Professor Dr. Sandro Dutra e Silva, Coordinator of the Master Degree in Environmental Science is in exchange as Visiting Researcher (Visiting Research Fellow) at the University of California, Los Angeles – UCLA, and had his international activity registered by the International Affairs Center – NAI of UniEVANGÉLICA. In October 2014, Prof. Sandro Dutra received an invitation letter from the Department of Geography at UCLA for a period of one year as a visiting researcher at the institution.

The invitation came from the Department on behalf of Prof. Stephen Bell, a specialist in Historical Geography, which found synergy between the researches carried out by Prof. Sandro Dutra in the field of Environmental History. In the invitation letter came expressed interest in Research on the Midwest of Brazil and mentioning that the late Prof. Henry Bruman, which belonged to the UCLA department had visited the state of Goiás in 1952 and had filed documents in the Special Collections Library at UCLA and that this material would be of great value for research. The letter also presented the following reasons:

“I am aware of their distinct contributions that address important historiographical issues, especially with regard to the Midwest region of Brazil. So I am very excited about the prospect of his visit in the first place because you are fluent in English, and second because I am convinced that is truly worthy of support in Brazil. The year 2015 will mark half a century since the Brazilian geographer late Orlando Valverde (1917-2006) came as a visitor to UCLA Department of Geography. The time is appropriate to renew and strengthen the connection of Geography between UCLA and Brazil. ”

(Letter of Invitation, Stephen Bell, Department of Geography, UCLA, 21.10.2014).

From that invitation Prof. Sandro Dutra was organized for his trip with contacts with the Rector, Dean of Research and NAI, to formalize the exchange. The period was rearranged to six months and the teacher will stay until the end of May in the United States. The professor was also presented to Capes, with approval to a Postdoctoral abroad, taking advantage of the stage as a visiting researcher. In US Professor Sandro develops the project entitled “Agricultural Colonization in Goiás: Historical Geography and Environmental History in Expansion of Agricultural Frontier in Goiás in the First Decades of the Twentieth Century.”

UCLA is one of the leading American universities, especially in the medical field. The geography course is among the six most influential in the world and is the second best in Users ranked in the United States, behind UC, Berkeley, also in California. Currently the Geography Department of UCLA has four visiting researchers, two from the University of Beijing, China, another researcher form the University of Gotheburg, Sweden (photo). And Professor Sandro Dutra da UniEVANGÉLICA, Brazil.

10.05.2016