Steve Biko Institute
Diversity in Science
Founded in 1992 by Lázaro Passos Cunha and a group of Black teachers and students, the Steve Biko Cultural Institute was the first pre-university course in Brazil aimed specifically at Black students. The institute was created with the goal of bringing Black people into the academic world as a strategy for their social advancement and to combat racial discrimination.
Projects
The podcast will bring stories and curiosities about the works and trajectories of black scientists who have changed and are changing the tone of science in Brazil. The objective is to popularize knowledge and bring science closer to black youth based on understanding Afro-Brazilian contributions in the area.
From this proposal, we can translate the podcast’s name “Com Ciência Negra” as something like “With Black Knowledge”, considering that the original name plays with the Portuguese word consciência, which means “conscience” and the expression com ciência, “with science” in English.
Amount invested
The Oguntec Program, a partnership between the Steve Biko Cultural Institute, the Serrapilheira Institute, and the Ibirapitanga Institute, is a preparatory course that develops the technical content needed for academic entry into science and technology careers for Black students from the state of Bahia, Brazil. The program will offer 30 Junior Scientific Initiation scholarships in 2021 for a period of 24 months.
The program aims to promote the strengthening, development, and popularization of science, technology, and innovation among Bahia’s Black youth.
Amount invested
2021 Ibirapitanga Grant: R$ 500,000.00
Grant 2024: R$ 50.000,00
