EDITORIAL
The Summer School in Pharmacognosy 2010
The Summer School is an excellent tool that the Brazilian Society of Pharmacognosy is using for teaching, preparing and building up professionals in the field of Pharmacognosy. Using the available spaces of universities on summer vacation, the School has the ability to provide a multidisciplinary environment that encourages debate, the circulation of ideas and discussion on topics relating to medicinal plants. At the same time, it allows interaction between students and professionals working on the state of the art of several fields of research related to the theme in order to explore experiences, career opportunities in academia, the challenges and frustrations of scientific research, and also the training of young researchers to experience how to become a member of a scientific community working at the forefront of science.
The SBFgnosia, considering that the year 2010 was consecrated as the International Year of Biodiversity by UNESCO, the high Brazilian socio-biodiversity, the recent National Policy on Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines and the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices, the establishment of the National Institute Science and Technology for Pharmaceutical Innovation (INCT_if) and its network of Bioactive Natural Products, and the necessity to reduce national dependence on imported medicines, prioritizing investment in qualification of the labor force in the area of bioprospection and exploitation of biodiversity, found in the Summer School an excellent opportunity to strengthen and expand the activities of the society bringing together researchers from all over the country, studying and learning pharmacognosy.
Our proposal for a "Summer School in Pharmacognosy" is in an itinerant and annual format , in order to address major Brazilian biomes: Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon. The Aim is to valorize and integrate the major biological and cultural differences in Brazil, involving discussions on biodiversity and its correct bioprospection and exploitation of renewable natural resources.
The "Summer School in Pharmacognosy in 2010" will be based at the UFSC, Florianopolis, and will be held from 7 to 12 February, being formed by a set of ten intensive courses and seven conferences focused on the area of Pharmacognosy. The EVF2010 attracted more than 300 students from different educational and research institutions all over Brazil, using only the worldwide network of computers as a dissemination tool. Of the total subscribers, about 50% are undergraduate students, 40% are graduate students and 10% as professionals working in the area.
We hope this experience will demonstrate, implement and deepen the education one receives in the classroom of Pharmacognosy in Brazil for a better understanding of the scientific process in order to improve the students abilities and their critical thinking, including learning to evaluate science.
More information about the Summer School in 2010 Pharmacognosy, please visit www.sbfgnosia.org.br/escoladeverão/principal.html.
Maique W. Biavatti e Cid Aimbiré M. Santos
Editors
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
19 May 2010 -
Date of issue
Dec 2009
