DEC • UFV

CAPES Grade 6 • International Excellence Est. 1991

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CIVIL ENGINEERING PPGEC Institutional Overview

Academic Guide for Prospective Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Visiting Scholars. Advanced Research Lines, Analytical Infrastructure, and International Partnerships.

Scan for Web Portal & Regulations

Department of Civil Engineering

Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV)

Viçosa, Minas Gerais — Brazil

Institutional Overview & Evolution

Historical Trajectory & Academic Excellence

CAPES Concept 6 (2021–2024)

610 Completed Degrees

480 M.Sc. Dissertations

130 Ph.D. Theses

1991

Master's (M.Sc.) Foundation in Geotechnics Pioneering civil engineering graduate education in the interior of Minas Gerais state.

2003

Doctorate (Ph.D.) Expansion in Geotechnics Accreditation of doctoral qualification, expanding high-level research capabilities.

2005

Spatial Information & Sanitary/Environmental Expansion Multidisciplinary growth in geomatics, water security, and ecological sanitation systems.

2007

Establishment of Construction Engineering Consolidating the 4 core areas with advanced structural systems and eco-materials.

Integrated with DEC undergraduate degrees: Civil, Environmental, and Surveying/Cartographic Engineering.

Research Architecture

Concentration Areas

Core research programs driving multi-user labs and visiting scholar positions:

Geotechnical Engineering Soil mechanics, tailings dams, ground stabilization, and foundation integrity.

Spatial Information Geomatics, remote sensing, geospatial analytics, BIM, and digital cartography.

Sanitary & Environmental Engineering Wastewater biorefineries, microalgae, watershed hydrology, and circular sanitation.

Construction Engineering Structural mechanics, low-carbon binders, high-performance concrete, and durability.

CCE Building • Room 224

Academic Structure & Specializations

Concentration Areas & Research Lines

Geotechnics

Est. 1991

Pioneering area of PPGEC. Comprehensive scientific and technological investigation in soils, rocks, and geotechnical infrastructure.

Research Lines:

Analytical & Experimental Geotechnics
Environment & Environmental Quality
Transportation Systems & Infrastructure

Spatial Information

Est. 2005

Cutting-edge geospatial research addressing digital analysis, high-resolution mapping, and physical space modeling.

Research Lines:

Cartography, GIS & Remote Sensing
Geodesy & Hydrography

Sanitary & Env.

Est. 2005

Sustainable water resource management, circular sanitation systems, and advanced biotechnological environmental processes.

Research Lines:

Energy & Material Recovery in Sanitation
Processes, Technologies & Env. Health

Construction Eng.

Est. 2007

Technological materials innovation, low-carbon binders, construction management optimization, and structural mechanics.

Research Lines:

Building Processes & Materials Technology
Structural Systems & Mechanical Behavior

Experimental Ecosystem & Multi-User Facilities

Research & Development Laboratories

Geotechnics

5 Labs

Soil mechanics, rock stability, geosynthetics, and asphalt mixture characterization.

LMS: Soil Mechanics

LGA: Rock & Geophysics

LAM: Asphalt Materials

LMP: Pavement Mechanics

LGE: Geosynthetics Systems

Spatial & Comput.

3 Labs

Geomatics, digital twins, BIM systems, and advanced multi-physics numerical modeling.

LEA: Surveying & Cartography

BIM: Building Info Modeling

MCE: Computational Methods

Multi-core simulation cluster & high-precision RTK GNSS receivers.

Sanitary & Env.

LSA & Pilots

Water safety, effluent valorization, resource circularity, and biotechnology biorefineries.

LSA: Sanitary & Env. Analysis

Algae Biorefinery: Waste-to-Energy

Multi-User Units: Chromatography Hub

Continuous pilot bioreactors, ICP-OES, TOC, and molecular biology lines.

Construction & Struct.

5 Labs

Eco-binders, large-scale structural frames, composite failure tests, and durability.

LMC: Construction Materials

LBE: Large Scale Structures

LEM: Mechanical Testing

LCO: Composite Materials

REM: Materials Strength

Strategic Plan 2025–2029 • PDI / UFV

Global Mobility & Internationalization Ecosystem

Strategic Pillar 2025–2029

~30% Faculty Trained Abroad (7 of 23 Profs.)

4 English Courses (+2 In Progress)

>10% Theses in English (2021–2024)

7+ Partner Nations (Origin & Mob.)

Bilingual Academic Environment & Core Seminars Mandatory graduate courses CIV 797 (Seminar) and CIV 799 (Research) are offered in English to fully support non-Portuguese speakers.

Permanent Internationalization Committee & Trilingual Calls Bilingual institutional portal, social media channels, and admission calls published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

Enrolled foreign students from Colombia, Pakistan, DR Congo & Venezuela.

Global Integration

Academic Mobility & Networks

Strategic platforms enabling outbound researcher mobility and hosting international collaborators:

CAPES PDSE & Sandwich Ph.D. Doctoral internships abroad in sustainability, biofuels, structural safety, and geotechnics.

Visiting Scholars & Short Courses Specialized modules led by guest scholars (e.g., probabilistic modeling by Prof. Xavier Romão).

Consortia: Move La América, GCUB & UNITA Co-advised joint degrees, Latin American fellowships, and active European university alliances.

Global Alumni Placement Graduates appointed as researchers and Ph.D. fellows in Germany, Portugal, Austria, and across the Americas.

UFV International Office (DRI)

Real-World Relevance & Technology Transfer

Societal Impact, Public Policies & Innovation

Public Policies

National Reach

Direct scientific leadership in large-scale governmental initiatives advancing land tenure regularization and social justice.

RADIS Project (INCRA): Environmental & land regularization across Brazilian rural settlements with comprehensive in-situ audits.

AMARIS Project (Legal Amazon): Socioeconomic data collection and validation for ~20,000 families, providing legal certainty and title deeds.

Infrastructure & Risk

BIM & AI

Digital modernization of transport assets and AI-based geological risk reduction for climate adaptation.

DNIT Strategic Alliance: National BIM implementation for special highway structures, automated structural auditing & trained engineers.

Climate Adaptation & Risk Plans: Municipal risk reduction plans utilizing AI spatial mapping against urban landslides and severe floods.

Circular Bioeconomy

UN 2030 SDGs

Translating science into low-carbon building systems, resource-recovering biorefineries, and social inclusion.

Eco-Efficient Materials (A1 Papers): Alkali-activated binders, slag recycling, ornamental stone paints, and cementitious smart sensors.

Microalgae Biorefineries: Wastewater nutrient recovery producing bioenergy, organic biofertilizers, and high-value bioproducts.

Institutional Governance • Cycle 2025–2028

Strategic Planning & Performance Management

Methodology

PDI 2024–2029

Four-year systematic planning cycle grounded on participatory SWOT analyses, biennial self-evaluation, and annual indicator auditing.

Participatory Governance: Direct engagement of faculty, graduate students, administrative staff, and alumni councils.

Management Tracking Systems: Process tracking via SEI-UFV and data synchronization with the CAPES Sucupira Platform.

Faculty & Funding

Expansion

Continuous academic faculty renewal and multi-source research funding diversification to expand state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure.

5 New Permanent Faculty (JDPs): Integration of Early Career Permanent Faculty bolstering emerging technological research tracks.

External Grant Capture: Active funding pipelines via FINEP, DNIT partnerships, FAPEMIG calls, and CENTEV/UFV tech-hubs.

Action Axes

2025–2028

Structured quadrennial goals addressing curriculum modernization, graduation metrics, and high-tier academic output:

1. Pedagogical Bilingual courses & modular cross-area syllabi.

2. Knowledge Tier A1 papers & thesis-driven articles.

3. Global Reach Joint degrees & international defense panels.

4. Innovation CENTEV tech spinoffs & patent filings.

5. Facilities Multi-user lab infrastructure expansion.

6. Efficiency Reduced dropout & optimized defense times.

Academic Leadership & Mentorship

Faculty Directory & Research Supervisors

Geotechnics

8 Faculty

Rock mechanics, geotechnical geophysics, dams, pavement infrastructure, and environmental geotechnics.

Prof. Cibele Cláuver Rock Mech.

Prof. Eduardo Marques PQ-1C

Prof. Heraldo Pitanga PQ-2

Prof. Klaus Rodrigues JDP

Prof. Natalia Brasil JDP

Prof. Rejane Nascentes PQ-2

Prof. Roberto Ferraz Perm.

Prof. Taciano Silva PQ-2

Spatial Info

6 Faculty

Cartographic quality, hydrography, geodesy, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and GIS spatial modeling.

Prof. Afonso de Paula Quality GIS

Prof. Daniel Duarte GIS / Sens.

Prof. Darlan Nunes JDP

Prof. Ítalo Ferreira Hydrography

Prof. Marconi Cunha JDP

Prof. Nilcilene Medeiros Photogram.

Prof. William Dal Poz Geodesy

Sanitary & Env.

4 Faculty

Effluent ecotoxicology, microalgae bioenergy, hydraulics, environmental BIM, and watershed risks.

Prof. Ann H. Mounteer Ecotox/Biol.

Prof. Emmanuel Teixeira JDP / BIM

Prof. Gabriela Rezende JDP

Prof. Maria Lúcia Calijuri PQ-1A

Construction Eng.

8 Faculty

Alkali-activation, fire safety engineering, composite systems, structural mechanics, and eco-materials.

Prof. Carol Rezende JDP

Prof. Diogo Oliveira Foundations

Prof. Flávio Ferreira JDP

Prof. Gustavo Veríssimo Steel/Comp.

Prof. José Carlos Ribeiro Fire Safety

Prof. José Luiz Rangel Systems

Prof. José Maria Carvalho Coord. / PQ-2

Prof. Leonardo Pedroti PQ-2

Academic Demographics & Community Profile

Student Body & Research Cohort Overview

156 Active Researchers Total Graduate Roster

86 Master's (M.Sc.) 55.1% of Cohort

62 Doctorate (Ph.D.) 39.8% of Cohort

8 Postdoctoral Fellows 5.1% of Cohort

Distribution by Area 156 Enrolled

Geotechnics 50 (32.1%)

33 M.Sc. • 16 Ph.D. • 1 Postdoc

Construction Engineering 46 (29.5%)

25 M.Sc. • 20 Ph.D. • 1 Postdoc

Sanitary & Environmental 32 (20.5%)

13 M.Sc. • 13 Ph.D. • 6 Postdoc

Spatial Information 28 (17.9%)

15 M.Sc. • 13 Ph.D.

Degree Balance: 1.38 Master's / 1.00 Doctorate

Nationality & Origin

Domestic (Brazil) Regional & National Mobility

95.5%

International Cohort Full-degree & Joint Scholars

4.5%

International Student Countries of Origin:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇳🇬 Nigeria 🇵🇰 Pakistan 🇨🇩 DR Congo 🇻🇪 Venezuela

Welcoming scholars via GCUB & Move La América programs.

Undergraduate Origin

Interdisciplinary admissions across diverse applied science engineering sectors:

Civil Engineering ~58%

Environmental & Sanitary ~18%

Surveying & Cartography ~14%

Geology & Earth Sciences ~5%

Architecture & Others* ~5%

*Includes Mining, Electrical, Mechanical & Applied Physics.

Career Placement & Employability Profile

Alumni Outcomes & Industry-Academia Leadership

272 Mapped Alumni Quadrennium 2021–2024

198 M.Sc. Graduates 72.8% of Cohort

74 Ph.D. Graduates 27.2% of Cohort

92% Faculty Placement Public Ph.D. Outcomes

Sector Destination M.Sc. vs Ph.D. Paths

Master's Graduates (Terminal) Industry Heavy

58% Private Sector 35% Public Sector 7% Other/Third

Doctorate Graduates Academia Driven

68% Public Sector 28% Private/Industry 4% Other

Ph.D. Continuation: Most PPGEC M.Sc. scholars continue doctoral training at UFV

Top Employers & Roles

Federal Higher Education (92% Ph.D.) Permanent faculty at Federal Universities (UFBA, UFOP, UFSJ, UFMT, UFRRJ) & Federal Institutes (IFMG, IFNMG, IFB).

Industry & Engineering Consulting Specialized design firms, mining multinationals (VALE, CSN, Samarco), energy corporations (Petrobras), and pulp & paper (Suzano).

Executive Leadership & Spin-offs Dean offices, corporate VP/director positions, public infrastructure agencies (DNIT, DER), and tech startup founders.

High H-index alumni output with registered INPI software and patents.

International Reach

Active global presence across academic centers and international engineering firms:

🇩🇪 Germany Research Centers

🇵🇹 Portugal Universities

🇦🇹 Austria Ph.D. Programs

🇨🇴 Colombia & 🇵🇪 Peru Industry & Fac.