BEI Welcomes Brazilian Academic Delegation

BEI proudly hosted a 11-member Brazilian delegation of faculty and students on July 12, 2024 at its headquarters in Houston, Texas. BEI staff members and the Brazilian academic visitors, hailing from Recife’s Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará (IFCE), Fortaleza’s Instituto SENAI de Inovação para Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (SENAI) in northeastern Brazil, and discussed various social concerns, as well as mutual cultural and academic interests. The focus of the group’s research is AI usage for enhancing natural disaster relief and sustainability. The year’s long grant project is headed by Dr. Arlei Silva, Assistant Professor from Rice University.  BEI’s Head of Strategic Partnerships, Dr. Adria Baker, helped with their visit while in Houston, and invited them to BEI. Also accompanying the group was Iago de Miranda Mariano, Rice’s Brazilian Student Association (BRASA) president.

The visit opened with a welcome by BEI’s CEO, Jake Mossawir, followed by meaningful roundtable discussions that included members of BEI’s Refugee Services team:  Neida Tormel, Mandela Tumukunde, Sarah Zingale and Keith Hardy.

BEI was thrilled to be a part of the delegates’ learning experience during their week-long education and cultural exchange to Houston, and seeks to continue our connection with IFCE and SENAI in meaningful ways.

(For more on their visit, and BEI listed as part of their itinerary, click here for the Rice News article.)