Professor Kenya Moore de Almeida Dias da Cunha was a Brazilian nuclear physicist who dedicated her entire life to the study of actinide materials and in the academic education and scientific initiation of the next generation of research scientists. She was a lovely and passionate experimental scientist — to the best definition of the term — who enjoyed to do experimental field research outside laboratories.
Her brilliant scientific career included 35 years with the Brazilian National Nuclear Energy Commission where she was responsible for the surveillance, control and assessment of occupational radiological protection programs at nuclear fuel cycle plants, including mining and milling of uranium, thorium, and associated materials. She was also an Adjunct Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro for 12 years where she taught and pursued research on environmental pollution using particle accelerators. Additionally she was an instructor of the Professional Development Courses program at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and a reviewer of the IAEA International Basic Safety Standard on radiological protection.
I had the honor to have collaborated with Prof. Kenya for several years and she has taught me valuable scientific knowledge that has been very helpful to shape the way I face challenges and problems in my career. She was an extraordinary and inspirational mentor and one of the smartest persons I have ever encountered. She unfortunately left us in July 2016, one of the saddest moments of my life. There is no single day that I do not spend few moments thinking about her and our endless scientific discussions on Niobium and its alloys and Uranium mineralogy. Nevertheless, her scientific legacy is forever alive in our hearts!
Materials at Extremes 