Sonia Guimarães
in 2018 by Safira Moreira
Born (1957-06-26) 26 June 1957
Brotas
Alma materFederal University of São Carlos
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology
Scientific career
InstitutionsInstituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica
University of Bologna

Sonia Guimarães (born 26 June 1957) is a Brazilian Professor of Physics at the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica. She was the first black Brazilian woman to earn a doctorate in physics and has dedicated her career to improving the representation of black Brazilians in academia.

Early life and education

Guimarães was born in Brotas. Her father worked on tapestries and her mother was a merchant. At primary school and secondary school Guimarães was always the top of the class, but she experienced racism as a child. She worked part-time during school and used the money that she earned to pay for college.[1] Whilst at high school Guimarães wanted to become an engineer, and sat the Mapofei entrance exam that was a requirement for entry to the University of São Paulo.[2] In 1976 she became the first member of her family to attend university when she joined the Federal University of São Carlos. During her first year she encountered physics for the first time; and during her course on solid state physics decided that she loved the subject.[3] She remained there for her master's degree, where she worked on ellipsometry. After completing her undergraduate degree Guimarães moved to Italy where she joined the University of Bologna and worked on microelectronics.[4][5][6][7] In 1986 Guimarães moved to the United Kingdom.[8] Guimarães joined the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology as a doctoral student, where she worked alongside Anthony Peaker.[9][10][11][12] In 1989 she became the first black woman in Brazil to earn a doctorate in physics.[3][5][13] Guimarães has said that she was not aware of this until her story was featured on the website Black Women of Brazil.[3]

Research and career

Guimarães advocating for black women in 2018 with Silvana Bahia and Jurema Werneck of Amnesty International.

Guimarães joined the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica in São José dos Campos in 1993. She was the first black woman to do so, and joined at a time that women were not allowed to enter the ITA. Whilst women were allowed to enter the university toward the end of 1995, they are still underrepresented to this day – from 2013 to 2018 less than 10% of the students who entered the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica were women.[8] Her research considers electron transport in epitaxially grown semiconductor alloys[6][7][11][12] and the development of novel materials for sensing applications.[2][14][15] In 2014 Guimarães delivered a TED talk "Educação é a única solução" (Education is the only solution).[16]

Alongside her academic research Guimarães has worked to improve diversity in Brazilian research.[8] In particular, she has looked to support women and black people, who make up over half of the Brazilian population but are severely underrepresented in universities. She has given a series of academic lectures about her experiences of racism in academia and the impact of affirmative action programmes.[17][18] She was awarded the Black Race Trophy in recognition of her advocacy work. In 2019 the Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica announced that it would join the quota system for black students.[19] Whilst Guimarães had considered retiring, she wants to stay there for the first year of quota students.[19]

References

  1. ↑ Travae, Marques (30 January 2012). "Sonia Guimarães: first black Brazilian woman". Black Women Of Brazil. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "8 mulheres negras cientistas brasileiras que você precisa conhecer". Brasil de Fato (in Brazilian Portuguese). 25 July 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Sanz, Beatriz (28 February 2017). "Quem são as cientistas negras brasileiras?". EL PAÍS (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  4. ↑ "Sonia Guimarães: first black Brazilian woman with a Ph.D in Physics | Black Women of Brazil". 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  5. 1 2 ""Minha vida é quebrar barreiras", diz a 1ª mulher negra doutora em física". www.uol.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  6. 1 2 Guimarães, S.; Kögler, R.; Landi, E.; Solmi, S.; Wieser, E. (1986). "Anomalous Enhanced Diffusion and Electrical Activation of Boron in Silicon After Rapid Isothermal Annealing". Physica Status Solidi A. 93 (2): 549–557. doi:10.1002/pssa.2210930219. ISSN 1521-396X.
  7. 1 2 Guimarães, S.; Landi, E.; Solmi, S. (1986). "Enhanced diffusion phenomena during rapid thermal annealing of preamorphized boron-implanted silicon". Physica Status Solidi A. 95 (2): 589–598. doi:10.1002/pssa.2210950228. ISSN 1521-396X.
  8. 1 2 3 "Primeira professora negra no ITA, Sônia Guimarães cobra igualdade para mulheres: 'conservadorismo já não é mais capaz de nos parar'". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "As nossas cientistas negras". www.bayerjovens.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  10. ↑ "Sonia Guimarães". buscatextual.cnpq.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  11. 1 2 Landi, E.; Guimaraes, S.; Solmi, S. (1 October 1987). "Influence of nucleation on the kinetics of boron precipitation in silicon". Applied Physics A. 44 (2): 135–141. doi:10.1007/BF00626414. ISSN 1432-0630. S2CID 97900013.
  12. 1 2 Armigliato, A.; Guimaraes, S.; Solmi, S.; Kögler, R.; Wieser, E. (1 January 1987). "Comparison of boron diffusivity during rapid thermal annealing in predamaged, preamorphized and crystalline silicon". Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Ion Beam Modification of Materials. 19–20: 512–515. doi:10.1016/S0168-583X(87)80102-7. ISSN 0168-583X.
  13. ↑ comciencia (8 February 2019). "As mulheres negras e a ciência no Brasil: "E eu, não sou uma cientista?"". _comciência (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "Sônia Guimarães". 5ª WCORREEI (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  15. ↑ Guimarães, Sonia; de Lima, Joaquim Tavares; Petoilho, José Carlos; de Lucena, Emerson Ferreira; Hwang, Míriam Kasumi; Campos, Élson (1 April 2008). "Modified LPE system used to diffuse Cd to obtain InSb infrared detectors". Journal of Crystal Growth. the Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Crystal Growth (ICCG-15) in conjunction with the International Conference on Vapor Growth and Epitaxy and the US Biennial Workshop on Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy. 310 (7): 1657–1663. doi:10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2007.11.176. ISSN 0022-0248.
  16. ↑ Educação é a única solução | Sonia Guimarães | TEDxJardinsWomen, retrieved 17 November 2019
  17. ↑ "Sônia Guimarães". GPET Física (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  18. ↑ "FdC: Sônia Guimarães aponta caminhos para combater desigualdades com Ciência e Tecnologia – Feira do Conhecimento" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Sônia Guimarães abre IX Artefatos da Cultura Negra com palestra – Universidade Federal do Cariri" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
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