CERSusChem 🡨🡪 LASCA partnership contributes to the 2026 São Carlos Municipal Environmental Education Meeting
From June 18 to 21, 2026, the São Carlos Municipal Environmental Education Meeting was held in São Carlos, Brazil. Organized every two years, the event brought together educators, researchers, students and members of the community for a diverse program that included lectures, panel discussions, workshops and scientific presentations.
The Center of Excellence for Research in Sustainable Chemistry (CERSusChem - UFSCar) actively participated in the event through the representation of Prof. Dr. Sérgio Henrique Vannucchi Leme de Mattos, coordinator of the outreach team for the FAPESP-funded thematic project "Sustainable Synthetic Methods Employing Catalysis, Green Solvents, Safe Reagents, and Renewable Starting Materials." Prof. Sérgio also serves as UFSCar's representative on the São Carlos Environmental Education Management Council (CGEA-SC) and took part in several activities throughout the meeting.
On June 18, together with Prof. Dr. Sonia Buck (Department of Environmental Sciences, UFSCar) and Prof. Dr. Dayana Almeida (Department of Geography and Environmental Planning, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Rio Claro campus), Prof. Sérgio led the workshop "BioFuturo - Citizen Science Project." The Laboratory for the Study of Complex Environmental Systems (LASCA), coordinated by Prof. Sérgio, collaborates with CERSusChem on the BioFuturo project, particularly in the development and implementation of educational materials focused on urban biodiversity in municipalities where UFSCar has campuses. Accordingly, the workshop centered on the co-creation of educational resources addressing this theme. 
On June 19, Prof. Sérgio participated in the meeting of the São Carlos Environmental Education Network (REA-SC), of which he is a member. The main topic of discussion was the network's participation in the 10th Brazilian Environmental Education Forum, organized by the Brazilian Environmental Education Network (REBEA). The event will take place in BrasÃlia, Federal District, from November 23 to 28, 2026, under the theme "Environmental Education for Life."
The meeting also featured a scientific poster session on June 20. During this activity, Prof. Sérgio presented two posters. The first showcased the LASCA–CERSusChem collaborative project "Voices on the Histories and Memories of Environmental Education in São Carlos," which aims to document and preserve the history of environmental education in the city through interviews with individuals who have contributed to its development. The second poster, "Development of Educational Games on the Biodiversity of São Carlos," highlighted educational initiatives carried out within the BioFuturo project.
The 2026 edition of the Municipal Environmental Education Meeting brought together representatives from a wide range of institutions and sectors, reinforcing São Carlos' long-standing position as one of Brazil's leading references in environmental education and strengthening collaborative efforts toward a more sustainable future.
