Helianildes Silva Ferreira is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), where she has taught in the Institute of Chemistry since 2015. She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from University of Campinas (Unicamp), and MSc. and BSc. degrees from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), with additional specialization in automation, cleaner production technologies (GTZ, Germany), and R&D (Coppe/UFRJ).
Her work focuses on process modeling and simulation, artificial neural networks, and sustainable innovations in chemical engineering. She was a member of GECIM (Materials Engineering and Science Group) and has led projects on biocomposites from coconut fiber and PVC, as well as environmental initiatives to reduce water use in interdisciplinary labs.
Beyond the university, Dr. Silva Ferreira served as a course coordinator, research project evaluator, and cleaner production consultant for the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESB) and the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology. She trained industrial process operators through the National Service for Industrial Training (SENAI-BA) and participated in international leadership training through the American Chemical Society.
A first-generation high school graduate, she began programming in Fortran using pen, paper, and punch cards, and offers a unique perspective on the evolution of scientific computing — both within Latin America and in the broader global context.