Outreach Project
2026 – Present
Callithrix Arantina Project: Conservation of Urban Primates and Local Biodiversity
The Callithrix Arantina Project is a scientific and conservation initiative developed in Arantina, Brazil, in partnership with the World Environmental Conservancy, University of North Carolina and Brazilian research institutions. The project aims to quantify, monitor, and conserve urban and peri-urban populations of Callithrix penicillata while assessing the impacts of habitat fragmentation and the loss of green spaces on local biodiversity. Through ecological surveys, environmental monitoring, and community outreach, the initiative promotes biodiversity conservation, environmental education, and the development of urban green corridors. Designed as a regional conservation model, the project may be expanded to neighboring municipalities and to other threatened species affected by urbanization and environmental degradation.
Project Team: Andrea Presotto (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Gabriel Pereira (Co-PI)
Luciana Rossato Spatafora Co-PI)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2026 – Present
Atlantic Forest Educational Outreach Project
The Atlantic Forest Educational Outreach Project is an initiative of the World Environmental Conservancy under the Science for the World program, developed in partnership with the Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei. The project promotes environmental and climate education in public schools located in regions of strategic ecological importance, particularly within and around the Atlantic Forest and the Zona da Mata. Through scientific outreach activities, lectures, workshops, and educational resources, the initiative aims to increase awareness of biodiversity conservation, climate change, and the role of protected ecosystems in maintaining climate balance, fostering scientific literacy and environmental stewardship among future generations.
Project Team: Gabriel Pereira (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2023-2023
Meteorological Monitoring and Crossing Risk Assessment in the Drake Passage
This project develops meteorological monitoring and operational risk assessment methodologies to support safer navigation across the Drake Passage, one of the most hazardous maritime regions in the world. By integrating numerical weather prediction models, satellite imagery, wave forecasts, synoptic analyses, and atmospheric pressure gradient techniques, the project identifies favorable crossing windows for scientific expeditions, tourism, and maritime operations between South America and Antarctica. The research also evaluates the relationship between atmospheric circulation patterns, explosive cyclogenesis events, and sea-state conditions, contributing to improved voyage planning, maritime safety, and the dissemination of operational meteorological knowledge for Antarctic activities.
Project Team: Marcelo Romão Oliveira (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Ludimila Fabiana da Silva Ferreira (Co-PI)
Carly Masters (Research Assistant)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2020 – 2022
Amazon Fire Monitoring Project
The Amazon rainforest is one of the world’s most vulnerable biomes to deforestation, largely due to uncontrolled wildfires and illegal burning practices. In 2019 alone, more than 89,000 fire outbreaks were recorded across the Amazon region, devastating vast areas of untouched forest, threatening cities, indigenous communities, ecosystems, rivers, and riparian forests, while also releasing enormous quantities of CO₂ into the atmosphere and severely degrading air quality through dense smoke trapped in the lower atmospheric levels. This project aims to systematically monitor fire outbreaks, smoke dispersion, and environmental impacts throughout the Amazon Basin by integrating meteorological models, satellite imagery, data from meteorological stations, and advanced environmental monitoring technologies. The initiative also incorporates scientific research methods focused on evaluating the integrity of tropical ecosystems, the effects of climate and air pollution on biodiversity, and the quality of life and environmental security of indigenous and traditional communities. Through continuous monitoring and scientific analysis, the project seeks to support environmental conservation efforts, improve early-warning capabilities, contribute to climate research, and provide valuable information for decision-making processes related to forest protection and sustainable management of the Amazon region.
Project Team: Marcelo Romão Oliveira (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2019 – 2023
Meteorological Monitoring of Emperor Penguin Colonies in Antarctica
This project monitors emperor penguin colonies at Snow Hill Island (Antarctic Peninsula) and Cape Washington (Ross Sea), with emphasis on the relationship between meteorological conditions, sea ice variability, and breeding success. By continuously tracking temperature, storm activity, and sea ice dynamics, the project assesses how climate variability and climate change affect chick survival, reproductive success, and colony stability. The resulting database supports scientific research on emperor penguin ecology and provides valuable information for the conservation of one of Antarctica’s most climate-sensitive species.
Project Team: Marcelo Romão Oliveira (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Ludimila Fabiana da Silva Ferreira (Co-PI)
Andrea Presotto (Co-PI)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2018 – Present
Butterfly Sanctury Project
The Butterfly Sanctuary Project is a conservation initiative developed by the World Environmental Conservancy in the town of Sharpsburg. For many years, native milkweed species have been cultivated and protected within a small ecological reserve located in the heart of the community.
The project’s primary goal is to support butterfly populations — especially monarch butterflies — by providing essential host plants and creating a safe habitat for feeding, reproduction, and migration. In addition to promoting local biodiversity, the sanctuary also serves as an environmental education initiative, raising awareness about the importance of pollinators and the preservation of natural ecosystems for future generations.
Project Team: Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (PI)
Theodore Mark Lee (Co-PI)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2017-2023
EXCANC Bulletins – Explosive Cyclone Monitoring on the Antarctic Coast
The EXCANC Bulletins project is a subproject of the EXCANC – Explosive Cyclones on the Antarctic Coast initiative, dedicated to the monthly production and dissemination of technical and scientific bulletins on explosive cyclones (bomb cyclones) affecting the Antarctic coastline. The bulletins provide systematic information on the number of events, their spatial distribution, intensity classification, and principal meteorological characteristics, creating a standardized database for the continuous monitoring of these atmospheric systems. The project aims to support research in polar meteorology and climatology by facilitating studies of the temporal and spatial variability of explosive cyclones, identifying the regions most frequently affected, and investigating their relationship with large-scale atmospheric processes and climate change in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic environment.
Project Team: Marcelo Romão Oliveira (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2017-2018
Tropical Meteorology Bulletins
The Tropical Meteorology Bulletins is an extension project associated with the Tropical Meteorology Project, dedicated to the monthly preparation and dissemination of scientific bulletins summarizing the dominant meteorological and climatological systems affecting the Amazon region. The project systematically compiles and analyzes data from ongoing research, satellite imagery, atmospheric reanalyses, and numerical weather models, making this information accessible to the academic community, educators, decision-makers, and the general public. By translating scientific results into practical and accessible reports, the project promotes scientific outreach, environmental education, and a broader understanding of climate variability and atmospheric processes in one of the world’s most important ecosystems.
Project Team: Ana Carolina Vasques Freitas (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Karla Simão Dias (Junior Research Assistant)
Kimberly Gabriely Silva Teixeira (Junior Research Assistant)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2017-2018
Polar Meteorology Bulletins
This subproject of the “Polar Meteorology Project: Meteorological and Climatological Monitoring of Antarctica” is dedicated to the production of monthly meteorological and climatological bulletins for Antarctica, with a primary focus on the American research stations of Palmer and McMurdo. By integrating numerical weather models, satellite imagery, and surface meteorological observations, the project systematically analyzes temperature, wind patterns, snowfall events, and other atmospheric variables, generating scientific reports that support climate monitoring, data dissemination, and Antarctic environmental research while contributing to the understanding of climate variability and change in polar regions.
Project Team: Marcelo Romão Oliveira (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Co-PI)
Ludimila Fabiana da Silva Ferreira (Co-PI)
Carly Masters (Research Assistant)
Sponsor: World Environmental Conservancy
2014 -2014
Renewable Marine Energy in Brazil—Challenges and Opportunities Workshop
The Renewable Marine Energy in Brazil—Challenges and Opportunities Workshop was an academic and technical outreach initiative designed to promote knowledge exchange on emerging renewable energy technologies, with a particular focus on marine energy resources and innovative power generation systems. The workshop brought together researchers, students, engineers, policymakers, and industry representatives to discuss the scientific, technological, environmental, and economic aspects of harnessing ocean energy in Brazil. Topics included wave, tidal, offshore wind, ocean current, and ocean thermal energy conversion technologies, as well as the development and application of different turbine designs and energy conversion systems. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and disseminating state-of-the-art research, the workshop contributed to strengthening national capacity and encouraging the adoption of sustainable marine energy solutions within Brazil’s renewable energy portfolio.
Project Team: Sérgio Moraes Hanriot, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires, Cardiff University (Co-PI)
Thorsten Stoesser, Cardiff University (Co-PI)
Cristiana Brasil, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (Co-PI)
Sponsor: Brazilian Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) Brazil
2011-2011
Partitioning the Impact of Accelerated Hydroelectronic Development and Climate Change on the Lower Mekong River Basin, (International Planning Visit Proposal), 2011
Project Team: Monique Y. Leclerc, The University of Georgia (PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires, The University of Georgia (Co-Pi)
Mike Coe, Woods Hole Research Institute (Co-PI)
John Norman, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Co-Pi)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF) USA
2009 – 2010
Atmospheric Boundary Layer Simulation of the Alcântara Launch Center Using a Wind Tunnel
This project aims to adapt the IAE/ALA TA-2 Wind Tunnel to reproduce the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and perform simulations of the atmospheric flow over the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA), using scaled models that accurately represent the local topography. The project investigates the influence of terrain features on airflow patterns and turbulence characteristics, providing experimental support for atmospheric and aerospace applications. In addition, it includes the modernization of the existing Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system at ALA, enabling time-resolved data acquisition and high-resolution turbulence measurements for a more comprehensive characterization of the atmospheric boundary layer in the CLA region.
Project Team: Gilberto Fisch (PI)
Ana Cristina Avelar (Co-PI)
Luciana Bassi Marinho Pires (Researcher)
Sponsor: Brazilian Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) Brazil