Graduation ceremony took place last Friday, March 28, at the FGV Rio Cultural Center

Graduates of the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Applied Mathematics programs at FGV EMAp celebrate the completion of their undergraduate studies during a ceremony held at the FGV Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro | Photo: FGV EMAp

After four years immersed in the world of theorems, formulas, and algorithms, students from the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Applied Mathematics programs at the School of Applied Mathematics of Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV EMAp) celebrated one of the most important milestones of their academic journeys: graduation.

Wearing traditional caps and gowns, 28 graduates from the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence program and 18 from Applied Mathematics — all from the Class of 2024 — gathered for the ceremony held on Friday, March 28, at the FGV Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro. In addition to family and friends, the event was attended by the School’s Director, Professor César Camacho. Professors Alberto Paccanaro and Maria Soledad Aronna, chosen as class patrons for the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Applied Mathematics programs, respectively, also joined the celebration.

Professor Maria Soledad was chosen as the patron of the Applied Mathematics graduating class | Photo: FGV EMAp

The graduation was hosted by students Daniel Jacob and Ana Carolina Erthal, selected by the graduation committee to serve as masters of ceremony. The preparation involved weeks of planning and dedication by the students themselves.

“We formed a graduation committee, and within that group, I was chosen to present the ceremony. We handled everything ourselves: the script, tributes, the general organization,” said Ana Carolina. She made a point of highlighting the collaboration with the school’s administrative team. “Ivone, from the School’s office, played a crucial role in the process — we even made sure to honor her during the ceremony. There were many meetings to ensure everything went as planned, and I think we pulled it off! I’m very happy with the outcome”.

For Daniel, the experience was especially meaningful. “They entrusted me with the mission of leading such an important milestone, and that made me reflect on the entire journey up to that point. It was very emotional to see my friends and family celebrating this moment by my side”.

Professor Alberto Paccanaro was chosen as the patron of the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence graduating class | Photo: FGV EMAp

Recognition and Awards

The ceremony also featured tributes and academic performance awards, celebrating the students’ dedication throughout their programs. The Academic Merit Award from the Brazilian Society for Applied and Computational Mathematics (SBMAC) was presented to Jairon Henrique Nóia Batista, from Applied Mathematics, and Luís Fernando Laguardia, from Data Science and Artificial Intelligence — both had the highest GPA in their classes.

“Receiving the awards was gratifying and very emotional. I worked hard and took more than 20 graduate-level courses during my undergrad,” said Jairon. He was mentored by Professor Yuri Saporito in a research project focused on applications of stochastic differential equations and Monte Carlo methods. “These methods are very important in computational statistics. We're still developing the project, but it has a lot of potential,” he explained.

In addition, the FGV EMAp Excellence in Research Award was granted to both Jairon and Eduardo Adame Salles, who has been involved in scientific research projects since his fourth semester under the guidance of Professor Luiz Max de Carvalho. “One day, I knocked on his door and said: ‘Professor, I’ve been taking some graduate courses, I have a foundation, and I’d like to learn more.’ He agreed to mentor me, and we began working on statistics applied to biostatistics and epidemiology,” he recalled.

For Luís Fernando Laguardia, who graduated with the highest GPA in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence program, the recognition came as a pleasant surprise. “FGV EMAp is very demanding, so you have to prepare for every exam, even those worth just a few points,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of friendships throughout his journey: “Since the beginning of in-person classes, I formed a group of friends that stuck together until the end. We understood each other's working styles, and that made a big difference.”

These students, like the ceremony hosts, share a common background — they all came from public schools. It was through the Center for the Development of Mathematics and Sciences (FGV CDMC) that they saw the opportunity to study at FGV EMAp and pursue a path of success.

“We have a deep sense of appreciation and value the opportunity to be at an institution like FGV,” Eduardo emphasized.

During the graduation ceremony, students who stood out throughout the program were honored for their academic performance and dedication to research | Photo: FGV EMAp

The Future Starts Now

Committed to lifelong learning, recent graduates Daniel Jacob, Ana Carolina Erthal, Eduardo Adame, Jairon Batista, and Luís Fernando Laguardia barely closed one chapter before opening another. All were accepted into the master’s program at FGV EMAp, where they now continue their academic journeys.

Ana Carolina is focusing her research on data science, with an emphasis on machine learning. “It’s a field I’m very interested in, full of possibilities, so I’m excited,” she said.

Daniel noted that he was accepted into master’s programs at four of the country’s top mathematics institutions but chose to stay at FGV. “I decided to stay at the School because I want to explore new areas and research lines it offers and contribute to research that truly has real-world impact,” he explained.

Eduardo continues to deepen his work in statistical modeling, while Jairon is focusing on practical applications of mathematics. Luís Fernando plans to pursue a field that has fascinated him since childhood: game development and programming.

For all of them, graduation was just the beginning of a journey that promises to extend far beyond the classroom walls.

Friends and family of the graduates attended the graduation ceremony to show their support | Photo: FGV EMA