Since its creation, Serrapilheira has been consolidating partnerships with public and private institutions. Learn more:

Academia Brasileira de Ciências (ABC)

Since 2024, the Serrapilheira Institute has been an institutional member of the Academia Brasileira de Ciências (ABC). As an institutional member, Serrapilheira participates in activities promoted by ABC that address topics of mutual interest. The Institute’s membership in ABC also strengthens the partnership between entities committed to scientific progress and includes financial support for the academy’s activities.

Companhia das Letras/Zahar

The partnership between Serrapilheira and the publishing house Companhia das Letras has already resulted in two books on scientific dissemination. In 2019, the Portuguese version of “Ignorance: How It Drives Science” was released in Brazil. In the book, neuroscientist Stuart Firestein argues that the driving force behind science is not knowledge, but rather doubts and uncertainties about everything we do not know. Learn more.

In 2022, physicist Rafael Chaves launched the book “Quantum Uncertainty: The Mysteries of a Theory and the New Information Age,” published by Zahar in partnership with Serrapilheira, about the most successful theory in physics: quantum physics. Chaves began his scientific outreach two years earlier, writing for Serrapilheira’s blog in Folha de S.Paulo, Ciência Fundamental (Fundamental Science).

Confap and FAPs

Serrapilheira has established partnerships with the  Conselho Nacional das Fundações Estaduais de Amparo à Pesquisa (Confap) and with the FAPs of São Paulo (Fapesp), Rio de Janeiro (Faperj), and Santa Catarina (Fapesc), with the aim of expanding support for young scientists in the states.

These partnerships can take two forms: through co-financing, Serrapilheira and the FAPs can jointly support scientists selected through the institute’s public call for applications. Through unilateral support from the FAPs, scientists from their respective states who reach the final stage of the Serrapilheira selection process but do not receive support from the institute due to budget constraints will be able to receive funds from the foundations.

Folha de S.Paulo

In January 2020, we launched the blog Ciência Fundamental (Fundamental Science) in partnership with Folha de S.Paulo, where scientists from different backgrounds reflect on fundamental issues in their fields. With this project, we aim to give visibility to young researchers of excellence and encourage them to develop their communication skills with diverse audiences.

Funarbe – Fundação Arthur Bernardes

The Fundação Arthur Bernardes is responsible for transferring our funds to grantees. Together with Funarbe, we advocate for the reduction of bureaucracy in science, in order to streamline processes and allow scientists to have freedom and time for their research.

GIFE

In 2020, Serrapilheira strengthened its partnership with GIFE  (Grupo de Institutos, Fundações e Empresas), a network it has been part of since 2017. The two institutions have been joining forces to amplify the science agenda in the third sector and discuss what private social investment can do for this cause. We also participated in the 11th GIFE Congress, collaborating in the organization of an online panel in September 2020 on the theme “Social investment in science and information.”

Instituto Ibirapitanga

In 2021, Serrapilheira began co-financing projects in partnership with the Ibirapitanga Institute, which is dedicated to racial equity and food systems. Two projects have joint support: the Oguntec Program, conceived and conducted by the Instituto Cultural Steve Biko in Salvador (BA), promotes a preparatory course for students who wish to pursue careers in science and technology in higher education. The Observatório das Ações Afirmativas na Pós-Graduação (OBAAP), coordinated by political scientist Anna Carolina Venturini, is a national database of graduate programs with affirmative action policies.

In 2023, we will jointly support Agência Pública, Lobby na Comida, and Repórter Brasil.

Capes Thesis Award

We believe that gestures of recognition for the work of young researchers committed to excellence are extremely important. For this reason, we participated in the 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, and 2025 editions of the Capes Thesis Award, funding two of the three main prizes awarded to the authors of the best doctoral theses.

Programa Atlânticas/Ministério da Igualdade Racial (MIR)

The initiative “Atlânticas – Programa Beatriz Nascimento de Mulheres na Ciência”, from the Ministry of Racial Equality, aims to increase the presence of black, indigenous, quilombola, and gypsy women in science by granting sandwich doctorate and post-doctorate scholarships abroad. Launched with the support of other ministries and the CNPq, the program also provides training activities such as mentoring, networking, and language improvement support, among others. Serrapilheira is a partner in the initiative with support of R$ 202.004,09.

Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (SBPC)

In 2022, Serrapilheira joined the Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (SBPC) as an institutional partner. The institution traditionally brings together people and institutions linked to the scientific community and is an important coordinator in the fight for the political recognition of science in Brazil. Since 2023, Serrapilheira has been one of the sponsors of the Carolina Bori Science & Women Award, which aims to promote women’s scientific production in order to increase female participation in future generations of scientists.

The Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)

Interested in promoting best practices in the evaluation of academic research, Serrapilheira is a signatory to The Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). The declaration, which recognizes the need to improve the ways in which academic research results are evaluated, was developed in 2012 during the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in San Francisco. It has become a worldwide initiative that encompasses all academic disciplines and all major stakeholders, including funders, publishers, professional societies, institutions, and researchers.

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Faperj

In partnership with the Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Faperj), Serrapilheira launched a public call for proposals aimed at black and indigenous scientists. The goal is to stimulate the exchange of ideas among scientists—who, in the case of this call, work specifically in ecology. Selected candidates join research groups in the state of Rio de Janeiro in which they have neither graduated nor worked before and receive a monthly stipend of R$8,000, in addition to up to R$700,000 to fund their research for three years, renewable for two more years. An additional R$ 100,000 is available specifically for the integration and training of people from groups underrepresented in research teams.

ICTP-SAIFR

In 2021, Serrapilheira launched its first program aimed at scientists who have not yet completed their doctorate: Training in Quantitative Biology and Ecology, currently Training in Quantitative Ecology. The program was launched in partnership with the South American Institute for Fundamental Research (ICTP-SAIFR) and came with the mission of preparing future scientists for research in ecology with a focus on the use of mathematics, physics, and computer science. The idea is to harness the potential of Brazil—a country that is home to the greatest biodiversity on the planet—and, in the long term, create a generation of highly qualified young people to deal with its challenges. The institute was a partner until the 2023 edition. Starting in 2024, the training program will take place in Rio de Janeiro.

IDOR

In 2020, Serrapilheira and the D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR) jointly invested R$ 5 million in five research projects aimed at understanding and finding solutions for Covid-19. Coordinated by scientists from UFRJ, USP, UFMG, Fiocruz, and IDOR, the projects fell into three broad areas: viral biology, mathematical models, and immunology. The partnership provided for interdisciplinary collaboration between the two institutes through the sharing of data and different areas of expertise among the professionals involved.

The Weizmann Institute of Science

Serrapilheira, the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), and the Weizmann Institute of Science signed a partnership in 2018 to encourage collaboration between researchers in Brazil and the prestigious Israeli institution and promote cutting-edge scientific cooperation. Serrapilheira donated US$140,000 (R$663,891.81 at the time) to Weizmann. Learn more.