New rector of UFRN is sworn in in Brasília

The new rector of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), José Daniel Diniz Melo, was sworn in this Tuesday, 28th, in a ceremony at the Ministry of Education (MEC), in Brasília. The event was attended by the then rector of UFRN, Ângela Maria Paiva Cruz, and the Minister of Education, Abraham Weintraub. Daniel Diniz's management will have professor Henio Ferreira de Miranda as vice-rector, who will be sworn in by the rector on the afternoon of this Friday, 31st, in the Otto de Brito Guerra Auditorium, located in the Rectory, when the members of the UFRN central administration will also be inaugurated.
In his inauguration speech in Brasília, professor Daniel Diniz highlighted the role of UFRN in the growth of Rio Grande do Norte, “whether in the promotion of education composed of intellectual growth and critical sense, or in the training of graduates who work at other educational levels, or in the training of staff to work in its political-administrative life, or in the improvement and dissemination of culture and arts, or, after all, in the permanent dialogue maintained with society”.
The manager also cited the educational institution's recent advances, such as growth in research and innovation, such as the selection of a UFRN survey by the Serrapilheira Institute, being the only one in the Northeast region of the country; the achievement of the 15th charter; the contribution to public health through an agreement with the Brazilian Hospital Services Company (Ebserh); the development of integrated management systems, which today serve more than 30 universities, in addition to the Federal Highway Police (PRF), the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN), the General Comptroller of the Union (CGU), among other federal bodies; for having achieved the 3rd best index in the country in governance and public management among educational institutions, according to the Federal Audit Court (TCU); among other highlights.
For the professor, "the respect and appreciation of diversity at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte is strong, with the decisive participation of women in its administrative and pedagogical life not surprising. And it is not difficult to recognize that its most notable example was the election of rector Ângela Paiva, whom I have the honor of succeeding after four years as vice-rector, and whose administration leaves us with a collection of achievements capable of justifying university action at any latitude."
José Daniel Diniz Melo
With a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering, Daniel Diniz has been a professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) since 1996. He has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University (USA) and a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maine (USA). He completed a postdoctoral internship at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University (USA), where he has been a visiting professor since 2008.
At UFRN, Daniel Diniz has already served as head of the Department of Materials Engineering, between 2004 and 2011, and director of the Technology Center, from 2011 to 2015. He was vice-rector of UFRN in the second term of rector Ângela Maria Paiva Cruz, from May 2015 to May 2019. He now assumes the role of rector for the period 2019-2023.
Henio Ferreira de Miranda
Graduated in Physical Education, Henio Miranda has been an assistant professor IV in the Department of Physical Education at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) since 1978. He has a specialization in Sports Sciences from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and a doctorate in Health Sciences from UFRN. He works as a sports justice auditor at the Superior Court of University Sports Justice. Among the various management positions held in 40 years at UFRN, he was deputy coordinator of the advanced campuses, coordinator and head of the Department of Physical Education, deputy director and director of the Health Sciences Center (CCS). Leaves the CCS board to assume the position of vice-rector for the period 2019-2023.