Research Groups

The group's activities are guided by the following research lines: Space Diffusion and Time Cartography, Space Epidemiology, Space Modeling and Environmental Risk Mapping and Space Remote Detection and Earth Mappings.

This research group is involved in the execution of projects related to the study of floods and droughts and their relation to the participative management of hydrographic basins, in particular the performance of hydrographic basin committees.

The CIRIS study group - Governance, Risk and Communication - involves an interdisciplinary core of research and critical reflection on the interactions between science, expertise, risk, communication and decision-making processes. This research group develops theoretical and empirical studies centered on four analytical axes: (i) Risks, uncertainties and crises; (ii) Production, circulation and usability of knowledge; (iii) Communication, discursive frameworks and information flows; (iv) Governance of science and technology.

The group is dedicated to reconstructing the geological evolution of the Brazilian territory and adjacent areas, on the regional and local scales, with the objective of understanding the processes responsible for the formation and development of the continental crust, as well as the factors that control the formation of mineral deposits and with this establish genetic models that can subsidize the mineral exploitation. The group uses all the geological methods and tools (geocronology, petrology, geochemistry, isotopic geochemistry, fluid inclusions, structural geology, stratigraphy, sedimentology, Geophysics, remote sensing) necessary for the understanding of geotectonic evolution, with special interest in geological controls that determine the situation, location and economic value of natural resources. The research work is concentrated especially in the regions with recognized metallogenetic potential of the Brazilian territory, such as the Mineral Province of Carajás (Pará), the Ferrífero Quadrilátero (Minas Gerais)

The group is dedicated to reconstructing the geological evolution of the Brazilian territory and adjacent areas, on the regional and local scales, with the aim of understanding the factors that control the formation of mineral deposits and with this establish genetic models that can subsidize the mineral exploitation. The group uses all the geological methods and tools (geocronology, petrology, geochemistry, isotopic geochemistry, fluid inclusions, structural geology, stratigraphy, sedimentology, Geophysics, remote sensing) necessary for the understanding of geotectonic evolution, with special interest in geological controls that determine the situation, location and economic value of natural resources. The research works are concentrated especially in the regions with recognized metallogenetic potential of the Brazilian territory, such as the Mineral Province of Carajás (Pará), the Quadrilátero Ferrífero (Minas Gerais), the Province Aurífera de Alta Floresta (Mato Grosso) and the northeastern region.

This research group aims to broaden the knowledge about how to manage risks and disasters in Brazil and the world, with a focus on research and geological-geotechnical characterization, in cartography for territorial planning, in the social construction of risk and in the scenario of climate change. Risks typically faced by the National Civil Protection and Defence System and specific risks of undertakings, such as engineering and mining works, will be addressed. It aims to discuss and build, in a multidisciplinary way, but from the conceptual tools of engineering and environmental geology, the confrontation of natural and technological risks in the different stages of risk management, involving scientific concepts, methodological proposals and public policies.

The purpose of the group´s research is to address geoeconomic and geopolitical phenomena in Latin America using the nation-state scales and the supra-national scale (which includes the countries of the subcontinent) as a reference. Taking land formation as a analytical category, the group aims to contribute to the discussion on sovereignty and the regulatory capacity of the Latin-American countries. The main goals are: contributing to the discussion on the main changes in the role of the State and economic activities, the impact of the same on the land and the social consequences of the same; in addition to discussing the different integration processes underway on the subcontinent, observing the key players (governments, corporate companies, civil society, international organisations), with their alliances, games of interests and conflicts, as well as means of cooperation. The research also focuses on production infrastructure, security and defence, economic development and natural resources.

The research group entitled Geography: Epistemology, History and Environment is composed of geographers and other social scientists who are concerned about the issue of geographic space and its representations, in accordance with the assertion that geographic space can be problematized in a number of ways and manners and regardless of the line of formation or speculation. As such, this group hopes to problematize the issues in relation to the history and epistemology of geography and the issue of the environment, based on dialogue between geography and the human sciences and Earth Sciences. As a main line of discussion the group strives to address the issue of the formation of the geographic episteme based on the cut of nature and how it was incorporated and transformed in the geographic debate and in the context of the philosophical formation of geography and the human sciences. The immediate development of this debate is the issue of empiricization and the theoretical, methodological discussions and the models in physical geography. Within this context, we attempt to specify the debate using geomorphology as a reference. Hence, works, colloquiums and seminars are produced aimed at problematizing and including the issue of nature in geography and physical geography within the philosophical, epistemological, methodological and even literary debate, assessing the breakdown of the same in terms of creating a geographic structure and its developments in the environment and in the teaching of geography.

The research group entitled Geography: Epistemology, History and Environment is formed by geographers and other social scientists who are concerned with the question of geographical space and its representations, according to the assertion that the geographic space can be problematized in various forms and ways and independent of the line of formation or speculation. Thus, this group hopes to problematise issues relating to the history and epistemology of geography and the environmental issue, from a dialogue between geography, the humanities and the Earth Sciences. As an axis of discussion the group seeks to address the question of the formation of the geographical episteme from the cut of nature and how it was incorporated and transformed in the geographic debate and in the context of the philosophical formation of geography and human sciences. The immediate development of this debate is the issue of empirization and theoretical, methodological and modeling discussions in physical geography. Within this context, we seek to specify the debate by reference to geomorphology. Thus, works, colloquiums and seminars are being produced that seek to problematize and insert the question of nature in geography and physical geography within the philosophical, epistemological, methodological and even literary debate assessing the development of the same in terms of the constitution of the geographical structure and its developments in the environment and in the teaching of geography.

This research group aims to investigate how knowledge of geosciences can be brought to formal education and to the general public and the implications of these processes for society. This in the most diverse areas: adaptation to environmental changes, natural risks, urban planning, management of water and other natural resources, production cycles and management of the territory.