Professor Ana Maria da Costa Ferreira, from the Instituto de Química at Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and a member of the Redoxoma Research Center, has been elected a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC). The result was announced after the institution’s General Assembly, held on November 19. The new full and corresponding members will receive their diplomas during the ABC Magna Meeting, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro from May 5 to 7, 2026.

“The year of 2025 is indeed being exceptionally successful in my academic life. Within a period of two weeks, I received the Rheinboldt-Hauptmann Award, which is very special, offered by IQ-USP to outstanding researchers inside and outside USP, and shortly after, I was elected to the prestigious Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC),” the researcher noted.

She views these honors as validation of her lifelong dedication to teaching and research. “I consider myself especially honored, having my work of many decades in the service of teaching and research recognized and valued. Best of all, recognized in my own home, at USP, and in Brazil. For my career, both this award, along with the previous ones I have received, and my admission to the Academy represent a happy ending to my dedication to science. Perhaps even more important is what they represent for my students, former students, collaborators, and colleagues. An incentive for the younger ones, an inspiration for those who are still striving in this field.“

Ana Maria’s academic path began at IQ-USP, where she earned her degree in Chemistry in 1971 and completed her PhD in physical chemistry in 1976. She then pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome in the field of biological chemistry, and at the State University of New York in Albany with a focus on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. She has been a full professor at IQ-USP since 2002.

Her research focuses on the interface between coordination chemistry and biochemistry, with an emphasis on reactive species and biologically relevant metal systems. Her group develops metal-based compounds with potential therapeutic applications and technologies related to redox processes. Among the applied outcomes of her work is a redox reactor for industrial wastewater treatment, already implemented by a petrochemical company.

In addition to her scientific production, Ana Maria participates in national and international scientific organizations. She is a member of the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ), the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), and a council member of the Regional Chemistry Council – IV Region (CRQ-IV). She has received several distinctions, including the National Order of Scientific Merit (2007), the Ícaro S. Moreira Medal (2009), the Simão Mathias Medal (2022), as well as the Rheinboldt-Hauptmann Award from the IQ-USP, granted in 2025.

Training students and producing educational material also play a central role in her career. She is coauthor of Nomenclatura básica de química inorgânica: adaptação simplificada, atualizada e comentada das regras da IUPAC para a língua portuguesa, written with Henrique E. Toma, Ana Maria G. Massabni and Antonio Carlos Massabni, and, with Toma, of Química de Coordenação — Uma Abordagem Experimental. Both works are key references in the field.

“In my professional journey, I had many who inspired me and made my path easier and more enjoyable: teachers from elementary and high school, advisors, and supervisors who gave me a precious gift, knowledge, and the path to move forward with confidence and resilience. I try, in my own way, to do the same for my students and colleagues,” said Ana Maria.

With Ana Maria da Costa Ferreira’s election, the Redoxoma Research Center now has six full members of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences: Ohara Augusto (2002), Francisco Laurindo (2012), Alicia Kowaltowski (2018), Paolo Di Mascio (2021), and Maurício da Silva Baptista (2024).