Article
Reference
Analytical chemistry in Brazil, open to the World?
FILELLA, Montserrat
FILELLA, Montserrat. Analytical chemistry in Brazil, open to the World? Brazilian Journal of Analytical Chemistry , 2012, vol. 7, p. XXI
Available at:
http://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:22875
Disclaimer: layout of this document may differ from the published version.
1 / 1
XVII
www.brjac.com.br
P oint of v iEw
a nalytiCal ChEmistry in Brazil , oPEn to thE world ?
Attending a scientific conference in Brazil, like the last ENQA in Campos do Jordão, is a revitalising experience for somebody coming from ‘old’ Europe, where the environment scientists are working in is increasingly harsh and competitive due to the combined effects of the never- ending economic crisis and the long transition from the post-war where governments acted as patrons to one where the onus is on scientists to constantly seek funding. Perhaps my initial, somewhat naïve, impression was influenced by the myth of America as a land of promise, and discussions with Brazilian colleagues on ‘day-to-day’ science tempered it. Nevertheless, seeing so many motivated young scientists, such a high percentage of women, and the energy and commitment of the organisers has borne out my initial positive impression.
A second striking impression is that Brazilians share a strong feeling of developing a ‘national science’. Of course, the size of the country and the strength of its economy allows for this. It is no secret that scientific research is often driven not solely by curiosity but often by local interests.
Even when pure curiosity was probably a stronger driving force in science than nowadays, discoveries were linked to national characteristics. Consider, for example, the high number of chemical elements discovered in Sweden thanks to the importance of the mining industry at the time the discoveries were made. The link between national ‘interests’ and scientific research peaked during the Second World War and the Cold War, when military and economic interests drove research both in the USA and the USSR, but it is still present, with China verging on overtaking the USA as a scientific power. It is thus understandable that in an emerging economy such as Brazil, research is closely tied to local characteristics and needs, such as the agribusiness industry (more than 35 % of Brazilian exports) or oil production (Petrobas is Latin America’s largest company). This is particularly apparent in a discipline such as analytical chemistry which, by its very nature, spans basic and applied science and is crucial to ‘getting the science right’ in many different fields.
However, while it is not independent of geopolitical realities, science is by definition a human endeavour that does not respect borders; free communication of scientific ideas and results is part and parcel of scientific research. Research, whether guided by pure curiosity or by commercial interests, builds on the knowledge of those who came before us, irrespective of their origin. As Isaac Newton reminded Robert Hooke, “If we have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”. For both sharing our own results and keeping up with advances, a lingua franca in science, such as English is nowadays, should be considered an asset rather than an imposition or a nuisance, as I got the impression is sometimes the case in Brazil today. I believe that it is absurd to resist the use of English in science, be it on the grounds of 19th century nationalism, 20th century anti-imperialism or 21st century anti-globalization. In my own country I was myself forced to attend school and university in a language that was not my mother tongue, and so am very sensitive to the importance for the speakers of any language of being able to use it in any field of human endeavour, including science. However, there is no contradiction in using English to share knowledge with the research community while using your Portuguese, and my Catalan, in other key aspects of science such as informing political decisions, providing education and popularising science. Such an approach will be of benefit to both our countries and to ourselves.
Prof. Montserrat Filella University of Geneva – Geneva, Switzerland
