Larissa Violin and Daiane Manholer represent UEM at Canadian universities with global impact researches
With dedication to research and the courage to cross borders, students at the State University of Maringá (Universidade Estadual de Maringá - UEM) are taking big steps toward the international academic community. Larissa Celine Violin, biomedicine student, and Daiane Domingos Manholer, master's student in comparative biology, for example, were awarded grants to study in Canada.
Larissa Violin, a grant recipient from the Scientific Initiation Institutional Scholarship Program (Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação Científica - Pibic) and a biomedicine undergraduate student, has her bags packed and is ready to head to the University of Lethbridge in Canada. Through the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship program, she will spend four months conducting research on the effects of stress on brain development. Coincidentally, she will be welcomed at the same laboratory where, ten years ago, Silvana Regina de Melo, professor at the Department of Morphological Sciences (Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas - DCM) and member of the same research group, completed her postdoctoral studies.
Larissa Violin
“This grant reinforces the idea that our research is internationally relevant and motivates us to continue with this important topic. Trying to understand why some forms of stress leave such deep marks on the brains of some people is something that obviously has an impact on society as a whole,” Silvana points out.
Daiane Manholer has taken a different path, but with a similar destination. After standing out during her undergraduate studies in Biological Sciences with research on the southern right whale, she was accepted into the master's program at UEM and is currently conducting research on the impacts of boat tourism on this endangered marine species.
Daiane Manholer in Canada
Since January 2024, Daiane has been in Canada doing an internship at Dalhousie University through the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP). There, she is refining her research focusing on estimates of the energy expenditure of these mammals—a step that could influence public policies aimed at conserving the species.
“This international experience has greatly enriched my journey in the master’s degree program. I learn every day, whether at the university or through interaction with other cultures. I will return to Brazil with knowledge that goes beyond science,” says Daiane.
How to secure a grant abroad?
According to Bruno Razza, head of the Division of International Projects at the International Cooperation Office (Escritório de Cooperação Internacional - ECI), there is now a consolidated structure at UEM to guide students, faculty members, and technicians in their search for academic mobility opportunities, especially those with financial support. The focus is on democratizing access to grants, exchanges, and funding programs.
“We have an international opportunities page with almost 200 funding institutions listed in more than 50 countries, as well as active Instagram channels and a newsletter for graduate programs,” explains Razza. The service is personalized: interested parties can schedule in-person or remote consultations with the Office team.
The ECI also screens the most relevant calls for applications postings and supports candidates from the first steps through document verification and application submission. “Our goal is to show that this reality is indeed possible for our students,” he states.
It is important to note that this work is not exclusive to the Division of International Projects. While this division works mainly on specific funding calls, the Division of Academic Mobility also provides general assistance to students participating in the calls for applications issued every two months by ECI. “In this way, we are able to guarantee comprehensive and coordinated support, meeting different demands and candidate profiles and strengthening UEM’s institutional internationalization strategy,” adds Razza.
Promising destinations
Even with the absence of consolidated statistical data on all grants obtained by UEM members, due to the decentralized nature of these processes, the institutional perception is clear: the number of students and faculty who have international experiences is growing—and many with the support of ECI.
The team has also invested in strengthening partnerships in Latin America, promoting lower-cost academic mobility and breaking down the idea that internationalization means only going to Europe or the United States. “Internationalization must be accessible. Our strategy includes publicizing opportunities in Spanish, strengthening ties with universities in South America, and also working with the concept of internationalization at home,” emphasizes Razza.
For students, the benefits of an international experience go far beyond their curriculum. “When preparing for an application, students reflect on their career path, design projects, develop global skills, and strengthen their professional profile,” says the manager, who adds: “They return with new perspectives, methodologies, and contacts that impact their research groups and inspire colleagues.”
According to him, experiences abroad also generate significant institutional impacts: they expand collaboration networks, strengthen scientific production, and raise the institution's prestige in international rankings and partnerships.
Information
To learn more about the international opportunities available at UEM, visit: www.eci.uem.br
Instagram: @eci.uem
In-person and online appointments can be scheduled with the Division of International Projects.
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ou This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone number: (44) 3011-4441
Translation team:
Felipe Amorim Piva
Julia Pedriali Rosa