Rector of Brazilian University to Speak at Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Maria Lucia Cavalli Neder, rector of the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Cuiaba, Brazil, will discuss teaching and research collaborations between her university and The Ohio State University on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m. Rector is a similar position to president. The seminar is free and open to the public in 333 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road in Columbus.

Neder has led Mato Grosso since 2008 and also serves as president of Brazil’s National Association of Directors of Federal Institutions of Higher Education. More than 34,000 students attend her university, which includes campuses in five cities.

While visiting, Neder will also meet with Ohio State President Michael V. Drake, Caroline Whitacre, senior vice president for research, and Bruce McPheron, provost.  

Her visit follows a series of lectures on carbon sequestration given by Rattan Lal, director of Ohio State’s Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, at Mato Grosso over a two-week period in June.

“The purpose of her visit is to strengthen collaborations between our two universities,” Lal said. “They’ve expressed interest in student and faculty exchanges and strengthening research on soil carbon, soil health, climate change mitigation, and adaptation and conservation agriculture and other topics of mutual interest, such as the participation of undergrads in internship programs at Ohio State.”

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