I was dismayed to learn that the new science and technology minister of Brazil is, once again, neither a scientist nor particularly qualified to be science minister. Celso Pansera is a federal representative in Brazil’s lower house of congress (Chamber of Deputies) and a member of the PMDB political party that President Dilma Rousseff now depends on to keep her government afloat. He also owns a restaurant. As far as I know, he has no connection at all with science and technology.
President Dilma Rousseff could have at least appointed a professional career scientist. For comparison, former President Lula nominated an internationally known scientist to the science ministry. Similarly, US President Obama chose a Nobel prize winning physicist to be his energy secretary.
President Dilma Rousseff is sending the wrong message to Brazilians about the importance of science and technology.
Gandhi Viswanathan's Blog 