Marcelo de Oliveira Souza

Regional Coordinator South and Central America

Marcelo de Oliveira Souza, a native of Brazil, has a PhD in cosmology and develops activities for the popularization of astronomy and astronautics. He works at the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF) and is the general coordinator of the Louis Cruls Astronomy Club/CEFET-Campos dos Goytacazes (http://calc.zip.net/). Marcelo has a background in physics and astronomy, and specializes in the development and use of new technologies for physics and astronomy education, especially in science popularization, astronomy, astronomy education, amateur astronomy and educational technology.

Since September 2003, Marcelo has written and presented a weekly 30-minute television program in Brazil about astronomy and astronautics, "Um Passeio pelo céu" ("A Walk through the Sky"). Carried by regional cable TV, TV Litoral, and produced by "CEFET - Campos dos Goytacazes", it is the first weekly program about astronomy and astronautics on Brazilian television. Marcelo is the founder and general coordinator of the Louis Cruls Astronomy Club, created on 26 May 1996, and is one of the founders of the Mário Schenberg Astronomy Club. Since September of 2005, Marcelo has written a weekly column about astronomy and astronautics in the regional newspaper "O Diário". He has organized diverse events for education and popularization of astronomy and astronautics.

In 2005 Marcel received congratulations by a motion of the Councilmen of the city of Rio de Janeiro city for his work in astronomy popularization for children and young people. In 2006 he received similar congratulations from the legislature of the state of Rio de Janeiro for his work as general coordinator of the Louis Cruls Astronomy Club, on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

Marcelo’s first book, "Um Passeio pelo céu" ("A Walk through the Sky") was published in 2007.