Thais Maria Ferreira de Souza Vieira

Full Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at ESALQ/USP, Director of the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (20232027), and Vice-President of the USP China Center (since 2024). Engaged in the planning and implementation of institutional strategies aimed at integrating scientific excellence, innovation, sustainability, and international cooperation, with a focus on sustainable agriculture, food systems, and global academic engagement. Holds a degree in Agronomic Engineering from ESALQ/USP (1995) and a Ph.D. in Food Technology from Unicamp (2003), including a research exchange at CIRAD, Montpellier, France. Began her career as a researcher at Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos (20032005) and has been a faculty member at the University of São Paulo since 2006, with a research stay as Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Davis (20182019). Served as Chair of the Undergraduate Committee at ESALQ (20192023), leading curricular reforms focused on interdisciplinary education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, directed the transition of more than 700 classroom groups across 220 courses to remote learning, ensuring the continuity of academic activities at Esalq. Also coordinated the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Veterinary Sciences and served on the Deliberative Council of CTAA Technical Commission for Evaluation Monitoring (INEP/MEC) from 2021 to 2023. Coordinates international cooperation agreements, including the double degree program ESALQ/ONIRIS (France) and the Agrifood 5 Alliance (ESALQ, Wageningen University Research, UC Davis, Cornell University, and China Agricultural University). Teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in product and process development, innovation, and sustainability in food systems. Research focuses on the valorization of agro-industrial residues and co-products, particularly through environmentally sustainable technologies for the extraction of antioxidants and development of functional ingredients. These activities are strongly aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with direct contributions to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Member of the Brazilian Academy of Agronomic Science. Recipient of the USP and ESALQ Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Awards (2013), second place in the Food Systems Innovation Challenge (Wageningen University Research, 2020), and participant in the 3rd Course on Academic Performance Metrics and International Comparisons (2022). In 2024, was named one of Forbes Brazils 16 Powerful Women, becoming the first university professor to receive this distinction. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)