February 2009: Pedro Arcuri arrived in Montpellier. Back then, when he was just starting out as the newly appointed director of LabEx (the “external laboratory” for Embrapa, Brazil’s equivalent to France’s National Institute for Agricultural Research INRA), Mr. Arcuri acknowledges that “coming to France was a major decision. It was not an obvious choice either. France is a very attractive country for Brazilian scientists. To obtain this appointment, I had to respond to a call for tenders at Embrapa and was fortunate to be selected out of three candidates.” …
Pedro Arcuri, a Brazilian researcher working in Montpellier
Since arriving in the south of France, Arcuri has been coordinating the research institute’s network in Europe. In other words, he brings senior Embrapa researchers to France and integrates them into cutting-edge European research centers specializing in agricultural sectors that interest Brazil. Five Brazilian scientists are currently working in France and Europe (the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany). Embrapa does not actually have its own facilities in Europe; Brazilian researchers conduct their work with local teams in existing laboratories. “This arrangement intensifies the exchange of skills and technology in cutting-edge sectors. By working in these labs every day, Brazilian researchers are exposed to all the expertise and advances of the research, primarily thanks to their French colleagues.”
It is no accident that Embrapa’s coordination center is located in Montpellier. Being at the heart of the Mediterranean, LabEx was able to gain the support of Agropolis, a global campus for environmental sciences based in the city. This research center, funded by the French government and regional/local authorities, maintains close relations with universities and brings together the largest scientific community in the world in the fields of agriculture, food, biodiversity and the environment.
“In a broader sense, France is the largest exporter/producer of agricultural products in Europe. Naturally, Embrapa was keen to set up a base in France. What’s more, CIRAD (a French research center for agricultural research for developing countries) has managed to create strong ties with Brazil. It would have been detrimental to not be near one of the most advanced research centers in Mediterranean and tropical agriculture.”
Arcuri readily admits he was thrilled to come to France, where he plans to stay at least two years. He is a French literature buff, fascinated with the cultural life in Montpellier and tells anyone who will listen that apart from the career opportunities it is “easy and very pleasant to live like the French.”
To learn more about research in France, take a look at:
- Les nouveaux pôles de compétitivité, labellisés par le gouvernement
- R&D tax treatment and government support for R&D tip the balance in France’s favor
- The new streamlined immigration procedures for foreign researchers (“Skills and Expertise” residence permit)
