FAPESP can contribute even more to innovation and development in São Paulo

This view was expressed by José Goldemberg, FAPESP's incoming President, in his inaugural address.

By Elton Alisson

Agência FAPESP – Throughout its 53-year history, FAPESP has played a fundamental role in raising the level of science and technology in São Paulo State by creating the conditions for its public universities and research institutions to train hundreds of thousands of researchers and specialists in every field and to make a significant contribution to the growth of ethanol production in Brazil, for example.

The institution has contributed even more to innovation and helped the state perform its role as promoter of development.

These views were expressed by physicist José Goldemberg in his inaugural address upon taking office as President of FAPESP on September 8 in a ceremony held at the Foundation’s headquarters in São Paulo City.

Goldemberg was appointed by Governor Geraldo Alckmin for a three-year term. The appointment decree was published in the São Paulo State Official Gazette on August 22.

In his inaugural address, Goldemberg emphasized the need to expand FAPESP’s activities and enhance coordination between the results of the research projects it supports and the research funding, development and innovation activities of other state and federal agencies, as well as companies.

“Today, FAPESP receives many thousands of applications for funding every year from researchers and candidates for study grants, as well as hundreds of firms, including startups. In all cases, it awards outright grants, which are non-repayable. This is rare in Brazil. It also has several cooperation programs with large corporations in which research is important,” Goldemberg said.

“It is urgent and necessary to expand these activities, which can pave the way to better coordination between research and the activities of the state government’s financing agencies, such as Desenvolve São Paulo [which supports small and medium business development] and Investe São Paulo [which promotes investment and competitiveness], as well as those of the federal government, such as the Brazilian Innovation Agency [FINEP], and BNDES, the national development bank, and with the private sector,” he said.

In the opinion of FAPESP’s new president, these official development agencies could substantially accelerate their operations if they based their decisions on FAPESP’s assessments of the technical feasibility of projects, just as state-owned and private-sector investment banks worldwide use the World Bank’s analyses as a “quality hallmark” and endorsement for their investment projects.

“The outstanding scientific and technological competencies of São Paulo’s universities and research institutions are a precious asset to which few developing countries can lay claim. We must protect and make better use of these competencies in order to resolve society’s problems,” Goldemberg said.

For Governor Geraldo Alckmin, who was present at the inauguration ceremony, FAPESP sets a shining example for Brazil’s other research funding agencies.

Because its research funding activities are paid for by São Paulo State’s taxpayers, he added, the results of the research projects it supports must be permanently evaluated in terms of their contribution to the development of the state as a whole.

“The results must be continuously evaluated,” Alckmin said, “to see how many patents are generated by the research projects funded, how much wealth and innovation, and the benefits for Dona Maria, who lives in Paraisópolis, and Senhor José, the people who pay the taxes that fund the research.”

José Goldemberg earned a PhD in physics from the University of São Paulo (USP) in 1954. He was President of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) from 1979 to 1981, President of Companhia Energética de São Paulo (CESP) from 1983 to 1986, and Rector of USP from 1986 to 1990.

He has served as Presidential Secretary for Science & Technology (1990-91), Minister of Education (1991-92), Acting Presidential Secretary for the Environment (1992), and São Paulo State Environment Secretary (2002-06).

He is Professor Emeritus at USP’s Energy & Environment Institute and Physics Institute and was a professor at the University of Paris (France) and Princeton University (USA). He is the author of many important articles and books on nuclear physics, energy and the environment.

He has won the KPCB Prize for Greentech Policy Innovators (2007); the Blue Planet Prize from Asahi Glass Foundation (Japan, 2007); the Trieste Science Prize from the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS, 2010); the Zayed Future Energy Prize in the Life Achievement category (2013); the Ruy Mesquita Professor Emeritus/Guerreiro Education Trophy (2014); and the 2014 Fundação Conrado Wessel (FCW) Prize for Science, Culture & Medicine in the Science category, awarded last June.

Goldemberg succeeds Celso Lafer, who was President of FAPESP for eight years beginning in August 2007 and whose term of office as a member of the Board of Trustees ended on September 7.

Lafer is Professor Emeritus of the University of São Paulo (USP) and a former Full Professor of its Law School’s Department of Philosophy & General Theory of Law. He has also served the Brazilian government as Foreign Minister and Minister of Development, Industry & Trade.

“Professor Goldemberg assumes new and important responsibilities with the authority of a great Brazilian scientist who has rendered outstanding services to the university community and throughout his life has succeeded in associating knowledge, action, leadership and sense of direction in the exercise of significant public duties in the state and federal spheres. These merits and virtues will make him an excellent President of FAPESP,” Lafer said in his valedictory address.

In addition to the governor and vice governor, the ceremony held to swear in the new President of FAPESP was attended by Vice President Eduardo Moacyr Krieger, Scientific Director Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, and Chief Financial Officer Joaquim José de Camargo Engler. Other officials participating included Emilia Maria Silva Ribeiro Curi, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation (MCTI), representing Minister Aldo Rebelo; São Paulo State Energy Secretary João Carlos de Souza Meirelles; Environment Secretary Patricia Iglesias; Social Development Secretary Floriano Pesaro; Marco Antonio Zago, Rector of USP; Hernan Chaimovich, President of the National Scientific & Technological Development Council (CNPq); Luis Fernandes, President of FINEP; Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge, Rector of São Paulo State University (UNESP); Carlos Vogt, President of São Paulo State Virtual University (UNIVESP); and members of FAPESP’s Board of Trustees.

José Goldemberg’s address can be read in Portuguese at www.fapesp.br/9739.