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Biocatalyst engineering applied to the synthesis of fatty xylose esters derived from the C-5 fraction of lignocellulosic residues
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-16)
Souza, Leonardo de
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Tardioli, Paulo Waldir
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/0808991927126468
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/5597908810221416
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Perna, Rafael Firmani
The growing demand for sustainable, low-environmental-impact surfactants has driven the development of biotechnological routes capable of converting renewable feedstocks into high-value products. In this context, the enzymatic synthesis of xylose fatty acid esters stands out as a promising alternative, particularly due to its potential do valorize the C5 fraction of lignocellulosic biomass, which remains underexploited in industrial applications. However, challenges related to low solubility of xylose, the limited stability of biocatalysts, and reduced catalytic efficiency in non-conventional media still hinder the implementation of these processes. This thesis aimed to develop and evaluate integrated strategies for the enzymatic production of xylose esters, addressing key gaps in biocatalyst engineering, reaction medium selection, and the use of biomass-derived feedstocks. Initially, the state of the art in the enzymatic synthesis of xylose esters was assessed through systematic literature mapping, enabling the identification of recurring strategies, limitations, and opportunities related to catalysts, acyl group donors, solvents, and downstream processing. The results indicated that lipases are the preferred biocatalysts for xylose ester synthesis. Additionally, solvent selection was identified as a crucial factor, with oleic acid, lauric acid, and methyl and vinyl esters being the most commonly employed acyl donors. Subsequently, post-treatment strategies were investigated for the commercial biocatalyst Novozym® 435. The results demonstrated that coating with polyethyleneimine followed by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde yielded more robust biocatalysts, resulting in a 2.3-fold increase in oleic acid conversion when a deep eutectic solvent was used to solubilize xylose, and a 1.5-fold increase when methyl ethyl ketone and tert-butanol were employed. In addition, post-treatment improved operational stability over successive reaction cycles, with approximately 75% retention of catalytic activity after five reuse cycles. A key advancement of this work was the use of a chloride–xylose deep eutectic solvent, which significantly enhanced xylose solubility, reaching concentrations above 600 mM, substantially higher than those observed in conventional organic solvents (7 mM in methyl ethyl ketone and 60 mM in tert-butanol). This increased solubility directly improved enzymatic performance, enabling higher conversion rates and high selectivity toward xylose monoesters. In parallel, the effects of different immobilization protocols and metal modification of the lipase Eversa® Transform 2.0 were evaluated, revealing variations in catalytic activity, thermal stability, and specificity. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed conformational changes in the immobilized enzymes, allowing correlation between immobilization pH and the observed hydrolytic activity and catalytic specificity. Finally, the feasibility of producing xylose esters from sugarcane bagasse was demonstrated through the integration of biomass pretreatment and enzymatic conversion steps. Pretreatment with acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide resulted in a fourfold increase in sugar release during enzymatic hydrolysis with xylanases, compared to untreated bagasse. Biocatalysts prepared by immobilizing Eversa® Transform 2.0 at pH 5 in the presence of 100 mM NaCl, followed by metal modification with MgCl₂, were evaluated. The non-metal-modified biocatalyst exhibited superior performance, achieving 15% oleic acid conversion and 63% xylose conversion. Overall, the modulation of biocatalyst properties through immobilization and post-treatment strategies, the use of deep eutectic solvents in xylose esterification, and the application of xylose derived from sugarcane bagasse significantly advance the field of applied biocatalysis for sugar ester synthesis. This findings provide concrete perspectives for the development of sustainable industrial routes for biosurfactant production.
Quando o meu eu é uma extensão do outro: uma etnografia sobre o assistencialismo prisional da Igreja Universal
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-16)
Ruiz, Mônica Pereira
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Ohlson, Olof Kjell Oscar
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/4293686059879161
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1819-9658
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/3888652607357059
This dissertation analyzes the prison-based social assistance work of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (IURD) through its social outreach group “Universal in Prisons” (UNP), active in the Campinas region and surrounding areas. Based on an ethnography conducted among the group’s volunteers, combining participant observation and interviews, it seeks to understand the functioning of UNP through its social practices and the meanings attributed by the participants themselves. Although the literature on the IURD’s social engagement tends to emphasize the theology of spiritual warfare and institutional discourses as key explanatory frameworks, this research prioritizes the volunteers’ perspectives on their own activities, highlighting that the group is composed of individuals who have experienced incarceration, either directly or through the experience of family members and close acquaintances. The findings show that the experience of imprisonment is not limited to a biographical fact, but constitutes a fundamental element in the production of meanings that guide action within UNP, shaping volunteers’ religious and social engagement.
Mediações visuais no ensino de ciências: proposta de taxonomia para a análise de artefatos
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-16)
Luz, Luís Gustavo
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Fernandes, Hylio Laganá
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/1315602045624096
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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0922-867X
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2951486088322705
The study proposes a taxonomy intended to guide the analysis of instructional visual artefacts for science education, in a context in which sharing, creating, and editing images have become more common, while the distance grows between tool use and an understanding of the processes that underpin graphic and interpretive choices. The scope privileges artefacts produced with communicative intent, connected to science teaching and science communication, and assumes that strengthening repertoires for visual reading and visual production becomes necessary as the means of creation, editing, and circulation grow more complex. To support a unified analytical language, the work brings together contributions from diverse fields that make it possible to describe how artefacts organize information, structure relationships, and guide interpretive paths. It integrates studies from the psychology of perception and art theory, which emphasize perception as an organizing principle and offer categories for describing thought through form. It also draws on cartography and data visualization, with proposals for systematizing visual variables and modes of graphic construction, alongside criteria of visual economy and graphic integrity derived from statistics applied to communication. Approaches that treat the image as a contested field are also included, discussing the polysemy of the term “image,” media hybridity, and institutional tensions surrounding these concepts. Completing this set are perspectives from semiotics and visual rhetoric, which describe operations between the plastic and iconic layers of the sign; contributions on persuasive language in applied contexts that distinguish formal patterns and semantic deviations in terms of cognitive costs; and a socio-semiotic grammar focused on compositional choices, credibility, and ideological effects. In addition, the study considers models oriented toward structural unification and visualization design, including empirical dimensions for characterizing graphical abstracts, recursive descriptions of the syntax of the graphic object, and a philosophical roadmap for understanding how models can say something about the world. The Peircean framework contributes universal categories—Firstness, Secondness, and Thirdness—along with the triadic definition of the sign and its organization into classes, and it supports the connection to science education through hypoicons and their sublevels—image, diagram, and metaphor—highlighting the role of the diagram in reasoning and in making relationships explicit, as well as the importance of collateral knowledge for images and metaphors to function as interpretable statements. On this basis, concepts are selected to create a basic taxonomy as an analytical instrument aimed at reading and producing visual artefacts used in science education, organized into the following taxons: Diagrammatic Space, Diagrammatic Multiplicity, Diagrammatic Relation, Diagrammatic Composition, Diagrammatic Navigation, Temporal–Diagrammatic Stability, Diagram Interactivity, Access to the Object, and Type–Specimen. Finally, taxonomy is applied to a range of objects through detailed analyses in order to observe the behavior of the taxons, discuss results, identify strengths and weaknesses, and reflect on criteria for evaluating the procedure.
Trilha de aprendizagem: teatro e química para alfabetização científica de estudantes em escola pública no Amapá
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-17)
Silva, Lineia Soaares da
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Lupetti, Karina Omuro
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/5198051111079064
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/6609007747468909
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8065-1641
The teaching of chemistry, characterized by a high degree of conceptual abstraction, underscores the need to renew educational processes to move beyond traditional methodologies that do little to foster student autonomy and scientific as well as sociocultural development. In this context, this study examines the contributions of an interdisciplinary learning pathway (learning sequence) that integrates theater and experimental activities in inorganic chemistry to the development of scientific literacy among high school students in a public school in the state of Amapá, Brazil. Qualitative in nature, the research involved 45 third-year high school students and six teachers from different subject areas. Data were generated through questionnaires and narratives (audio recordings, videos, theatrical scripts, and learning journals), which were organized and analyzed with the support of ATLAS.ti and IRAMUTEQ software. Initial results revealed limited prior knowledge regarding the interplay between art and science and inorganic functions, low argumentative quality, and difficulty relating acids, bases, salts, and oxides to everyday life. They also indicated an ambivalent stance toward theater, marked by curiosity but also by shyness, insecurity, and a perception of elitism. Over the course of the learning pathway “Science & Art Laboratory – The Expressive Body,” most participants maintained a moderate to high level of interest in the proposal, with no decline in engagement. The narratives pointed to a reframing of theater as a learning tool, increased collaborative participation, and advances in the quality of arguments, which evolved from predominantly descriptive statements to more complex explanations that combined experimental data, concepts related to inorganic chemistry, and socioscientific contexts. The integration of art and science supported the contextualization of content, the problematization of health and environmental issues (such as gastritis and water quality), and the development of procedural, attitudinal, and critical competencies, in alignment with the scientific literacy indicators proposed by Sasseron. From a theoretical standpoint, the study brings together Driver and Newton’s hierarchical model of levels of argumentation and Sasseron’s scientific literacy indicators, offering an integrated analytical framework for understanding the development of more elaborate arguments in interdisciplinary, art-mediated proposals. In practical terms, the study systematizes a didactic intervention that can be adapted by chemistry teachers in other contexts, detailing a learning pathway (learning sequence) that connects the construction of scripts, characters, and scenes with discussions on inorganic functions and socioscientific issues. In doing so, it expands the possibilities for a context-sensitive and collaborative approach to curricular content. Socially, the research highlights the potential of science theater, understood here as a drama-based approach to science education, to promote scientific literacy in a public, socioeconomically disadvantaged context in Amapá, valuing local knowledge, life experiences, and territorial identities, while at the same time broadening students’ opportunities to engage with scientific culture. The study concludes that an interdisciplinary learning pathway (learning sequence) involving science theater as a drama-based approach to science education represents a promising strategy for reframing the discipline of chemistry, transforming initial patterns of disinterest, insecurity, and conceptual gaps into higher levels of engagement, argumentation, and contextually grounded understanding of inorganic chemistry content.
Condução e manejo de miniestacas de Trema micranthum (L.) Blume
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-18)
Souza, Lindomar Alves
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Quadros, Kenia Michele de
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2209314957208420
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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0873-9582
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Silva, José Mauro Santana
The production of seedlings of native forest species is essential to meet the increasing demand for ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation. In this context, vegetative propagation techniques have been widely investigated as an alternative to seed-based propagation, especially for species that exhibit germination limitations. Among the species of interest, Trema micranthum (L.) Blume stands out as a fast-growing pioneer species, characterized by a low germination rate from seeds, around 35%. In addition, the species shows potential for medicinal use, associated with the presence of compounds such as cannabidiol without THC in its flowers and fruits, which broadens its scientific and economic relevance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive performance and rooting of mini-cuttings of Trema micranthum in a clonal mini-garden system, considering the influence of climatic factors, types of mini-cuttings, spacing between ministumps, and seedling quality indicators over time. The study was conducted at the Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba campus, between 2023 and 2025, in a semi-hydroponic system under controlled fertigation, with two spacing arrangements between ministumps (0.10 × 0.10 m and 0.10 × 0.20 m) and successive collections of mini-cuttings. Linear and multiple regression analyses with climatic variables, Spearman correlation, time series models (ARIMA/ARIMAX), and non-parametric tests were applied to compare treatments. The results indicate temporal variation in productivity associated with the age of ministumps and temperature, while rooting did not decrease with ministump age. No statistically significant differences were observed between spacings in terms of productivity and rooting of mini-cuttings. It was observed that the average productivity was 4.1 mini-cuttings per ministump per month in the wider spacing and 3.2 mini-cuttings per ministump per month in the 0.10 × 0.10 m spacing, with rooting percentages exceeding 50% in all collections performed. Variability among ministumps in terms of average mini-cutting productivity was also verified, allowing the identification of superior and inferior individuals. It is concluded that proper management of the clonal mini-garden and the selection of productive individuals are efficient strategies to optimize the clonal production of T. micranthum, expanding its use in forest restoration and future applications of economic interest.
Previsão de séries temporais de queimadas no Pantanal com uso de aprendizado de máquina
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-18)
Silva, Rômulo Alves da
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Levada, Alexandre Luis Magalhães
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/3341441596395463
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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8253-2729
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Fernandes, Marcio Merino
The Brazilian Pantanal comprises a biome responsible for an enormous diversity of fauna and flora. However, wildfires affecting this biome have become a major problem in recent years, generating impacts that may become irreversible in the future. Therefore, fire prediction methods prove to be essential and extremely important for the prevention and control of wildfires throughout this territory. Nevertheless, the main fire risk indices currently in use present limitations, such as: (1) not being adapted to the characteristics of each biome; (2) being restricted to specific climatic variables; and (3) not being able to predict forest fire risk over a defined multi-day horizon. This last aspect, in particular, is of utmost importance, as its improvement enables planning and coordinated action by environmental authorities with adequate advance notice. In order to investigate this limitation, this study developed a comparative approach between two computational models based on Machine Learning (XGBoost and LSTM), evaluating which one produced results closer to the observed reality. The results obtained indicated that the XGBoost model showed superior performance in predicting fire occurrences, achieving lower values of mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE), in addition to a greater ability to explain the variability observed in the time series. The LSTM model, in turn, demonstrated the ability to capture seasonality and the average behavior of the series; however, it showed limitations in reproducing the magnitude of extreme events, especially due to univariate modeling and the effective volume of data available for training. Overall, the findings highlight that approaches based on boosting techniques combined with temporal feature engineering were more suitable for the analyzed dataset, although both methodologies confirmed the existence of learnable temporal patterns in the historical series of the Brazilian Pantanal.
Ações de inclusão e acessibilidade nos campi de uma universidade federal da região norte do Brasil
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-18)
Araujo, Mara Cristina Lopes Silva
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Orlando, Rosimeire Maria
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/4254571422608459
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0990-6146
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/8650957521962537
The admission of students with disabilities to Higher Education has been a recurring topic in academic research, and over the last thirty years, discussions have followed the political, social, and economic changes surrounding this issue. Understanding access to Higher Education as a fundamental right, this study investigated the inclusion and accessibility actions developed within student assistance centers and divisions. From this perspective, the general objective of the research was to analyze the inclusion and accessibility actions implemented across the campuses of a federal university in Northern Brazil and to identify the challenges faced in this process. The specific objectives were: (a) to characterize accessibility centers based on the Incluir Program; (b) to analyze the distribution and organization of campuses that have Accessibility Centers and Student Assistance Divisions within a federal institution in the state of Pará; (c) to critically analyze the inclusion actions developed by a federal institution located in the state of Pará, in Northern Brazil; and (d) to demonstrate how federal institutions located in the Amazonian region of Northern Brazil have been organizing services for students who are part of the target population of Special Education on their campuses. The study adopted a qualitative approach, and data analysis was grounded in the theoretical framework of historical-dialectical materialism. The main theoretical references were Karl Marx, István Mészáros, and Valdemar Sguissardi, whose works contributed to understanding the structural contradictions of Higher Education within contemporary capitalism and supported the definition of thematic axes for analysis. The participants included nine coordinators of accessibility centers and student assistance divisions, as well as one student. The research was conducted across the campuses of the Federal University of Pará. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted both online, via Google Meet, and in person. The findings reveal that, although initiatives aimed at supporting students with disabilities exist, these actions are still implemented in a fragmented manner, relying heavily on individual efforts and marked by structural weaknesses, such as the lack of adequate physical spaces, insufficient multidisciplinary teams, budgetary limitations, and the persistence of attitudinal barriers. It was observed that the multicampus expansion process, historically linked to regional economic demands, did not structurally incorporate accessibility as a transversal principle of institutional planning. It is concluded that Higher Education in Northern Brazil remains a field of political and pedagogical dispute, requiring the institutional strengthening of Accessibility Centers, the consolidation of integrated policies, and the incorporation of accessibility as a constitutive dimension of the university project. It is argued that the Amazonian public university, beyond merely complying with legal requirements, must assume a historical commitment to the democratization of knowledge and to the emancipation of historically excluded groups.
Um estudo histórico-crítico do currículo referência de Minas Gerais: o lugar do ensino de filosofia no ensino médio
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-19)
Bonacini, André Luis Augusto
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Bezerra Neto, Luiz
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/4809080593333472
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/1272908223550352
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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0285-1522
The teaching of Philosophy in Brazilian basic education is characterized by a historical trajectory marked by discontinuities and political disputes concerning curriculum and human formation. In the contemporary context, the implementation of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) and the reform of upper secondary education established by Law No. 13.415/2017 has reshaped curricular organization through the centrality of competencies and skills, producing direct impacts on the permanence and epistemological specificity of Philosophy teaching. Within this scenario, this dissertation aims to critically analyze the teaching of Philosophy in the Minas Gerais Reference Curriculum, investigating to what extent this document contributes to the implementation of a systematic and historically grounded philosophical education, or whether it reinforces an instrumental and adaptive conception of schooling. This is a qualitative study of a theoretical-documentary nature, grounded in historical-dialectical materialism as the methodological approach and in Historical-Critical Pedagogy as the theoretical framework. The analyzed sources include the BNCC, relevant educational legislation, and the Minas Gerais Reference Curriculum, as well as specialized literature on curriculum, Philosophy teaching, and contemporary educational policies. The results indicate that, although the Minas Gerais curriculum employs discourses related to integral education and critical thinking, its structure is strongly subordinated to the competency-based approach, which tends to fragment philosophical content and dilute the epistemological specificity of Philosophy. It is concluded that the Minas Gerais Reference Curriculum presents significant limits to the realization of Philosophy teaching consistent with the principles of Historical-Critical Pedagogy, requiring from teachers mediating and resistant practices to ensure the centrality of philosophical knowledge and omnilateral human formation. In accordance with the professional nature of the Professional Master’s Degree in Philosophy (Prof-Filo), this research articulates theoretical analysis with the development and implementation of a pedagogical intervention proposal carried out within the context of Basic Education classrooms, aimed at the systematic organization of philosophy teaching through teacher mediation and the centrality of classical philosophical contents. Such intervention seeks to challenge the limits imposed by competency-based logic, highlighting concrete possibilities for the realization of teaching oriented toward critical formation and the appropriation of historically produced philosophical knowledge.
Concepções de professores: elaboração e monitoramento do PEI na alfabetização de alunos com deficiência intelectual
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-19)
Serafim, Marcela Pereira Bernardino
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Galvani, Márcia Duarte
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/6866106661255961
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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1092-746X
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/8831694359970961
ABSTRACT The adaptation of pedagogical practices that favor access to curricular content for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) has become an urgent demand. In this context, the importance of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) stands out as a guiding instrument for pedagogical actions, especially in the literacy process of students with ID, by enabling the organization, monitoring, and evaluation of strategies aligned with their specific educational needs. The general objective of this research was to characterize the conceptions of classroom teachers regarding the development and monitoring of the IEP for students with ID in the literacy process, based on their pedagogical practices. The specific objectives were: (a) to investigate how teachers identify the skills and learning needs of students with ID, aiming to map these competencies within the literacy process in the classroom context; (b) to analyze teachers' conceptions of the IEP, as well as the criteria used in its development; and (c) to identify, through their reports, how teachers operationalize, integrate, and monitor the IEP within the classroom pedagogical planning. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, conducted with three teachers working in the 1st and 2nd grades of Elementary School at a public school in a medium-sized city in the interior of São Paulo. The instruments used were semi-structured interviews, a teacher characterization form, and an IEP analysis guide. The results reveal that the identification of skills and needs of students with ID is predominantly guided by a deficit perspective, focusing on motor and behavioral limitations rather than cognitive potential. A significant theoretical-methodological gap was identified in the development of the IEP, which is conducted in a solitary, intuitive manner, and is frequently reduced to a bureaucratic task of curricular simplification. In daily school life, the implementation of the IEP proved to be fragmented, with unsystematic monitoring and little integration into the general pedagogical planning of the class. The evidence indicates that the lack of specific training and institutional collaborative support results in mechanized literacy practices that prioritize behavioral goals and deprive students of effectively mastering the writing system and functional literacy, creating a scenario of superficial inclusion.
Prospecção na mobilidade aérea urbana: análise estrutural e de atores
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-19)
Lima, Gabriel Caliente
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Argoud, Ana Rita Tiradentes Terra
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2309862893058719
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/9142368682516485
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Moura, Daniel Braatz Antunes de Almeida
This research analyzes Urban Air Mobility (UAM) as a sociotechnical system in the process of innovation, aiming to understand the variables that structure its dynamics and the actors that condition its evolution. A qualitative, exploratory approach is adopted, combining a systematic literature review and prospective analysis. The systematic review made it possible to map the state of the art on the subject, identifying 255 studies and highlighting the multidimensional nature of UAM, with a concentration of publications in the fields of engineering, market studies, regulation, and information technology. The findings of the review indicate that the consolidation of UAM depends on coordinated progress across different dimensions, especially technological development, infrastructure, regulation, financing, and social acceptance. Based on this foundation, the prospective analysis showed that technological and regulatory variables play a central role in structuring the system, decisively conditioning the behavior of the other dimensions. Infrastructure, flight patterns, and autonomy stand out as linkage elements, as they connect structural decisions to the operational materialization of the concept. By contrast, public acceptance, privacy, noise, and environmental issues showed lower driving capacity, assuming a more reactive role and tending to become more relevant only after technological, regulatory, and operational conditions have advanced. With regard to the actors, an asymmetry of power was observed, with the predominance of the regulatory and financial domains, whose agents occupy the most influential positions in shaping the sector. eVTOL manufacturers and infrastructure actors proved to be strategic for the implementation of UAM, although they remain strongly conditioned by regulatory decisions and the availability of financing, while platforms and the public showed greater dependence and predominantly indirect influence. It is concluded that the evolution of UAM stems less from structural conflicts among actors and more from the need for coordination among technological, institutional, economic, and operational capacities. The results reinforce that UAM should not be understood merely as an aeronautical innovation, but rather as a systemic and multidimensional phenomenon whose feasibility depends on convergence among different areas and actors. As a contribution, this study offers an integrated interpretation of the theme, articulating recent scientific production with a prospective analysis of the conditions that may favor or constrain the consolidation of the concept.
Modelos para séries temporais com dados discretos
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-19)
Cherobim, Guilherme de Oliveira
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Andrade Filho, Marinho Gomes de
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/4126245980112687
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7224-7585
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/8154297786821127
Time series for discrete data are frequently encountered in various practical applications. In many cases, the data exhibit changes in the frequency of zeros, such as inflation or deflation, and need to be properly handled. To accommodate such characteristics, this work proposes the GARMA Zero-Modified Discrete model family. The major methodological difference is the incorporation of a dynamic and time-variable zero-modification parameter, allowing the model to transition to different zero-modifications at each instant in time. As a main contribution, the GARMA Zero-Modified Skellam model is presented, which extends the formulation to encompass time series in the set of integers. Under the Bayesian paradigm, inference and parameter estimation are performed using the Stochastic Gradient Monte Carlo Hamiltonian algorithm. Sampler efficiency was evaluated in simulation studies for parameter recovery. The applicability and versatility of the models are illustrated in the analysis of three real datasets with distinct behaviors. The results demonstrate that the proposed models adequately capture the structural and dynamic changes in the series' zero modifications, also showing good predictive capacity.
A framework for Computing Education that fosters the development of creativity and critical thinking skills in children
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Rodrigues, Stefane Menezes
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Neris, Vânia Paula de Almeida
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/0268728255033469
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/6878261293464930
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Otsuka, Joice Lee
Research in Human–Computer Interaction has increasingly emphasized the importance of designing technologies and educational practices that are meaningful, inclusive, and sensitive to users’ contexts. In early childhood education, teaching computing presents additional challenges due to children’s cognitive, social, and expressive characteristics, as well as the limited availability of pedagogical frameworks that integrate participatory design, learning activities, and assessment strategies. Despite growing interest in co-design and participatory design with children, there is still a lack of consolidated approaches that support teachers in designing, applying, and evaluating computing education activities for preschool children. This doctoral thesis proposed and empirically evaluated a framework to support the teaching of computing in early childhood education, grounded in HCI principles and participatory design practices, with a particular focus on fostering creativity and critical thinking in children aged four and five. The research adopts a cumulative empirical approach, structured as a collection of articles. First, a systematic mapping study was conducted to investigate how co-design and participatory design have been applied with preschool children, identifying techniques, participant roles, contexts, and methodological challenges. Based on the identified gaps, pedagogical design principles for computing education in early childhood were derived from a thematic analysis of the literature. In parallel, an action research study was carried out involving early childhood education teachers and undergraduate students in pedagogy and computer science, who collaboratively designed and refined unplugged computing activity plans through a series of workshops. To support learning assessment, creativity, and critical thinking rubrics were translated and adapted to the early childhood context. The design principles, design activity plans, and rubrics for assessments were validated by experts through focus groups. Finally, the proposed framework was evaluated through a quasi-experimental study conducted in real classroom settings, comparing an experimental group and a control group, using qualitative triangulation of multiple data sources. The studies resulted in a set of co-designed activity plans and a validated set of pedagogical design principles that together constitute the proposed framework. The classroom evaluation revealed qualitative improvements in the experimental group, particularly regarding children’s engagement, expression of ideas, collaborative behaviors, and manifestations of creativity and critical thinking during computing-related activities. The adapted assessment rubrics proved feasible for capturing qualitative evidence of these skills in early childhood contexts. This thesis contributes to HCI and computing education by: (i) providing a systematic synthesis of participatory design research involving preschool children; (ii) proposing and documenting co-designed activity plans for early childhood computing education; (iii) formalizing pedagogical design principles grounded in theory and expert validation; and (iv) presenting an empirically evaluated framework that integrates participatory design, pedagogy, and assessment. These contributions advance HCI research on design with children and offer actionable guidance for educators and researchers seeking to design and evaluate computing education experiences in early childhood settings.
Otimização estrutural de sensores ópticos baseados em moléculas fotônicas: mitigação da dependência térmica para aplicações de alta precisão
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Pires, Marcus Vinicius do Amaral
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Ferreira, Paulo Henrique Dias
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/0108190685018320
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Barea, Luis Alberto Mijam
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/7929868663210908
Optical sensors based on resonant microcavities have gained prominence by combining high sensitivity with strong potential for integration on silicon photonic platforms. However, temperature variations can induce spectral shifts of the resonances, introducing uncertainties that degrade the repeatability and accuracy of refractive-index measurements. In this context, this dissertation investigates a passive approach to mitigate thermal dependence through structural optimization of a photonic-molecule-based sensor, with emphasis on the trade-off between sensitivity and thermal stability. The adopted methodology combines modeling and computational simulations to systematically assess how geometric modifications influence the device spectral response under controlled temperature variation and under different external-medium conditions. Resonances are identified across the spectrum, and thermal drift is quantified, enabling comparison of trends among configurations and the definition of consistent metrics for stability and detection performance. Beyond the physical analysis, practical aspects related to implementation feasibility and typical fabrication constraints in integrated photonics foundries are discussed, bringing the study closer to realistic deployment scenarios. The results show that structural modifications can reduce the thermal sensitivity without compromising refractive-index sensitivity, indicating that the thermal response is predominantly governed by the device geometry and the modal field distribution. It is also observed that specific geometric choices lead to distinct trade-off behaviors between stability and sensitivity, allowing the identification of configurations that perform better under each criterion and highlighting a potentially more balanced configuration.
O despertar do pensamento crítico na era das notícias falsas: uma abordagem filosófica para o ensino médio na rede pública
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Trovó, Cirina Luz De Souza
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Maamari, Adriana Mattar
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/5707827597161294
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2963544197025803
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Bezerra Neto, Luiz
This study investigates how the teaching of Philosophy can contribute to combating misinformation and fostering critical thinking among students in public high schools in the interior region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in light of the challenges posed by the digital age. The proliferation of fake news and the manipulation of information demand a reassessment of the role of Philosophy as a space for reflection and critical inquiry. To this end, the analysis focuses on the pedagogy of concepts, with emphasis on the notions of concept and plane of immanence developed in What Is Philosophy? by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, articulated alongside the contributions of Brazilian scholars who have applied this perspective to secondary education, particularly Sílvio Gallo and his proposal of the “concept workshop.” The research adopts a qualitative, bibliographic, and proposal-oriented approach, historically situating the challenges faced by Brazilian public secondary education, the curricular tensions surrounding the discipline of Philosophy, and the impacts of digital media on youth formation. The central objective is to develop pedagogical tools capable of stimulating critical thinking, argumentative analysis, and concept creation, in accordance with the adopted theoretical framework. As an educational product, the study proposes a digital magazine designed for Philosophy teachers, structured around the methodology of the concept workshop and organized into stages ranging from the problematization of media narratives to collective conceptual creation. The proposal seeks to provide practical and accessible guidelines enabling teachers to conduct activities focused on the critical analysis of information, the identification of fake news, and the demystification of dubious content, while historically and ideologically contextualizing the narratives circulating in digital environments. As a result, this study proposes a reconfiguration of Philosophy teaching, transforming it into a space of resistance to misinformation and of promoting intellectual autonomy through the problem-concept movement, in which students learn to navigate the complex contemporary information landscape critically.
Enhancing abiotic stress resilience in Eruca sativa: the synergistic role of extremophilic microbial inoculants and crystalline zinc oxide
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Assis, Amanda Stefanie Jabur de
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Duarte, Iolanda Cristina Silveira
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2626035341263254
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/3438650971860266
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Mambrini, Giovanni Pimenta
Abiotic stresses such as salinity, water deficit, and high solar radiation constitute important limitations for plant establishment and agricultural productivity. Extremophilic microorganisms, adapted to harsh environments, have physiological characteristics that can be exploited to mitigate these stresses in plants. This thesis investigates the potential of extremophilic microorganisms isolated from photovoltaic panels to improve the plant performance of arugula (Eruca sativa) seedlings under abiotic stress, with emphasis on the interaction of these microorganisms with crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO). Initially, the ultraviolet radiation resistance of bacterial and yeast isolates from photovoltaic panels was evaluated, showing contrasting tolerance profiles, with Rhodotorula mucilaginosa standing out as highly resistant to UV radiation. Next, strains with better performance were applied to Eruca sativa seeds to evaluate their effects on the percentage and speed of germination under saline and osmotic stress, in the presence or absence of ZnO. Finally, the effects of microbial inoculation with Arthrobacter koreensis and ZnO on seedling growth and responses to abiotic stresses (lengths, biomass allocation, leaf area) were analyzed. The results demonstrate that extremophilic microorganisms can improve germination and seedling performance under abiotic stress in a strain- and environmental context-dependent manner. Supplementation with ZnO consistently amplified the microbial effects, especially under severe stress conditions. Instead of promoting uniform growth, microbial inoculation contributed to greater growth stability and stress tolerance. This work highlights the potential of combining extremophilic microorganisms and inorganic cofactors as a sustainable strategy to improve plant establishment in agricultural environments subject to environmental stresses.
Filosofia no ensino médio: promovendo o pensamento crítico e a cidadania ativa dos estudantes
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Rodrigues, Benedito de Paula
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Henning, Leoni Maria Padilha
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/8165332587246727
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/5142245946599694
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Maamari, Adriana Mattar
This dissertation examines the inclusion of philosophy in the high school curriculum as an instrument for promoting critical thinking and active citizenship. The study problematizes the historically unstable trajectory of the subject within Brazilian basic education and the impacts of the National Common Curricular Base (Base Nacional Comum Curricular – BNCC) and Law No. 13,415/2017 on its curricular status. Drawing on John Dewey as the central theoretical framework, the research also engages with Paulo Freire, Matthew Lipman, Karl Jaspers, and Theodor W. Adorno. The investigation adopts a qualitative approach, combining a literature review with fieldwork through a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 14 philosophy teachers from the São Paulo state public school system, in schools under the jurisdiction of the Regional Education Board (Diretoria de Ensino) of São José do Rio Preto. The findings reveal a central paradox: while philosophy faces a progressive institutionalization of its irrelevance – expressed in the reduction of instructional hours, the platformization of teaching, and the social perception of the subject as lacking practical utility – it elicits genuine student engagement when mediated through dialogic practices. The predominant strategy adopted by teachers is contextualization grounded in students' prior knowledge and everyday culture, supported by a methodological triad of oral discussion, text reading, and audiovisual resources. The primary difficulty identified is the incompatibility between the breadth of the curriculum and the available instructional hours, which gives rise to a documented practice of curricular disobedience: teachers select and reshape content to preserve the reflective quality of instruction. Skepticism regarding the subject's actual impact constitutes a significant finding, with teachers asserting that fostering critical consciousness is "very difficult and rare" given the weight of influences external to the school. Also noted is the perception of philosophy as a threat within the context of religious and political polarization. Conversely, the data confirms its function as a tool for critical discernment in the face of misinformation. Based on the findings, the research proposes recommendations that include thematic prioritization over extensive coverage of the philosophical tradition, the strengthening of dialogic spaces, and the positioning of the philosophy classroom as a laboratory for critical thinking. The study concludes that the effectiveness of philosophy teaching depends on a teaching praxis that articulates intellectual rigor with reflective experience, responding to the formative urgencies of a democracy in constant challenge.
Efeito do espaçamento entre reforços no comportamento de protótipos de muros de solos finos reforçados com geossintéticos
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Rocha, Paulo Eduardo Oliveira da
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Portelinha, Fernando Henrique Martins
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http://lattes.cnpq.br/0791082339645058
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7481-7406
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http://lattes.cnpq.br/8444200487723485
Among the different types of retaining walls used to gain area through structured embankments, Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Structures stand out, due to their high productivity, flexibility, resilience, attractive costs and architectural possibilities. Although these structures are constantly evolving, some aspects of their design are little explored, such as the relationship between the deformability of these structures when designed with reduced vertical spacing, more precisely in projects using cohesive fine soils and geogrids. To demonstrate that smaller vertical spacings result in more homogeneous structures, with a lower level of load acting in the connection of the reinforcements with the face, enabling the construction of retaining walls with smaller displacements, even with embankments composed of fine and cohesive soils, the instrumented construction of 2 full-scale prototypes, with 2 m in height, was carried out with embankment formed by fine soil, with cohesion of 33.2 kPa at optimum humidity, instrumented with tell-tales, and face displacement meters. The two prototypes were designed with the same sum of final reinforcement strength, with Wall 01 built with 6 geogrids of 20 kN/m, spaced every 30 cm, and Wall 2 with 3 geogrids of 40 kN/m spaced every 60 cm. The structures were subjected to overloads of 20 to 120 kPa, and later had their massif flooded by an artificial rain system, in order to reduce the apparent cohesion and evaluate the mechanical response of the structure in such condition. In the central region of the prototypes, with 120 cm in height, the structures showed face displacements towards the embankment, with Wall 01, presenting values 55% lower than Wall 02, and at the top of the structures, where the walls suffered displacements outside the reinforced zone, Wall 01 presented face displacements 33% smaller than Wall 02, demonstrating the greater efficiency of the system with a greater number of geogrids. The wetting of the structures promoted the external displacement of the faces out of the reinforced soil body in all elevations, being more preponderant at the top of the structure. The reinforcements of Wall 01 showed maximum deformations on a strip that crossed the entire massif, similar to the Rankine rupture surface, and Wall 02 presented maximum deformations in the region of its face, indicating a higher level of stress in this area, considered critical for structures in reinforced soil. The comparison between the stresses mobilized in the reinforcements and the method of calculation of rupture proposed in the work, converged only in the analysis of the dry phase of Wall 01, while in the other conditions the mobilized stresses were much lower than those estimated by the calculation method. After overload of 120 kPa, the tensile strength of the central geogrid of Wall 02 presented mobilized stress values close to those determined by the proposed calculation method, however, the other geogrids of both Walls presented dispersed values. The displacement prediction method of GRS resulted in values exactly equal to those obtained by the instrumentation of the Walls. The results showed that under normal humidity conditions, for the same sum of resistances, the use of smaller vertical spacings between reinforcements was able to promote a reduction in face displacements, and consequently enable the construction of more rigid and homogeneous structures.
Comunicação pública da ciência e extensão universitária em instituições de ensino superior público no estado de São Paulo
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Oliveira, Felipe Adriano Alves de
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Rigolin, Camila Carneiro Dias
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2388584081961836
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/3394354224029536
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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6198-7214
Based on the analysis of university extension projects aimed at K-12 students, this research focused on investigating two extension projects promoted by two public universities in the state of São Paulo: Project "A" from a State University and Project "B" from a Federal University. The core problem consists of identifying, within these university extension projects, the models of public communication of science, the position these projects occupy in Vogt's scientific culture quadrant, and the university extension models into which they fit. Therefore, the research seeks to understand how the practices of university extension projects directed at these school communities are structured in terms of planning, execution strategies, reception, and evaluation methods over the last five years. Furthermore, it seeks to identify the structures of these university extension projects and how the public dissemination of science occurs within them. To address this issue, the study analyzed and explored the relationships established between studies in the field of public communication of science—considering scientific culture and scientific communication under this prism—and university extension. The research was grounded in the conceptual fields of Social Studies of Science and Technology, Public Communication of Science, Science Education, Scientific Culture, Scientific Communication, and University Extension. To assist in the analysis of projects A and B, a Multiple Case Study methodology was employed. In this sense, the research reveals that Project A is predominantly based on Education for Science (Science Education), by stimulating knowledge sharing and the historical-social critique of students, employing the Contextual and Public Participation models. Meanwhile, Project B is based on Scientific Communication, utilizing the Deficit Model and the Contextual Model to address gaps in basic education, particularly as it involves a socially vulnerable community. Regarding university extension, Project A aligns with the procedural conception, which is based on dialogue and the exchange of knowledge, whereas Project B stands out for its focus on impact actions and social inclusion, aimed at educational assistance for youth in vulnerable situations.
Modelagem estatística da impunidade: métodos inferenciais e preditivos para dados de crimes no estado de São Paulo
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Saran, Fernanda Bartolo dos Santos
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Russo, Cibele Maria
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http://lattes.cnpq.br/1011098065426388
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http://lattes.cnpq.br/1329295409384052
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Loschi, Rosângela Helena
High levels of violence in Brazilian society have been interpreted by political scientists as indicative of a legitimacy crisis - namely, a widespread lack of public trust in the State. This context is exacerbated by impunity, a critical social issue that undermines the principle of equality before the law. Due to the inherent challenges in quantifying impunity and in order to investigate the efficiency of the judicial system in the country, the analysis focuses on the state of São Paulo and proposes a novel indicator: the time elapsed between the filing of a police report and the initiation of a formal criminal investigation. The analysis focuses on intentional homicide cases in the state of São Paulo from 2017 to 2022. A survival model with Intrinsic Conditional Autoregressive (ICAR) spatial frailty is employed, incorporating municipal-level socioeconomic variables such as the Human Development Index (HDI) for education, per capita income, and the Gini index. Also, a simulation study was conducted and concluded that the model is capable of accessing the true parameters appropriately. The study is thus relevant as it contributes to the literature on the subject by proposing a novel approach to the analysis of impunity in Brazil.
Implementação do Lean Service na gestão de contratos terceirizados no IFSP Campus Campinas
(Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2026-03-20)
Lopes, Charles Wandrey de Jesus
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Argoud, Ana Rita Tiradentes Terra
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2309862893058719
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6917-0062
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https://lattes.cnpq.br/2400116637190615
The management of outsourced service contracts in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is essential to ensure efficiency, transparency, and responsible use of public resources. In a context of high demand and regulatory complexity, this study aims to propose improvements in the internal processes of outsourced contract management at IFSP Campus Campinas, based on the principles and tools of Lean Service. A qualitative approach, exploratory and descriptive in nature, is adopted, combining a literature review and a case study approach with employees involved in the routines from the emergence of the demand to the planning and execution of the electronic bidding process. Lean Service is used as a central framework to identify and eliminate administrative waste, articulating tools such as Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Five Senses (5S), A3 and 5 Whys. The empirical procedure includes semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and direct observation of the work to describe the current flow, identify bottlenecks, rework, waiting times, and propose viable countermeasures. As a result, the study delivers a map of the current workflow and a design for the future workflow, standardized checklists and templates, and a roadmap for continuous improvement applicable to the campus environment, focusing on the robustness of bidding documents and the predictability of pre-bidding stages. The study's contribution not only suggests solutions but also delivers a viable intervention model for Public Administration, supported by the active participation of employees and organizational learning.