Lidia Brito

About

Mozambiquan forest engineer and internationally acclaimed science policy leader and trailblazer in the fields of sustainable development and education. With her work as Mozambique's first Minister of Higher Education and in multiple leadership positions with UNESCO, she has played an invaluable role in the global discourse on environmental stewardship and capacity building in the Global South. 

Before Fame

After obtaining her B.Sc. in Forest Engineering from Eduardo Mondlane University in 1981, she earned both her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Forest and Wood Sciences at Colorado State University. She later went on to serve in positions such as Forestry Department Head and Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at her alma matter, Eduardo Mondlane University.

Trivia

In 2009, she became the Director of Science Policy and Capacity Building for UNESCO before becoming the Latin American and Caribbean bureau's Regional Director for Sciences in 2014. She also went on to serve several other key roles within UNESCO. Her other notable achievements include her work with the Scientific Organizing Committee for the Planet Under Pressure conference in London as well as advisory boards such as the African Forest Forum and the Stockholm Environment Institute.

Family Life

She was born in Mozambique.

Associated With

She and Gifford Pinchot are both celebrated forestry experts.