Alessandro Samuel-Rosa, whose family was uprooted from the agricultural heartland of Rio Grande do Sul when they had to sell their land, has forged a career in academia that owes much to public institutions and government support. His scientific pursuits focus on earth sciences, particularly deforestation and its detrimental effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) levels.

A Federal University of Santa Maria graduate, Alessandro holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a master’s degree in soil science. He continued his academic journey by earning a PhD in agronomy from the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro. Beyond his fascination with exact and earth sciences, Alessandro is committed to scientific research.  Since 2013, he has actively contributed to the Brazilian Society of Soil Science and the International Union of Soil Sciences. A passionate open science advocate, he has led SoilData, Brazil’s largest soil data repository, since 2018.

Currently, Alessandro shares his knowledge as a lecturer at the Federal Technological University of Paraná. He is married to Taciara, a fellow lecturer at the same institution but on a different campus. He has a weekly commute of 230 km to stay connected over winding dirt roads.