the presence of PhD professionals in strategic areas across multiple states. Public calls for this program have been issued by the Fundações de Amparo à Pesquisa (Faps) from eight states including Amapá, Ceará, Pará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Sergipe, and São Paulo. The program benefits from wide collaboration, with 23 out of 27 state foundations signing agreements with the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). Under Profix-CB, CNPq will grant R$ 13,000 scholarships for doctor retention, while the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes) will provide one master’s and one doctoral scholarship per approved project. Additionally, Faps are expected to offer further support depending on their budget capacities.

Parallel to these funding initiatives, the Sindsep-AM union has strengthened its mobilization efforts in defense of public science, participating in a rally during the 78th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science (SBPC) held at the Federal University of Fluminense in Niterói. The event, organized by the National Forum of Representative Entities of Science and Technology Workers, drew researchers, workers, and students to advocate for increased funding and beacons such as public competitions to sustain research careers. Participants circulated a letter addressing the alarming underfunding and budget cuts affecting Brazil’s science and technology institutions, citing impacts on key research centers including the National Institute of Amazonian Research (Inpa). Jorge Lobato, communication secretary of Sindsep-AM, highlighted the critical nature of these challenges, emphasizing the need for community engagement to bolster public research institutions. The union linked the defense of public science intrinsically to the valorization of public service and underscored the essential contributions of institutions like Inpa to biodiversity, climate change research, and sustainable development.

These combined steps reflect a robust and coordinated effort within Brazil’s scientific landscape to enhance funding opportunities for researchers, secure operational resources for public research institutions, and strengthen the overall ecosystem of science, technology, and innovation in the country.