Unaerp welcomed representatives from the Municipal Secretariat of the Environment on Tuesday, February 6, to formalize a technical-scientific cooperation agreement aimed at optimizing environmental processes and conserving natural resources. This partnership seeks to offer technical solutions to the Ribeirão Preto community and reduce the impacts of human actions on the environment.

Attendees included AERP Chancellor, Alicia Maria Bonini Ribeiro; AERP Treasurer, Gregório Bonini; Unaerp's Rector, Professor Suzelei de Castro França; Municipal Secretary of the Environment, Laurindo Antônio da Silva; Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Biotechnology, Professor Mozart de Azevedo Marins; Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Environmental Technology, Professor Murilo Innocentini; Coordinator of the Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Program, Professor José Guilherme Pascoal de Souza; Coordinator of the Biotechnology Unit, Professor Ana Maria Soares Pereira; and Cristina Paschoalato, faculty member of the Chemical Engineering program and coordinator of the Water Resources Laboratory.

Unaerp's partnership with the Municipal Secretariat of the Environment aims to reduce the impacts of human actions on the environment

Professor Suzelei, Unaerp's rector, expressed that the meeting and the signing of the cooperation agreement symbolize the culmination of discussions between university researchers and municipal officials. She stated, "Everyone is committed to finding increasingly better solutions for the environmental issues affecting the people of Ribeirão Preto. The institution has been meticulous in training professionals dedicated to environmental work and the utilization of natural resources, solid waste management, protection of our aquifer, and who fulfill their roles committed to social well-being."

Laurindo Antônio da Silva highlighted the potential positivity of a partnership between public administration and the environment, emphasizing its benefits across various aspects. He remarked, "We have a wide field in environmental matters to explore, from everyday issues to more complex ones. Currently, we are being challenged by issues like global warming, and when we establish partnerships like this, we have both ideas and practical applications of knowledge, enabling effective studies."

The rector of Unaerp, professor Suzelei, states that the signing of the cooperation agreement is the culmination of a series of negotiations carried out by the University and municipal employees

Professor José Guilherme, coordinator of the Chemical Engineering program, added that one of the cooperation's objectives is to address the demands of the Environmental Secretariat. He stated, "We know that these demands often require assistance, so we are forming this alliance. These agreements are not only with the Municipality but also with local companies, such as those in the water and industrial sectors, enabling us to engage students in solving everyday problems. Industries also have the opportunity to enter agreements and benefit from these opportunities."

One of the cooperation's objectives is to address the demands of the Environmental Secretariat