UnB awards the title of professor emerita to the director of CGEE, Connie MacManus.

The ceremony brought together academic authorities and highlighted the career of the researcher, director of Strategic Projects and Institutional Relations at CGEE, and her contribution to scientific training and international cooperation.

The rector of the University of Brasília (UnB), Rosana Regota Naves, yesterday (29), granted the title of professor emerita to Concepta Margareth McManus Pimentel, director of Strategic Projects and Institutional Relations at the Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE), in a ceremony held at the institution's headquarters, in Brasília (DF). The honor, approved by the University Council according to Resolution No. 17/2025, recognizes the academic career and contributions of the researcher to the consolidation of science, the training of human resources and the internationalization of Brazilian research.

The ceremony was attended by the CEO of CGEE, Anderson Gomes, and the Center's Director of Administration and Finance, Geraldo Nunes. The event brought together members of the UnB academic community, including professors and students, family members, and representatives of the National System of Science, Technology and Innovation, demonstrating the broad recognition of the researcher's career.

The title of Professor Emerita is awarded by the University of Brasília to faculty members who achieve a prominent position in university activities, in recognition of their academic and institutional contributions.

Academic trajectory

Born in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, Concepta Margareth McManus Pimentel built her academic background at leading international institutions, with a degree from University College Dublin, a master's degree from the University of Edinburgh, a doctorate from the University of Oxford, and a post-doctorate from the University of Sydney.

Based in Brazil, she consolidated her career at the University of Brasília, where she joined as a visiting professor in 1992 and became a permanent faculty member in 1996, in the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, becoming a full professor in 2015. In addition, she worked at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and, later, in the Department of Physiological Sciences of the Institute of Biological Sciences at UnB.

Throughout his career, he developed research focused on animal adaptation to tropical climates, making significant contributions to genetic improvement and the conservation of genetic resources, including the rescue of naturalized breeds.

Her scientific output exceeds 520 published articles, in addition to book chapters and frequent participation in national and international conferences. The researcher has also built a broad collaborative network, with more than 1,500 co-authors in Brazil and abroad.

Internationally recognized, she is a level 1A researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), and a fellow of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). She also received the National Order of Scientific Merit, one of the highest distinctions granted by the Brazilian State.

More recently, she has worked in the area of scientometrics and graduate education policies, focusing on the analysis of the Brazilian scientific system and the impact of international collaboration. Currently, she is a member of the board of the Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE), contributing to the formulation of public policies in science, technology, and innovation.

Institutional recognition

Responsible for introducing the honoree, Professor Carolina Madeira Lúcio from the Institute of Biological Sciences at UnB highlighted the researcher's academic career, international work, and contribution to the training of generations of scientists.

The awarding of the title of Professor Emerita to Professor Concepta Margareth McManus Pimentel was highlighted as recognition of her excellence in the four corners of her university career: scientific discovery, human development, policy management, and internationalization.

“Today, the awarding of the title of Professor Emerita to Professor Connie McManus celebrates her excellence in the four cornerstones of her university career: scientific discovery, human development, policy management, and internationalization. Thus, in conclusion, beyond being a scientist without borders, with a life dedicated to scientific research, the training of researchers, and the internationalization of Brazilian science, in her more than 30 years of career, Connie encouraged and collaborated with many colleagues, in addition to making friends and building her family in Brazil,” he said.

Representing the Institute of Biological Sciences, the director of the Institute of Biological Sciences at UnB, Professor Mercedes Bustamante, highlighted the impact of the researcher's career on the university and on academic training.

“Today we gather here to say something that is both very simple and very profound: thank you. Thank you for decades of tireless dedication to science, curiosity, truth, and the education of people,” she stated.

The professor also emphasized that recognizing Professor Concepta's career represents an institutional commitment to the future of science.

"When we value trajectories like yours, we are telling the young people who come through here that their future matters and that they can make a difference," he said.

Subsequently, the Vice-Rector of UnB, Professor Márcio Muniz de Farias, highlighted the impact of the researcher's scientific production and her international recognition.

According to him, the professor's career stands out for building a broad network of scientific collaboration and for her work in different national and international institutional settings.

"More than all these positions, the impact lies in the people she trained, in the ideas and experiences she built throughout her career," he stated.

Science, society and public commitment

Responsible for concluding the solemn session, the rector of UnB highlighted the role of science in the country's development and the importance of female presence in the production of knowledge.

The rector emphasized that trajectories like that of Professor Concepta highlight the challenges and contributions of women in science, as well as their role in leadership positions and in the formulation of public policies.

"An honor like this is bestowed upon those who, by carrying the name of the University of Brasília to different spaces, in Brazil and abroad, defend public education, science, and socio-environmental justice," he stated.

In her speech, she also highlighted the global scope of the researcher's work and the role of science as an instrument of social transformation.

“We are talking about a trajectory that demonstrates that science can also be a political act, one that evokes emotion, mobilizes, and does not lose its capacity to dream of a better world,” he concluded.