Amanda Soares Giroto

I hold a PhD in Chemistry from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), with a sandwich period at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), where I developed research on the preparation of polymeric matrices to study the controlled release of phosphates. My PhD, completed in 2018, was funded by FAPESP. I also obtained a Masters degree in Chemistry from UFSCar, investigating controlled release systems for agrochemicals, and a Bachelors degree in Chemistry from the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), where I focused on the oxidation of organic contaminants using amphiphilic catalysts. I carried out postdoctoral research at EMBRAPA Instrumentation in Brazil and at Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany, also supported by FAPESP, working on the development of new materials and controlled-release fertilizers. At the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), I collaborated on EMBRAPII projects focused on creating innovative biofertilizers from industrial residues, and I also developed and supported studies on the production of heterostructures for the photodegradation of emerging contaminants. I am currently the coordinator of a CNPq-funded project that integrates different research fronts in materials science, agriculture, and energy. My scientific career is strongly interdisciplinary and has advanced through multiple research lines, including the development of sustainable materials and fertilizers aimed at improving soil fertility, the design of nanocomposites and smart polymeric systems for controlled release and reduced environmental impact, the preparation of materials for photocatalytic processes applied to pollutant degradation and residue valorization, as well as the synthesis of advanced materials for green hydrogen production and e-fuels, exploring semiconductors and multifunctional composites. I have published several articles in these areas, contributing to the advancement of research in sustainable technologies for agriculture and energy. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)