USP faculty member receives honor from Cape Verde’s President
José Maria Neves visited the Presidency of the University, where he was welcomed by USP President Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Júnior
From left to right: USP President, Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior; USP professor, Jorge Silva Bettencourt; Cape Verde’s president, José Maria Neves; and USP vice-president, Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda. Source: Marcos Santos/USP Imagens
On September 9th, the President of the Republic of Cape Verde, José Maria Pereira Neves, visited the São Paulo Campus and was welcomed by USP’s President, Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior and by Vice-president Maria Arminda do Nascimento Arruda.
“Since the 17th century, Cape Verdeans have departed to the four corners of the world, spreading themselves throughout the world. Today, we have almost three times as many Cape Verdeans outside the country rather than locally, but this outwardness constitutes a richness to us, with people that give a huge contribution for the Cape Verde production in the world,” explained President José Maria Neves.
While visiting Brazil to participate in the celebrations of the Bicentennial of Brazilian Independence, the Cape Verde President participated in the condecoration ceremony of the professor of the Geosciences Institute (IGc) – , Jorge Silva Bettencourt, with the First Degree of the Order of the “Dragoeiro”, the highest cultural condecoration conceded by the African government.
“USP is a cathedral of knowledge, [it] is one of the most important universities in the world. So, a professor that came from Cape Verde and thrives here is a person that helps establish Cape Verde in the world. When Cape Verdeans like professor Bettencourt affirm themselves in this way, it is [also] Cape Verde that grows, expands its borders, and contributes to the world,” emphasized the President.
The celebration was held in the Presidency Acts Room and prestiged by University representatives, Cape Verde government officials, diplomats from both countries, and friends and family of the honored professor.
USP’s President, Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Júnior, reminded in his speech that “Brazil is a country formed by immigrants, the people that chose to live here, adaptading to our habits and our language, elements which draw the Brazilian people closer to one another. This homage received by a Cape Verdean who chose to live in Brazil and developed his career at USP is a reason for great happiness for all of us. It exemplifies how relations between Brazil and Cape Verde, two brother countries, are improving”.
USP’s President also suggested that the teams of USP and Cape Verde would work together to organize and exhibit at the New Ipiranga Museum about the relationship between both countries.
From left to right: professor Jorge Silva Bettencourt and the ambassador of Cape Verde in Brazil, José Pedro Chantre D’Oliveira. Source: Marcos Santos/USP Imagens
A Cape Verdean at USP
“This condecoration has to be extensive to my friends and family, to my undergraduate and graduate students, to my partner researchers, and the dozens of geologists and mine engineers that, today, occupy leading positions in a variety of institutions and which professional development is my biggest pleasure. It is the recognition for my contribution to the nation’s development in a way that serves as an example to young people and indicates ways to a future success for our communities spread throughout the world,” affirmed professor Jorge Silva Bettencourt.
Born on Cape Verde’s São Vicente island, Jorge Silva Bettencourt moved away to Brazil at a young age. He graduated in Geology at USP, the institution in which he also obtained a PhD and a postgraduate degree.
The professor was also a faculty member of the Geology course at the Applied Sciences and Geosciences Institute of Unesp, between 1973 and 1992, and became a full-time professor of USP’s Geosciences Institute in 2000, receiving the title of Professor Emeritus of the institute in 2013.
His research ranges from areas of mining exploration and mineral deposits models. He acts as a mineral exploration geologist and consultant. Currently interested in research, more directed to metallogeny and mineral exploration, with a focus on the themes: Amazonian Craton and the São Francisco River Valley; proterozoic crustal evolution; and metallogenetic modeling of mineral deposits – rare metals and non-ferrous metals – with an emphasis on stable isotopes and fluid inclusions.