Karla de Souza Torres

Multidisciplinary researcher and educator bridging exact sciences and humanities: holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from UFV (2002), M.Sc. in Physics from UNESP (2004), and Ph.D. in Space Engineering from INPE (2008). Complemented her training with an MBA in Exponential Business at UNICAMP (2024), specializing in social impact management, and is currently pursuing Psychology studies at Faculdades Promove Curvelo to deepen her examination of human-technology interactions. As a professor at CEFET-MG since 2014, she teaches courses including Computer Programming, Social Transformation and Impact, and Computing as Social Technology, developing pedagogical methodologies that integrate teaching, research, and community engagement. Served as Civil Engineering Program Coordinator (2017-2018) and headed the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (2023-2025), implementing management practices centered on humanization, operational efficiency, and institutional transparency.As founding coordinator of the Center for Gender and Diversity Studies (NEGED/CEFET-MG, 2015-2020), she conducted pioneering research on gender equity in information technology programs while instituting campus-wide inclusion policies. She led innovative extension projects including the CEPETz Initiative (2019-2025) which established sustainable campus animal shelters and animal-assisted activities to reduce academic stress while promoting community awareness on animal welfare, and the ComVIDA Project (2020) that coordinated emergency food distribution during the pandemic through partnerships with Curvelo residents.Her scholarly work spans three interconnected domains: astrobiology and celestial mechanics; gender equality studies in STEM fields; and educational innovation - particularly her current project "AI and Education Rehumanization" (2025-present) which develops ethical frameworks for generative artificial intelligence in technical and higher education, emphasizing human-centered pedagogical approaches. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)