Fostering the participation of young researchers at COP28

 
Young researchers from the Global South AI for Pandemic Preparedness and Response Network (AI4PEP) attended the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).
Standing side by side are Andre Carlos Ponce de Leon Ferreira de Carvalho and Bruno Rafael Florentino of the University of São Paulo, Brazil, attending COP28 and in another photo Dessalegn Yohannes of Jimma University, Ethiopia, is pictured at COP28.
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Image left: Professor Andre Carlos Ponce de Leon Ferreira de Carvalho (left) and Bruno Rafael Florentino from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, at COP28. Image right: Dessalegn Yohannes of Jimma University, Ethiopia, attended COP28.

COP28 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 13, 2023, and protégés Bruno Rafael Florentino and Dessalegn Yohannes from the AI4PEP teams in Brazil and Ethiopia presented their research on bio-prediction and One Health.

Bruno Rafael Florentino, a physical and biomolecular sciences student (now pursuing a PhD program) at Brazil’s University of São Paulo, working under the supervision of Professor André Carlos Ponce de Leon Ferreira de Carvalho, presented an informational poster on advancing biological research through automated machine learning for biological sequences. It was a great opportunity for Florentino to present his work on a global stage, as the conference convened health experts, scientists, environmentalists, policymakers, interdisciplinary researchers and innovators from across the world to debate and solicit sustainable solutions to the ongoing climate crisis and its imminent threats to health and livelihoods.

Florentino’s research on artificial intelligence (AI) and biological sequencing was presented at Prototypes for Humanity in Dubai, and it was recognized by his fellow researchers for its ground-breaking, transformative and futuristic nature.

Being present at COP28 was an inspiring experience as he managed to share his work with several global thinkers and experts in the field. Explaining his research, Florentino mentioned that his work was an attempt to create machine-learning tools to benefit molecular biology researchers, specifically in the area of bio-prediction, which uses these tools to predict biological sequences.

His mentor, Professor Andre Carlos Ponce de Leon Ferreira de Carvalho, was at COP28 to support his protégée and present his own work that seeks to democratize machine learning.

Meanwhile, Dessalegn Yohannes, another AI4PEP protégé under the supervision of Professor Gelan Ayan of Jimma University in Ethiopia, also participated in COP28. He was inspired to attend the conference to network, informally share his own work and learn about fascinating emerging trends within the data science field.

The participation of these AI4PEP protégés in this important international event demonstrates that mentorship is a vital component of leadership and sustainability at AI4PEP. The team’s principal investigators continue to offer sound mentorship and guidance to young innovative researchers across the Global South. 

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