At an extraordinary meeting held on Thursday, December 26, 2024, the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) Board of Directors elected Marcela Flores as Chairman of the Center’s Board of Directors. Elected unanimously, Marcela Flores is the first woman to hold the position. She succeeds Prof. Rogério Cerqueira Leite, who died on December 1st of this year. The election follows the CNPEM Statute, in which, in the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the Council must elect a successor within 30 days of the vacancy starting.
The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos, reacted to the result: “The election of Marcela Flores – who will be the first woman to chair the Board of Directors of Brazil’s main research facility – is excellent news for all of us who are fighting for a more diverse science and for a greater female presence in spaces of power and prominence. I wish great success to the new president, who will take over with the mission of bringing CNPEM closer to the productive sector and the companies that invest in innovation.”
Marcela is President of ANPEI – National Association for Research and Development of Innovative Companies. In 2023, she received the National Medal of Scientific Merit, awarded by the President of the Republic, for contributions to the development of science in the country. With a degree in Business Administration, a postgraduate degree in Strategic Management of Technological Innovation from Unicamp and membership of the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC), Marcela has extensive experience in innovation, public policy, international relations, diversity and gender equity, intellectual property, climate change and artificial intelligence. She acts as a pro bono advisor to various Brazilian and European entities, including the FNDCT – National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development, CCT – National Council for Science and Technology, CNPEM, SEBRAE, CGEE, CNPq and Enrich Global.
After the election, the new President of CNPEM’s Board of Directors, Marcela Flores, declared: “Taking over the presidency of CNPEM’s Board of Directors is an honor and a challenge that I face with enthusiasm and responsibility. Succeeding the legacy of Professor Rogério Cezar de Cerqueira Leite is inspiring, and my commitment is to work to further strengthen this institution, which is a national asset. My management will be based on the pillars of ethics, transparency, collaboration, diversity, equity and a closer connection with the productive sector, ensuring that CNPEM continues to be a benchmark in scientific excellence and innovation, with the boldness needed to reach new frontiers of impact and development.”
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. It is responsible for operating the Brazilian Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), and Biorenewables (LNBR) National Laboratories, as well as the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in science and technology with support from the Ministry of Education (MEC).