About the author

I was born in 1973 in the city of Pelotas, in the southernmost part of Brazil. I found my way to agriculture in the lifestyle of some relatives and their friends working as scientists in agricultural sciences. My high school years, spent in a rural school, were instrumental in strengthening my connection to agriculture. Graduating with a major in agronomy in 1996 was just the beginning of my academic journey. I delved deeper into the realm of agronomy and plant pathology during my graduate studies at the Federal University of Pelotas, one of the most prominent schools of Agriculture in the country. My engagement with plant diseases solidified during my doctoral project, where I took the challenge of understanding and modeling Fusarium head blight, a disease of great significance to wheat crops.

The further stages of my career took me to two renowned institutions. I spent one year at Cornell University during my doctoral study and then ventured into a postdoctoral role at Iowa State University, experiences that broadened my research scope and professional network. In 2006, my career took another exciting turn when I accepted a position as assistant professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. For eight years, I dedicated myself to teaching, researching and mentoring students with a focus on plant disease epidemiology. Seeking new challenges, in 2014 I moved to the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV) to take a prestigious position in plant disease epidemiology as associate professor. Here, now as a full professor, I found immense gratification in mentoring, educating, and guiding aspiring scientists during their master’s and doctoral journeys.

Throughout my career, I have strongly advocated for the principles of open science. Within my lab, transparency isn’t a mere concept but an integral part of our operational ethos. We use R language for our statistical analyses and data processes, and we openly share our computational codes and findings as preprints.

My dedication to disseminating knowledge freely inspired me to take the route of open education, leading me to self-publish this book entitled “R for Plant Disease Epidemiology” which is written entirely using open source tools. I chose this approach to guarantee the book’s accessibility and updatability, mirroring the ever-evolving nature of both the field of plant pathology and the R programming environment.

I dedicate this book to my wife, Isabel, and our son, Vitor, who have been my pillars of strength and support. Their love and understanding have been unwavering, especially during the times I am distant, immersed in the demanding process of writing this book.