José Reis
Encyclopedia
José Reis was a noted Brazilian scientist
, journalist
, scientific leader and science writer.
Reis studied medicine
at the University of Brazil's National Faculty of Medicine (presently Federal University of Rio de Janeiro from 1925 to 1930. After graduation, he started to work from 1928 to 1929 at the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
, having decided to specialize in scientific research in virology
. For his scientific achievements there, he received the Oswaldo Cruz
Medal. As a result, he accepted an invitation to move to São Paulo
in the next year and work at the Instituto Biológico
(Biological Institute), an applied research center set up by the state government, in the section of bacteriology
. Later, he studied at the Rockefeller Institute in New York
, USA, from 1935 to 1936.
Returning to Brazil, Dr. Reis resumed his work at the Biological Institute. Under the instigation of the Institute's director, the German biologist Hermann von Ihering
, to study a mysterious viral disease afflicting chicken
producers in the state, he became gradually a renowned world expert on ornithopathology (avian diseases) and eventually was nominated director of the Institute. He felt also the urge to write pamphlets and booklets in a simple language, in order to instruct the agriculturists of the state on how to prevent and fight this and other diseases, and soon started to contribute regularly to a specialized magazine in this field, "Chácaras & Quintais".
In 1947, Dr. José Reis, who now displayed a marvelous talent for explaining scientific concepts for laypeople, started a parallel career as a journalist, first by writing a science column at one of the town's two most important newspaper
s, the Folha de São Paulo. He maintained this column for the next 55 years, until shortly before his death, probably a world record for a science newspaper columnist. The column was syndicated to many other newspapers. He also dabbed in general journalism, and became one of the editors-in-chief at the Folha from 1962 to 1968, during the critical years of the military régime which was installed in April 1964 in Brazil.
As a scientific leader, Dr. Reis was exceedingly important for the history of Brazilian science and technology, as one of the founders of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science
(SBPC), in 1949, together with other important scientific personalities of the country, such as Jorge Americano, Paulo Sawaya, Maurício Rocha e Silva
, Gastão Rosenfeld
, Wilson Teixeira Beraldo
, José Ribeiro do Vale and others . He was also the founder and the editor-in-chief for almost his entire life of "Ciência e Cultura
", SBPC's official journal.
Dr. Reis received many national and international prizes, awards and honours, such as the Jonh R. Reitermeyer Award, granted by the Interamerican Press Society and the Panamerican Press Union in 1964; and the prestigious Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science by UNESCO
(United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture). In his honour, the Brazilian National Research Council
(CNPq) instituted in 1978 the José Reis Award for the Divulgation of Science. His name is honoured also in the Núcleo José Reis de Divulgação Científica, a research and education centre at the School of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo.
He died of complications of multiple pneumonia
in 2002, at 94 years of age.
1920: José Reis starts secondary school at Colégio D. Pedro II.
1924: Finishes high school. José Reis wins the "Pantheon" prize, conferred on the best students of Colégio D. Pedro II.
1925: Starts studies at the National School of Medicine (Faculdade Nacional de Medicina), in the basic discipline of microbiology. During his medicine course, he studies pathology at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Instituto Oswaldo Cruz) - an Applied Course - and obtains the gold medal of the Oswaldo Cruz Prize (which was not delivered due to lack of funds).
1929: In that year's second semester, he was invited to work at the Biological Institute (Instituto Biológico). He was hired as a bacteriologist.
1930: José Reis finishes medicine school.
1935/36: Professor Thomas M. invites him for an internship at the Rockefeller Institute, In the United States.
1936: Publishes the book Tratado de Ornipatologia (Treatise of Ornithopathology - bird diseases), in collaboration with Paulo Nóbrega and Annita Swenson Reis.
1941: J. Reis participates in the reorganization of the (Brazilian) Department of Agriculture; the book Rasgando Horizontes (Tearing Horizons), with C.B.Schmidt, resulted from this work.
1943: Interventor (a temporary governor indicated by the President) Fernando Costa invites him to direct the Department of Public Service of the State of São Paulo (Departamento de Serviço Público do Estado de São Paulo).
1947: April 6: Begins to write for Folha da Manhã (Morning Paper),
Folha da Noite (Evening Paper) and Folha de São Paulo (São Paulo Paper) newspapers. In the beginning his writings concerned administrative matters, but later they regularly started to deal only with Science, continuing until he died in 2002, 55 years later.
1948: July 8: J. Reis participates in the foundation of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science (Sociedade Brasileira para o progresso da Ciência) - SBPC "(...) under my initiative, for this purpose I gathered, initially, doctors Paulo Sawaya, Maurício Rocha e Silva and Gastão Rosenfeld, the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science was founded, and I was its first secretary-general and which magazine Ciência e Cultura (Science and Culture) I currently direct, without compensation." Folha de S.Paulo starts his Sunday column The World of Science (No mundo da Ciência).
1949: Founds and becomes editor of Ciência e Cultura (Science and Culture) magazine.
1950: Becomes a professional journalist.
1954: First phase as editor of SBPC's "Ciência e Cultura" magazine ends.
1955: Becomes member of the Permanent Commission of the Integral Regime, until the advent of governor Adhemar de Barros's administration. Begins to collaborate with Anhembi Magazine, with his column "Ciência de 30 dias" (Science in the Past 30 Days).
1956: Participates as relator on science teaching themes at the annual meeting of the Brazilian Education Association (Associação Brasileira de Educação), in Salvador, Bahia.
1957: The second edition of his book Treatise of Ornithopathology is released.
1958: Retires from the Biological Institute (Instituto Biológico), receiving the title of Emeritus Servant. Founds, with José Nabantino Ramos and Clóvis Queiroga, Editora IBRASA (IBRASA publishing house) -where he launches "ferment-books", "which bring new ideas and bring about debate"; his performance as editor endures for 20 years, until
1978.
1962: Assumes the post of Editing Director of Folha de São Paulo newspaper, "responsible for the orientation and writing of editorials, without compromising the science popularization work" (1962–67). Receives the Governador do Estado de SP (Governor of the State of São Paulo) Science Journalism Prize.
1963: In a UN meeting about Science and Technology in Geneva, he presents a report on science attitude in teaching.
1964: Awarded with the John R. Reitemeyer Prize in science journalism, conferred for the first time by the Interamerican Press Society (Sociedade Interamericana de Imprensa) and by the Panamerican Press Union (UniãoPanamericana de Imprensa).
1967: Leaves the post of Editing Director at Folha de S. Paulo.
1968: Publishes the book Educação é Investimento (Education is Investment), with preface by Alceu Amoroso Lima, from Editora IBRASA.
1972: Returns to the position of director of SBPC's Ciência e Cultura magazine .
1975: Awarded with UNESCO' Kalinga Prize.
1978: The José Reis Science Divulgation Prize is established by the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development, CNPq.
1986: Ends his activities at Ciência e Cultura magazine, for which he was responsible from 1949 to 1954 and from 1972 to 1985.
1992: The José Reis Center for the Popularization of Science (JRC) of the School of Communications and Arts at the University of São Paulo is founded.
1997: A committee headed by Prof.. Dr. Crodowaldo Pavan, composed of members of the JRC, School of Communications and Arts, FAPESP and CNPq, celebrates on the 12th of June the ninetieth anniversary of José Reis.
1998: On the 8th of July the first book of the Science Popularization Series, A Espiral em Busca do Infinito (The Spiral Toward Infinity) is released, honoring José Reis. It was created by the JRC team, under the supervision of Glória Kreinz and Crodowaldo Pavan.
1999: José Reis continues to act as a journalist at Folha de S.Paulo, with his column Periscópio (Periscope), Idealistas Isolados (Isolated Idealists), the second book of the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2000: A text by José Reis, titled Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa (Research Fostering Foundation), was published in the book Os Donos da Paisagem (The Landscape Owners), third in the Science Popularization Serieswas publicated.
2001: José Reis is elected honorary president of the recently founded Brazilian Association of Science Popularization, ABRADIC, and José Reis: Jornalista, Cientista e Divulgador Científico (José Reis: Journalist, Cientist and Cientific Divugator), fourth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2002: Continued his work at Folha de S.Paulo until his death on May 16 and Ética e Divulgação Científica: Os Desafios do Novo Século (Ethic and Cientific Divulgation: The Challenges of the New Century), fifth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
After death:
2003: Divulgação Científica: Refexões (Cientific Divulgation: Refexions), sixth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2004: Congresso Internacional de Divulgação Científica (International Congress of Science Divulgation), seventh in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2005: José Reis: Ciência, Poesia e Outros Caminhos (José Reis: Science, Poetry and Others), eighth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2006: Círculos Crescentes (Crescent Circles), ninth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, scientific leader and science writer.
Reis studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the University of Brazil's National Faculty of Medicine (presently Federal University of Rio de Janeiro from 1925 to 1930. After graduation, he started to work from 1928 to 1929 at the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation is a scientific institution for research and development in biomedical sciences located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it is considered one of the world's main public health research institutions. It was founded by Dr...
, having decided to specialize in scientific research in virology
Virology
Virology is the study of viruses and virus-like agents: their structure, classification and evolution, their ways to infect and exploit cells for virus reproduction, the diseases they cause, the techniques to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy...
. For his scientific achievements there, he received the Oswaldo Cruz
Oswaldo Cruz
Oswaldo Gonçalves Cruz, better known as Oswaldo Cruz |São Paulo]] state, Brazil – February 11, 1917, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro state) was a Brazilian physician, bacteriologist, epidemiologist and public health officer and the founder of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute.He also occupied the 5th chair of...
Medal. As a result, he accepted an invitation to move to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
in the next year and work at the Instituto Biológico
Instituto Biológico
Biological Institute is an applied research center organised in 1924 in São Paulo, Brazil. It is a governmental organisation concerned with the prevention of zoonoses and foodborne animal pathogens such as rabies and tuberculosis, sanitary advertisement campaigns, alternatives to the chemical...
(Biological Institute), an applied research center set up by the state government, in the section of bacteriology
Bacteriology
Bacteriology is the study of bacteria. This subdivision of microbiology involves the identification, classification, and characterization of bacterial species...
. Later, he studied at the Rockefeller Institute in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA, from 1935 to 1936.
Returning to Brazil, Dr. Reis resumed his work at the Biological Institute. Under the instigation of the Institute's director, the German biologist Hermann von Ihering
Hermann von Ihering
Hermann von Ihering was a German-Brazilian zoologist. He was born at Kiel, Germany, and died at Gießen, Germany. He was the oldest son of Rudolf von Jhering.-Biography:...
, to study a mysterious viral disease afflicting chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
producers in the state, he became gradually a renowned world expert on ornithopathology (avian diseases) and eventually was nominated director of the Institute. He felt also the urge to write pamphlets and booklets in a simple language, in order to instruct the agriculturists of the state on how to prevent and fight this and other diseases, and soon started to contribute regularly to a specialized magazine in this field, "Chácaras & Quintais".
In 1947, Dr. José Reis, who now displayed a marvelous talent for explaining scientific concepts for laypeople, started a parallel career as a journalist, first by writing a science column at one of the town's two most important newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s, the Folha de São Paulo. He maintained this column for the next 55 years, until shortly before his death, probably a world record for a science newspaper columnist. The column was syndicated to many other newspapers. He also dabbed in general journalism, and became one of the editors-in-chief at the Folha from 1962 to 1968, during the critical years of the military régime which was installed in April 1964 in Brazil.
As a scientific leader, Dr. Reis was exceedingly important for the history of Brazilian science and technology, as one of the founders of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science
Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência
Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência is a Brazilian scientific society created in 1948 by several prominent scientists, with the aim of promoting science, culture and education in the country by means of publications, conferences and political actions on behalf of science's advancement...
(SBPC), in 1949, together with other important scientific personalities of the country, such as Jorge Americano, Paulo Sawaya, Maurício Rocha e Silva
Maurício Rocha e Silva
Maurício Oscar da Rocha e Silva was a Brazilian physician, biomedical scientist and pharmacologist...
, Gastão Rosenfeld
Gastão Rosenfeld
Gastão Rosenfeld , was a Brazilian physician and biomedical scientist, one of the co-discoverers of bradykinin, together with Maurício Rocha e Silva and Wilson Teixeira Beraldo, in 1949....
, Wilson Teixeira Beraldo
Wilson Teixeira Beraldo
Wilson Teixeira Beraldo was a Brazilian physician and physiologist, a co-discoverer of bradykinin....
, José Ribeiro do Vale and others . He was also the founder and the editor-in-chief for almost his entire life of "Ciência e Cultura
Ciência e Cultura
Ciência e Cultura is a science magazine published by the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science .- History :...
", SBPC's official journal.
Dr. Reis received many national and international prizes, awards and honours, such as the Jonh R. Reitermeyer Award, granted by the Interamerican Press Society and the Panamerican Press Union in 1964; and the prestigious Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
(United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture). In his honour, the Brazilian National Research Council
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
The Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico is an organization of the Brazilian federal government under the Ministry of Science and Technology, dedicated to the promotion of scientific and technological research and to the formation of human resources for research in the...
(CNPq) instituted in 1978 the José Reis Award for the Divulgation of Science. His name is honoured also in the Núcleo José Reis de Divulgação Científica, a research and education centre at the School of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo.
He died of complications of multiple pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 2002, at 94 years of age.
Timeline
1907: On the 12th of June, in Rio de Janeiro, José Reis was born, the eleventh of thirteen children.1920: José Reis starts secondary school at Colégio D. Pedro II.
1924: Finishes high school. José Reis wins the "Pantheon" prize, conferred on the best students of Colégio D. Pedro II.
1925: Starts studies at the National School of Medicine (Faculdade Nacional de Medicina), in the basic discipline of microbiology. During his medicine course, he studies pathology at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Instituto Oswaldo Cruz) - an Applied Course - and obtains the gold medal of the Oswaldo Cruz Prize (which was not delivered due to lack of funds).
1929: In that year's second semester, he was invited to work at the Biological Institute (Instituto Biológico). He was hired as a bacteriologist.
1930: José Reis finishes medicine school.
1935/36: Professor Thomas M. invites him for an internship at the Rockefeller Institute, In the United States.
1936: Publishes the book Tratado de Ornipatologia (Treatise of Ornithopathology - bird diseases), in collaboration with Paulo Nóbrega and Annita Swenson Reis.
1941: J. Reis participates in the reorganization of the (Brazilian) Department of Agriculture; the book Rasgando Horizontes (Tearing Horizons), with C.B.Schmidt, resulted from this work.
1943: Interventor (a temporary governor indicated by the President) Fernando Costa invites him to direct the Department of Public Service of the State of São Paulo (Departamento de Serviço Público do Estado de São Paulo).
1947: April 6: Begins to write for Folha da Manhã (Morning Paper),
Folha da Noite (Evening Paper) and Folha de São Paulo (São Paulo Paper) newspapers. In the beginning his writings concerned administrative matters, but later they regularly started to deal only with Science, continuing until he died in 2002, 55 years later.
1948: July 8: J. Reis participates in the foundation of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science (Sociedade Brasileira para o progresso da Ciência) - SBPC "(...) under my initiative, for this purpose I gathered, initially, doctors Paulo Sawaya, Maurício Rocha e Silva and Gastão Rosenfeld, the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science was founded, and I was its first secretary-general and which magazine Ciência e Cultura (Science and Culture) I currently direct, without compensation." Folha de S.Paulo starts his Sunday column The World of Science (No mundo da Ciência).
1949: Founds and becomes editor of Ciência e Cultura (Science and Culture) magazine.
1950: Becomes a professional journalist.
1954: First phase as editor of SBPC's "Ciência e Cultura" magazine ends.
1955: Becomes member of the Permanent Commission of the Integral Regime, until the advent of governor Adhemar de Barros's administration. Begins to collaborate with Anhembi Magazine, with his column "Ciência de 30 dias" (Science in the Past 30 Days).
1956: Participates as relator on science teaching themes at the annual meeting of the Brazilian Education Association (Associação Brasileira de Educação), in Salvador, Bahia.
1957: The second edition of his book Treatise of Ornithopathology is released.
1958: Retires from the Biological Institute (Instituto Biológico), receiving the title of Emeritus Servant. Founds, with José Nabantino Ramos and Clóvis Queiroga, Editora IBRASA (IBRASA publishing house) -where he launches "ferment-books", "which bring new ideas and bring about debate"; his performance as editor endures for 20 years, until
1978.
1962: Assumes the post of Editing Director of Folha de São Paulo newspaper, "responsible for the orientation and writing of editorials, without compromising the science popularization work" (1962–67). Receives the Governador do Estado de SP (Governor of the State of São Paulo) Science Journalism Prize.
1963: In a UN meeting about Science and Technology in Geneva, he presents a report on science attitude in teaching.
1964: Awarded with the John R. Reitemeyer Prize in science journalism, conferred for the first time by the Interamerican Press Society (Sociedade Interamericana de Imprensa) and by the Panamerican Press Union (UniãoPanamericana de Imprensa).
1967: Leaves the post of Editing Director at Folha de S. Paulo.
1968: Publishes the book Educação é Investimento (Education is Investment), with preface by Alceu Amoroso Lima, from Editora IBRASA.
1972: Returns to the position of director of SBPC's Ciência e Cultura magazine .
1975: Awarded with UNESCO' Kalinga Prize.
1978: The José Reis Science Divulgation Prize is established by the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development, CNPq.
1986: Ends his activities at Ciência e Cultura magazine, for which he was responsible from 1949 to 1954 and from 1972 to 1985.
1992: The José Reis Center for the Popularization of Science (JRC) of the School of Communications and Arts at the University of São Paulo is founded.
1997: A committee headed by Prof.. Dr. Crodowaldo Pavan, composed of members of the JRC, School of Communications and Arts, FAPESP and CNPq, celebrates on the 12th of June the ninetieth anniversary of José Reis.
1998: On the 8th of July the first book of the Science Popularization Series, A Espiral em Busca do Infinito (The Spiral Toward Infinity) is released, honoring José Reis. It was created by the JRC team, under the supervision of Glória Kreinz and Crodowaldo Pavan.
1999: José Reis continues to act as a journalist at Folha de S.Paulo, with his column Periscópio (Periscope), Idealistas Isolados (Isolated Idealists), the second book of the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2000: A text by José Reis, titled Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa (Research Fostering Foundation), was published in the book Os Donos da Paisagem (The Landscape Owners), third in the Science Popularization Serieswas publicated.
2001: José Reis is elected honorary president of the recently founded Brazilian Association of Science Popularization, ABRADIC, and José Reis: Jornalista, Cientista e Divulgador Científico (José Reis: Journalist, Cientist and Cientific Divugator), fourth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2002: Continued his work at Folha de S.Paulo until his death on May 16 and Ética e Divulgação Científica: Os Desafios do Novo Século (Ethic and Cientific Divulgation: The Challenges of the New Century), fifth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
After death:
2003: Divulgação Científica: Refexões (Cientific Divulgation: Refexions), sixth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2004: Congresso Internacional de Divulgação Científica (International Congress of Science Divulgation), seventh in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2005: José Reis: Ciência, Poesia e Outros Caminhos (José Reis: Science, Poetry and Others), eighth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
2006: Círculos Crescentes (Crescent Circles), ninth in the Science Popularization Series was publicated.
Quote
"Science is beautiful and deeply esthetic; therefore we should exhibit it to society" (A ciência é bonita e profundamente estética; portanto, devemos exibi-la à sociedade)External links
- José Reis. Profiles in Science. "Ciência Hoje" magazine (in Portuguese).
- Núcleo José Reis de Divulgação Científica