in memoriam - Víctor Hugo Alvarez Venegas (1938-2022)
Brazilian Soil Science Society (SBCS) communicates, with great regret, the death of Víctor Hugo Alvarez Venegas, a professor of Soils Department at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), which took place this Sunday morning (19.06.22). Professor Víctor Hugo was 83 years old, and an honorary member of SBCS.
Born on Ecuador he dedicated most of his career to the UFV and Brazilian soil science. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses for more than 40 years at UFV, and he was the advisor, in some extent, of more than 200 professionals. He was an example of unyielding ethical and moral in science and in life.
He was secretary general and a great enthusiast of the SBCS, becoming General Secretary in 1997 and vice president from 2001 to 2009. In his term, the SBCS had the structure entirely revised to adjust to IUSS Divisions and Commissions. His strength was behind the proposals of SBCS to host the World Congress Soil Science in Brazil, that culminated in 2018 with the 18th Rio WCSS.
For the Latin American Soil Science Society (SLCS), Dr. Victor Hugo Alvarez Venegas was always a constant support for its regional consolidation and international projection. With him we lose not only a scientist but a good human being.
To Professor Victor, the gratitude of Brazilian and Latin America Soil Science. To the family, the feeling of regret and the condolences of all who admired him and learned from him the love and respect for science and its methods.
It is a great loss not only for SBCS but for SLCS and IUSS.