Vanderlan da Silva Bolzani
Brazilian chemist (born 1949)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vanderlan da Silva Bolzani (born November 19, 1949) is a Brazilian chemist at the São Paulo State University. She has previously served as president of the Brazilian Chemical Society and was awarded the 2011 American Chemical Society – International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Distinguished Women in Science Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Award.
November 19, 1949
Vanderlan da Silva Bolzani | |
|---|---|
Vanderlan da Silva Bolzani lectures for the post-graduate program in chemistry of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 2017 | |
| Born | Vanderlan da Silva November 19, 1949 |
| Alma mater | Federal University of Paraíba São Paulo State University |
| Awards | Simão Mathias Medal |
Early life and education
Bolzani was born in Santa Rita and raised in João Pessoa, Paraíba.[1] Her grandmother was indigenous, and Bolzani recalls playing with natural pigments from saffron in her grandmother's farm.[2] Her parents were of Portuguese and Tabajara heritage.[3] As a child she studied the fishing colony on Formosa beach, and became interested in the natural world.[1] In high school she specialised in science.[1] She earned her undergraduate degree in pharmacy at the Federal University of Paraíba.[4] During her undergraduate studies she became interested in organic and analytical chemistry.[2] She moved to the São Paulo State University in 1975, where she specialised in organic chemistry.[1][5] She had originally planned to work with Paulo de Carvalho, but he died suddenly of a heart attack.[1] Her supervisor, was Otto Gottlieb. She worked on Mikania hirsutissima and earned her master's degree in 1977 and PhD in 1982.[4] Her master's dissertation considered the Euphorbiaceae of the Amazon rainforest.[1] For her doctoral dissertation she concentrated on the theoretical aspects of botany, taxonomy and biology of the Rubiaceae.[1] She was awarded a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship to work at Leibniz University Hannover. She was a postdoctoral fellow at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.[4]
Research and career
Bolzani was appointed to the faculty at the São Paulo State University.[4] In 1998 she established the Centre for Natural Product Bioassays, Biosynthesis and Eco-physiology (NuBBE).[1] NuBBE is a green laboratory that does not use chlorinated products or toxic solvents.[1] Her research considers plant science, in particular, the isolation and study of secondary metabolites and peptides in plants.[6] She has studied the biosynthesis of piperidine alkaloids.[4] She has studied the biodiversity of Brazil, and called for new technologies and scientific policy to support preservation of the Brazilian rainforest.[7] She has since studied phytochemistry and endophytic fungi.
Academic service
She has served as Deputy Director of the São Paulo State University Innovation Agency from 2009.[1] She has campaigned for women scientists throughout her academic career.[8] In 2012 Bolzani joined the advisory board of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards.[9]
Awards and honours
Her awards and honours include;
- 2008 Elected President of the Brazilian Chemical Society[10]
- 2010 Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry[3]
- 2011 Elected to the Brazilian Academy of Sciences[11]
- 2011 Brazilian Chemical Society Simão Mathias Medal[12]
- 2011 American Chemical Society Distinguished Women in Science Chemistry and Chemical Engineering[13][14][15]
- 2013 Elected to The World Academy of Science[11]
- 2014 Capes-Elsevier Award[16]
- 2015 Vice President of the Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência[17]
- 2015 Brazilian Chemical Society Kurt Politzer Technological Innovation Award[17]
- 2018 Superior Council of Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo[18]
In 2019 it was announced that the Brazilian Chemical Society would create a Vanderlan da Silva Bolzani Prize for women scientists.[2]
Personal life
Bolzani was married to the sociologist Jorge Bolzani, who she met during graduate school in 1977. Together they had two children. Jorge Bolzani died in 2011.[1]