São Paulo – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva classified the inauguration this Tuesday (2) of Impa Tech, the first free undergraduate course at the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (Impa), as a “bicycle goal”. The ceremony, in the port region of Rio de Janeiro, marked the beginning of classes for the first Mathematics of Technology and Innovation class. The selection of students took place last year with 80% of the places allocated to students with the best performance in mathematics and physics Olympiads.
The project is a partnership between Impa, the federal government and the city of Rio de Janeiro. The objective is to train students from across the country to enter the technology and innovation market. Thus, there will be 100 students in the first year, with an estimated number of 400 in four years.
“I am the son of a woman who had eight children and I was the first to have a technical degree. Hence my obsession with public education. I always say that education is not a privilege for the rich, it is a right for everyone. Education is not an expense, it is an investment”, said Lula. In this sense, she saluted professor Suely Lima, creator of the Brazilian Public School Mathematics Olympiad (Obmep).
“If we don’t invest, we will hand over our young people for free to denialism and organized crime. We live in a delicate moment in the history of Brazil. I am 78 years old and I have not known any moment of denialism, hatred and fake news like the one we are experiencing today”, highlighted the president.
Innovation capital
“Our objective of the action is the training of qualified professionals. That’s why we’re going to look for the most talented young people in this country”, said Impa’s general director, Marcelo Viana. This year, Impa Tech has an investment of R$18.7 million from the federal government. Students will have a scholarship of R$500 and food assistance of R$1,290 per month. In addition, the institute will offer student accommodation for those over 18 years of age. The units will be under the care of the city hall.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos, highlighted that Mathematics is transversal and necessary in different areas of knowledge. She praised the federal government’s investments in the sector and remembered the Recife engineer Joaquim Cardozo.
“Mathematics is everywhere. When we look at the works of Oscar Niemeyer, we have to remember Joaquim Cardoso from Pernambuco. Niemeyer thought of that extraordinary architecture, but someone had to do the calculations,” he said.
Mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes thanked President Lula for his “love” for the Marvelous City. He then said that the intention is to transform the port region into an area focused on investments in technology.
“This technology hub will lead this innovation in Brazil. It joins other City Hall initiatives that aim to boost Rio throughout Brazil. Porto Maravalley will liven up and bring more life to this region of Porto Maravilha. By 2025, we will have almost 40 thousand residents here”, said Paes. He also confessed that he prepared his speech with the help of artificial intelligence.
Graduating and counting…
From Rolim de Moura, in the interior of Rondônia, Caio Victor Ferreira da Costa, a new student at Impa Tech, shared memories of his student life and spoke about the importance of Obmep.
“I like to think that everyone here started to count on the help of their parents, using their little fingers, even the great mathematicians present here, doctors and masters, started like this. And life is built from these small steps. And a very important stage in my life and in the lives of other colleagues who join Impa Tech today is Obmep”, he guaranteed.
“For a public school student, like me, it’s not just a medal. With a medal come recognition and opportunities. And I am here today thanks to these opportunities”, added the student.
Dredging works in Guanaba Bay
Lula also participated in the announcement of the start of dredging works on the São Lourenço Channel, in Niterói (RJ). The initiative expands waterway infrastructure access to the Niterói Industrial and Port Complex.
The work totals R$157 million in investments, with R$137 million coming from Niterói City Hall and R$20 million from Companhia Docas do Rio de Janeiro, a public company linked to the Federal Government.
Thus, the desilting of a section of Guanabara Bay, between Conceição Island and the Rio-Niterói Bridge, will increase the depth (draft) of the site from 7 to 11 meters, which will allow for an increase in the operational function of the shipyards, stimulation of new vessel constructions and the movement of the repair and offshore sector.
With information from Brazil Agency
