MIT-Brazil Program

to january 2024 in Manaus where 16 MIT students engaged with 14 Brazilian students through the MIT Global Classroom “Designing Sustainable Polymers Systems”.
We are counting down to MIT’s 24-Hour Challenge!
Support MIT-Brazil and enable more MIT students to experience Brazil!

When the clock strikes 12 on Pi Day, March 14, 2024, you will have 24hrs to show your support with any amount. misti.mit.edu/mit24 Please join us and thousands of MIT alumni, parents, students, and friends at the eighth annual MIT 24-Hour Challenge. @

Oi gente! It’s Viviana :) Today I am here to tell you all a little about my Brazilian experience so far! I am so thankful to for allowing me to have this unforgettable experience🇧🇷❤️

I am currently a visiting researcher at working in the Arq.Futuro Laboratory, specifically under the Women and Territories Nucleus. My primary role has been leading the laboratory’s collaboration with the Observatory in Heliópolis, a project by (Union of Centers, Residents’ Associations of Heliópolis and Region) that consists of an amazing collective of young researchers between the ages of 14-23, all residents of Heliópolis and regions.

Within the thermal comfort project that Theo and I described in our last post, I am a part of the technical research team on the Insper side, but I also took on the role of an educator for the observatory. I offer weekly workshops (all in Portuguese!) centered around climate justice and thermal comfort to create capacity and build bridges that connect the youths to the academic world through research collaboration. My workshops are based on producing and communicating technical and academic data, all through the lens of climate justice and the importance of advocacy.

Facilitating the collaboration between Insper and the Observatory has been quite the challenge, but a challenge that I willingly took on and have learned an innumerable amount of lessons from! I have placed a lot of effort into making the workshops relevant and accessible to the youths’ context and perspective by using accessible language, active dynamics, and involvement in the territory. I have enjoyed being that person who brings two worlds together in a way that represents true co-creation where local knowledge is valued and respected just as much as technical knowledge, if not more.

I have been able to make a lot of progress during my time here in São Paulo, and I am looking forward to continuing working with and learning from these incredible people/organizations!