Purdue University Delegation Visits UFV
21 de March de 2026
On March 20, 2026, a delegation composed of seven representatives from Purdue University visited the Viçosa campus of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV). The delegation included Gerald Shively (Associate Dean and Director – International Programs in Agriculture), Thaisa Cantu-Jungles (Food Science), Fernanda Da Cunha (Agricultural & Biological Engineering), Siddhartho Paul (Agronomy), Sylvie Brouder (Agronomy), Carole Braund (Senior Program Manager – International Programs in Agriculture), and Heidi Arola (Assistant Vice President and Senior International).
The visitors arrived in Viçosa on the evening of March 19, when they attended a welcome dinner hosted by the Director of the Center for Agricultural Sciences, Professor Mário Chizzotti, with the presence of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Professor Raul Guedes, and the Director of International Relations, Professor Vladimir Di Iorio.
Activities began at 8:30 a.m. on March 20, with the delegation splitting into groups to visit the Departments of Agronomy, Agricultural Engineering, Food Technology, and Civil Engineering, according to their respective areas of expertise. The representatives holding administrative positions at Purdue University, Carole Braund and Heidi Arola, respectively followed the meetings at the Departments of Agronomy and Agricultural Engineering. In addition to discussions on general opportunities for academic cooperation, the meetings focused particularly on opportunities arising from a recent call for proposals launched by CAPES to fund joint research projects with Purdue University.
At 10:00 a.m., all members of the delegation gathered in the Main Hall of the Arthur Bernardes Building to attend the event “UFV in Three Moments: Past – Memory and Legacy.” On this occasion, the head of the delegation, Gerald Shively, served as a speaker in Panel 2: “The UFV–Purdue Agreement: A Defining Milestone in the Consolidation of Research and Graduate Education.”
After lunch, a brief institutional tour of the campus was conducted to present the University’s main facilities to the visitors. In the afternoon, activities resumed at 2:00 p.m., with meetings held at IDATA, BIOAGRO, the Department of Soil Science, and again at the Department of Food Technology. At 3:30 p.m., part of the delegation attended specific meetings at the Department of Forest Engineering and the Department of Food Technology, while the remaining members met at the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies with Vice President Raul Guedes and advisor Murilo Zerbini. During this meeting, strategies for institutional collaboration and ways to take advantage of the CAPES call were discussed.
The program with the Purdue University delegation concluded on March 20 with a dinner hosted by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. The visitors departed from Viçosa on the morning of March 21.
The visit reinforces the longstanding partnership between UFV and Purdue University, highlighting the potential for expanding collaboration in teaching, research, and innovation. By fostering dialogue among researchers and administrators from both institutions, the agenda contributes to the development of joint projects, the strengthening of graduate education, and the creation of new opportunities for academic mobility for students and faculty, in line with UFV’s internationalization strategy.
