Adalberto Luis Val
Diretor do INPA, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - Manaus, AM
The Amazon: a rich and complex region
One must consider the particularities of the Amazonian environment, its diversities, the dichotomy of development-deforestation, the effects of climatic changes in the region, as well as the need for robust information to inform decisions related to the development of the region. The Amazon region is complex; we are still far from a complete assessment of its richness. It is also dynamic; life is conditioned by the continuous cycles of inundation. There are 25 million people, living in the Brazilian Amazon alone, who demand action towards the development of the region. If we do not offer alternatives capable of generating income and of being more competitive than the current commodities in circulation in the world today, such as soy and meat, for example, we will continue to deal with high rates of deforestation. The role of Science and Technology is vital in this context. However, the current infrastructure needs to be rethought and strengthened to supply the demand for information.
Adalberto Luis Val, biologist and researcher at INPA, studies the adaptations of Amazon fishes to changes in the environment. So far he has published more than 120 indexed papers, chapters and books. As supervisor he has already advised more than 100 undergraduate, masters, and Ph.D. students, and post-docs. He is particularly concerned and actively participating in the study of the causes and consequences of regional imbalances in science. He is a member of the Legion of Honour of the American Society of Fishery, Section of Physiology. He received the Medal of the National Order of Scientific Merit. He is 1A Research Fellow of CNPq and elected member of Brazilian Academy of Sciences. Currently, he is acting as Director of the National Institute of Research in the Amazon.