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In November 1997, the Brazilian government put a freeze on both filling and creating research positions in public universities. Despite a government backtrack last March — when it promised to create 2,000 emergency positions — nothing has happened yet.

A group of Brazilian researchers say in a letter to Nature that the government’s actions are jeopardising Brazil’s scientific development, and mean that a “whole generation of young PhDs will be lost to research”.

They urge readers to support their efforts to show the government that there is public interest in science in Brazil, and that there is also a qualified workforce available to help the country overcome its social and economic problems.

Reference: Nature 413, 16 (2001)

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