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- 3 - THE EXPERIMENTAL MODEL The Brazil Chemistry Program was begun in October l969 and ended â as a joint program â in December l976. The final report of the joint CNPq-NAS panel described the program mechanism as follows: "Senior Brazilian chemists chose U.S. colleagues with whom they wished to establish a productive cooperative research program based on compatibility of interests and availability of graduate students, instrumentation, and laboratory space. Since it was impossible to attract top-level U.S. senior chemists (who have continuing re- search programs with large groups of junior colleagues and students at their home institutions) to move to Brazil for long periods, young American Ph.D. chemists (usually from the laboratory of the senior U.S. professor), were selected by the U.S. and Brazilian scientists for assign- ment to Brazilian universities for two to three years. Their positions in Brazil were equivalent to those of assistant professors in the United States; they conducted specific research projects with Brazilian graduate students and taught courses in their research area. The senior U.S. professors participated in each project through semi- annual visits to Brazil and through continuing communi- cation with their Brazilian counterparts and with the young Americans for whom they were also responsible. Another aspect of the program was the emphasis placed on training Brazilian doctoral candidates in Brazil, rather than abroad. The reason for this was twofold: l) in order to train first-class Ph.D.s, the Brazilian institutions needed to modernize their laboratories and equipment; and 2) these upgraded facilities would be conducive to keeping trained Brazilians in Brazil by offering them good re- search facilities. The program was truly cooperative. The collaboration included both professors and institutions. The CNPq com- mitted itself to provide fellowships to Brazilian stu- dents, purchase necessary equipment and supplies, modernize
laboratory facilities, hire a full-time program coordina- tor, and find a continuous procedure to expedite importa- tion of small amounts of chemicals not available in Brazil. The NAS accepted the responsibility of finding financial resources to cover the travel of U.S. professors to Brazil for short visits; stipends and travel for the Fellows (American), including a three- to four-week ori- entation trip approximately six months prior to reloca- tion in Brazil, and scientific meetings in the United States; Portuguese language training in the United States; publication charges for papers written by the NAS Fellows; and salary for a full-time coordinator and secretarial assistance." The financial and material support for the program came from an interesting variety of governmental and private sponsors. On the Brazilian side, substantial contributions were made by agencies such as the CNPq, Ministry of Education and its Committee for Improvement of University Personnel (CAPES), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian National Development Bank (END), Fund for Special Studies and Projects (FINEP), and Sao Paulo Foundation for the Support of Science (FAPESP). From the United States side, contributions were made by the National Science Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Atlantic-Richfield Foundation, the Anderson Foundation, E.I. duPont de Nemours 6 Company, Inc., and the Atlantic Petroleum Company of Brazil. The U.S. Agency for International Development in Brazil played a key role in supporting the operating expenses of the program through a contractual agreement with the NAS and CNPq. Because of the need to base the program in Brazilian institutions with well-established undergraduate chemistry programs, and a nucleus of faculty and facilities able to take on new graduate programs, two universities were chosen â the University of Sao Paulo and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Senior professors at each university committed themselves to providing adminis- trative support and, in some cases, scientific support to elements of the Brazil Chemistry Program.
- 5 - The original program concept aimed for about five new research groups to be set up at the university in Sao Paulo, and five in Rio de Janeiro. After five to ten years, it was expected that the research programs would be self-sustaining and could continue with Brazilian faculty and support alone. It was understood that about seven years would be needed to begin producing Ph.D.s on a regular basis; one or two years would be required to get new laboratories in full operation, and four to five years for the normal cycle of graduate study, re- search and publication of results. Thus, the basic program design â the experimental model â was laid out as shown in figure l. Senior Brazilian and American chemists supervised the program and supported it administratively and scientifically. The principal operational support came from a staff coordinator in the NAS and a counterpart in the CNPq. Young American Ph.D.s â NAS Overseas Research Fellows â were recruited and placed in the two Brazilian uni- versities for two to three years to establish research and teaching in selected topics of chemistry. Brazilian graduate students were the targets and recipients of the program activities and represented potential new human resources in chemistry for the country. (In some cases, Brazilian students also came to the U.S. for specialized training.) The entire program structure was supported by a combination of Brazilian and American donors, both governmental and private. The senior American chemists serving as panel mem- bers were expected to be active participants in the program. It was planned that they would travel to Brazil several times a year to visit the elements of the pro- gram to which they were assigned, advise on research and teaching problems, and give lectures and seminars. (Other visiting lecturers also were incorporated into the pro- gram. ) Additionally, the American panelists were expect- ed to serve as sponsors or patrons for the NAS Fellows. They would help recruit and select the Fellows, provide working advice and guidance, and also try to be helpful to the Fellows in their search for a U.S. position at the end of their service in the program.
- 6 - In some instances, senior Brazilian professors visit- ed the U.S. to interview prospective NAS Fellows and help in their selection. The prospective Fellows also made an orientation visit to Brazil before committing themselves to the program.
