Palestrante 1 – Profª Drª Danieli Rodrigues

I. Personal Information:
Dr. Danieli Rodrigues
Associate Professor
Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
Department of Bioengineering

II. Biography:
Dr. Danieli Rodrigues received her BS Degree in Chemical Engineering from Universidade Federal de Santa, Brazil, in 2005. Before pursuing graduate school, Dr. Rodrigues worked as a process engineer at BASF Aktiengesellschaft (Ludwigshafen, Germany). She then joined the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering at Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY) as a fellow graduate student, receiving her MS in 2007 and Ph.D. in 2010. Dr. Rodrigues concentrated her graduate studies on Orthopedics research, evaluating mechanisms of corrosion and failure in modular total-joint hip implants, which were retrieved from patients at early stages post-surgery. She also developed novel bone cements for treatment of vertebral compression fractures in patients suffering from osteoporosis and other spinal lesions. In 2010, she joined the department of Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics at Zimmer/Biomet Inc. (Warsaw IN) as a senior Research Engineer. Zimmer/Biomet is one of the largest medical device companies in the world manufacturing implants for orthopedics, extremities, trauma, dental applications, and surgical instruments. As a research engineer, she developed test methods for performance verification of new designs of hip and knee implants and related surgical instrumentation. Dr. Rodrigues joined the Department of Bioengineering at UT Dallas as an assistant professor in 2012. She founded the BONE Lab (Biomaterials for Osseointegration and Novel Engineering) expanding her research focus through multiple collaborative projects with the local medical and dental schools. Dr. Rodrigues became an associate professor of Bioengineering in 2019. Current research projects aim to foster multidisciplinary biomaterials research for translational applications in orthopedics and dental materials. Of particular interest is the development of multifunctional biomaterials and surface modification techniques that can mediate healing and osseointegration. Dr. Rodrigues has been actively engaged in establishing collaborative initiatives between UTD and Brazilian universities. She is also supporting the establishment of new international educational programs at the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. Dr. Rodrigues teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in the department of Bioengineering including Biomaterials and Medical Devices. She has received several teaching and mentoring awards at department, school, and university levels. In 2019, she received the President’s Teaching Excellence Award in Undergraduate Instruction and in 2021, she received the Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research. Other teaching and research interests include smart biomaterials, bone biology, foreign body response, orthopedic and dental materials, design and development process of medical devices and medical devices regulatory affairs. Dr. Rodrigues has 80 publications, 3 books chapters, 3 issued patents, and her lab has received research support from diverse institutes and industry including the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NIDDK/NIDCR); National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships (NSF); International Team for Implantology (ITI); Academy of Osseointegrattion (AO); American Academy of Dental Research (AADR); and private industry.

III. Seminar title:
“The Importance of International Experiences in Engineering Education”.
In the age of globalization, engineers aspire to be world class, well-rounded professionals equipped to work in a diverse marketplace. International experiences can provide students with the unique opportunity to work together to tackle global challenges, fostering collaborations that can lead to solutions with impact in different societies. Internationalization reduces communication barriers, promoting cultural awareness and global mindset. Research has shown that students with international exposure are better problem solvers, displaying more creativity and the ability to get out of their comfort zones. Because global competence is a critical element in any engineering curriculum, universities are looking for solutions beyond the traditional study abroad model to facilitate international education. In this talk, I will discuss a few of our global initiatives, specifically, reviewing topics related to: current opportunities and support for undergraduate and graduate students to gain international exposure; the University of Texas at Dallas international footprint and initiatives to support international education and partnerships; and finally sharing my own international academic journey and how it shaped my professional life.

Palestrante 2 – Prof. Dr. Daniel P. Bernardon

I. Currículo:
Pró-Reitor de Inovação e Empreendedorismo (PROINOVA) da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM). Professor Titular da UFSM. Bolsista de Produtividade em Pesquisa PQ-2 do CNPq. IEEE Senior Member. Coordenador de Projetos Institucionais de Internacionalização e de PDI. Membro do Comitê de Assessoramento de Inovação, Tecnologia e Empreendedorismo da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS). Editor Associado do Journal of Control, Automation and Electrical Systems (JCAE SBA/Springer). Doutor em Engenharia Elétrica pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (2007). Possui mestrado em Engenharia Elétrica pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (2004), especialização em Planejamento de Sistemas de Distribuição pela Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (2001) e graduação em Engenharia Elétrica pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (2000). Coordenou o Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica (PPGEE) da UFSM (Conceito CAPES 7) de 2017 a 2021. Tem experiência na área de Engenharia Elétrica, com ênfase em Energia e Sistemas Elétricos de Potência, atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas: operação e planejamento de sistemas de distribuição, redes elétricas inteligentes, recursos energéticos distribuídos, modelagem de sistemas e otimização. Também atuou dez anos no setor elétrico, trabalhando nas concessionárias de energia elétrica RGE e AES Sul.

II. Título da Palestra:
“Da Linha de Pesquisa ao Mercado”.