On September 30, Professor Ana Flávia Nogueira (UNICAMP)—director and researcher at CINE—received the José Arana Varela Award from the Brazilian Materials Research Society (B-MRS) in recognition of her scientific career, which has been marked by impactful contributions to the development of materials for emerging photovoltaic technologies.

Established in 2019, this honor is awarded annually to an outstanding, well-established researcher affiliated with a Brazilian institution. The award is named in honor of Professor José Arana Varela, a prominent Brazilian materials scientist who passed away in 2016.

“Receiving the José Arana Varela Award is a tremendous honor for me, for several reasons,” says Professor Ana Flávia. “First, because it represents recognition from the scientific society with which I most strongly identify, B-MRS. Second, because the award honors an incredible scientist with whom I even co-authored a highly original and frequently cited paper. Furthermore, it signifies recognition from my peers for the work I have carried out throughout my career—conducting high-quality research and mentoring many excellent students—despite all the setbacks I faced early on,” she explains.

The award was presented by Ieda Garcia dos Santos, Administrative Director of B-MRS, at the Teatro Positivo in Curitiba (state of Parana) during the XXIV B-MRS Meeting—an international event organized by the society. At the ceremony, Ana Flávia received an award plaque and delivered a plenary lecture to an audience of approximately nine hundred people.

During her talk, the scientist presented the contributions her research group has made to the development of halide perovskites for use in solar cells. One of the presentation’s key focuses was to showcase advanced experiments that uncovered fundamental mechanisms responsible for the crystallization and instability of perovskites. Furthermore, the talk addressed strategies developed by the group aimed at mitigating the degradation of these materials and enabling their production on an industrial scale.

Professor Ana Flávia is a regular participant in B-MRS Meetings, where she has an extensive track record as an organizer of symposia on materials for energy applications. Additionally, she served as a general coordinator for the 15th edition of the event in 2016.

“I hope this award serves as an inspiration to other researchers, especially women early in their careers. After all, I am a scientist, a professor, and a mother… We women balance many roles as a single individual. And I can tell you that we can make it. Our path may still be more difficult, but I believe that, in a few generations, equity in science will be achieved,” says Ana Flávia.