ISP Alumni Spotlight: Marcos Barbosa - Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program (2014)
Marcos Barbosa arrived on the University of Kansas’ campus in the middle of August 2014. He was studying Mechanical Engineering at the Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid Region in Mossoró, Brazil and had been selected for a scholarship to study abroad with the Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program. During his program, he would spend the Fall 2014 semester in Applied English Center courses, preparing for the next academic year fully enrolled at KU, mostly in Mechanical Engineering classes but with a French class or two as well for good measure. He wanted the experience of an exchange student and “KU gave me the opportunity to study and work with people from all over the world, creating a strong network. Also, during this experience, I shared my own culture and traditions while also learning about theirs,” Marcos says.
It has been a while since Marcos has been in Lawrence, but he still thinks fondly of his time at KU. “There were countless moments at KU that shaped my life: the people I met, the time spent at the Kansas Union, the buildings, the days walking along Jayhawk Boulevard, the Rock Chalk chant” were just a few he remembers. However, the moment he still cherishes the most nearly a decade later is simply the night he saw snow falling for the very first time.
After his experience at KU, Marcos returned to Brazil to complete his bachelor’s degree in science and technology. In 2024, he received his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He currently works at the State Court of Justice of Maranhão. He has co-authored papers (including “Sustainable Use of Oil Palm Tree Oil against Corrosion in Copper-Containing Refrigeration Systems,” which is currently available via KU Libraries), presented at conferences, and participated in various research projects. Still, he embraces the international education experience he had that started ten years ago. To those considering participating in an international exchange program like he did, Marcos advises “Go without fear and with an open mind, ready to meet new people and learn—not just English or another field of study, but how to live with and respect different cultures. Embrace the opportunity to experience new things, from trying new foods to living in new ways. And finally, go with the confidence that you will return a new and better person.”