This event features Prof. Sônia Guimarães, a pioneering Brazilian physicist and the first Black woman in Brazil to earn a PhD in Physics, alongside Carolina Soterio, a doctoral researcher at Teachers College whose work focuses on emancipatory learning in science and technology. Together, they will explore the intersections of scientific innovation, education, equity, and the role of Black Brazilian scholars in shaping the future of STEM. The program includes a lecture, a Q&A session, and a reception. The event will be held in Portuguese.
Sonia Guimarães
I am an Associate Professor at the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) and hold a PhD in Physics from the University of Manchester (United Kingdom). I became the first Black woman in Brazil to earn a doctorate in Physics, in 1989 — a milestone that led to my joining the ITA faculty in 1993, at a time when the institution still did not admit women as students. Upon my hiring, I became the first Black woman professor at ITA, one of the most traditional and prestigious institutions in Brazil.
Originally from São Paulo (SP), I currently live in São José dos Campos, where I continue teaching at ITA.
I am also a specialist in applied physics, conducting research on semiconductors and the development of heat sensors. In addition to my scientific career, I hold a patent for inventing a technique to produce infrared radiation sensors used in missile guidance systems. I received the Professora Emérita Guerreira da Educação Ruy Mesquita Award, organized by CIEE and O Estado de S. Paulo. In 23 years of the award’s history, I was the first Black woman to receive this honor.
I am also an activist committed to fighting racism and gender discrimination, participating in committees and initiatives focused on increasing the presence of Black people and women in science and academia.
Carolina Sóterio
I am a doctoral researcher in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. My work focuses on emancipatory learning processes in science and technology — investigating how students reconfigure tools, spaces, and narratives to make science their own, expanding where and how science education happens. Grounded in constructionism and critical pedagogy, I explore student-centered and non-canonical forms of learning, ranging from hands-on experimentation to playful interactions with technology.
I am the inventor of Lab-on-a-Book, a low-cost paper-based chemistry kit designed to bring science education to new spaces. I am also part of the Paulo Freire Initiative at Columbia University. Previously, I produced guides and podcasts, co-led the IUPAC Global Conversation on Sustainability, and co-founded the first ACS Student Chapter in Brazil — becoming the first international student to receive the ACS Leadership Award.
