Lis Monteiro, a graduate student from Brazil, is working towards a dual degree program between the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the University of Sao Paulo.
A year ago, Brazilian graduate student Lis Monteiro didn't know anything about Edmonton or the University of Alberta.
That changed when she found out she was to become the first student to take part in an exchange program offered through the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The program allows pharmacy graduate students from the University of Alberta and the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil to earn a dual degree while studying in another country.
"I was very excited to learn that I was the first student chosen from my university," says Monteiro, who is in the final year of her PhD studies. "I was told the program was in Canada but I didn't know where Edmonton was or how far north it was."
Under the supervision of professor Raimar Löbenberg, Monteiro began her exchange August 31 and will spend the next six months researching her thesis topic - developing new formulations for drugs to combat leishmaniasis, a tropical and subtropical parasite transmitted by flies and mosquitoes.
Löbenberg, who spearheaded the dual degree program, says the agreement between the two universities is a result of cultivating good relationships between students and faculty.
"The idea for the dual degree came about from several years of our faculty visiting Brazil and having their professors visit us," says Löbenberg. "I have given more than 13 presentations at USP and a couple of other professors have visited the university, so this double degree program is a natural progression of this relationship we developed over the years."
He also says the two pharmacy schools have collaborated on more than 18 publications over the past eight years. He says the program gives students an edge and follows the true spirit of what university education is all about.
"It is a true example of academia, really," he says. "The exchange of ideas and giving students better learning opportunities - a dual degree from two leading pharmacy universities."
Monteiro agrees the exchange program will help her become a better student. "I think it will help me get better grades but also being in a new environment will help me in my career."
Löbenberg says Brazil has several pharmaceutical industry contacts which will only benefit the faculty and its students. A University of Alberta pharmacy graduate student will go to Sao Paulo to start their research exchange later this fall.
"The new dual degree program between USP and the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences is an outstanding new opportunity for academic global engagement," says Britta Baron, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (International). "USP is the top university in Brazil and one of the leading universities in Latin America."
"This dual degree program will allow students to enrich their university experience with an international dimension. Participating students will gain a much broader perspective of their discipline and will also enhance their career prospects in an ever more global job market."
Monteiro says her classmates in Brazil were excited for her and were motivated to become the next student to participate in next year's dual degree program and travel to Edmonton.
As for adjusting to a new city, new university and new country, Monteiro says she is quickly getting used to life as a student in Edmonton. "I like the smaller size of Edmonton compared to Sao Paulo, which has more than 11 million people," says Monteiro. "I don't mind the cold weather either and it's nice that I get to walk a short distance to school, so it's been great."