São Paulo climate conference affirmed mutual desire for global, interdisciplinary collaboration
Conversations, ideas, and future collaborations bloomed at “Bridging Worlds: Cultivating Research Partnerships for Climate Hope,” the pre-COP conference co-organized by Notre Dame Global, Notre Dame São Paulo, Notre Dame Research, and the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership in São Paulo, Brazil. The conference brought together 12 faculty members from Notre Dame and 21 faculty members and scholars from several prominent Brazilian universities. For two days, participants shared their insights and concerns about climate-related issues. While the group brought unique perspectives based on their areas of expertise, they were united in their call for an interdisciplinary approach to climate action.
director of Notre Dame São Paulo
The variety of backgrounds of the participating faculty members was one of the strengths of the conference. They came from departments across their universities: engineering, computer science, international relations, economics, linguistics, data science, chemistry, anthropology, accounting, and more. Faculty members came to this conference equipped with their own knowledge and research, and also ready to learn from others who think about problems differently. Because the impacts of climate change are so layered and complex, so too must the approach to solving it be wide-ranging.
Serving as a kick-off to the conference, participants were invited to attend a Hesburgh Lecture, hosted at Insper, given by Notre Dame professors Ray Offenheiser and Jessica McManus Warnell. Also in attendance were Notre Dame alumni, Brazilian students, prospective Notre Dame students, and a member of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees, Carlos Betancourt. Reflecting on the success of the lecture, Betancourt shared, “To see so many Notre Dame people gathered here in Brazil, it makes me deeply proud of the University I love. The conversations we’re having about ethics, the environment, and democracy couldn’t be more timely, and I can’t think of better partners than Notre Dame to lead them.”
In the following two days, participants heard from a panel of Brazilian experts on the specific climate challenges Brazil faces, as well as a panel of experts from Notre Dame on the current climate research landscape. The faculty also participated in several roundtable discussions, where they had an opportunity to brainstorm potential research partnerships. They met several times with the same group to draft a concept paper that outlined how they could work together. This group work was the defining aspect of the conference as a whole, which served to be a space for cultivating engagement not only across distances but also across disciplines.
Faculty members also gathered for a social event that brought together local Notre Dame alumni, Notre Dame parents, and government officials—including remarks from Regina Silverio, Deputy Secretary of Management, and Marcela Arruda, Municipal Secretary for Public Management of São Paulo. The enthusiasm was palpable in the room as attendees conversed and connected about what drew them together: the desire to be a force for good in the world through research and innovation. With ideas put to paper and new relationships formed, the closing of the conference guaranteed that more research partnerships are on the horizon.
Originally published by at saopaulo.nd.edu on December 01, 2025.