Brazilian PhD Award goes to MPIE postdoc Dr. Isnaldi Souza Filho
Dr. Isnaldi Souza Filho, working in the department “Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design”, won the Award for the Best National PhD Thesis 2019 in Brazil. The award is given by CAPES, the national organization for the coordination of the improvement of higher education personnel. CAPES yearly honours the best doctoral theses in different scientific fields, nationwide. Souza won the award in the Engineering II section that comprises chemical, materials, nuclear and mining engineering. His PhD thesis was about “Phase transformations in a high-Mn steel: strain hardening mechanisms, austenite reversion, and athermal martensitic transformation”. His research, which is relevant for lightweight design, was done in a collaboration between Dr. Maria José Ramos Sandim from the University of São Paulo (Brazil) and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dierk Raabe. Souza was a visiting scientist for 10 months at the MPIE before heading back to Brazil and defending his thesis in October 2019. His doctoral work was granted by the Brazilian agency “Sao Paulo Research Foundation” (FAPESP).
“I will now stay at the MPIE for my postdoctoral research and will focus on ways to use hydrogen for the reduction of iron ore. I believe that the MPIE has a special place in the materials science community. Its scientists and technicians are on an excellent level and highly motivated.”, explains Souza. “The CAPES award is highly competitive. All universities in Brazil select their best PhD theses and apply for the selection process. In the Engineering II section, approximately 500 PhD researchers defended their theses and only 27 were recommended to CAPES to compete for the award. That’s why we are very proud of this award”, states Dr. Sandim. The award ceremony will take place on December 10th online.