In April, UC Davis Humphrey Fellowship alumni Diógenes "Dio" Melo (2013-14, Brazil) returned to his host University and presented the Zero Waste Seminar with his partner George Humberto Guimaraes. 

Melo is a civil and work safety engineer, a specialist in solid waste management and has a Master's degree in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering. He has worked for over 22 years in the Solid Waste Management Sector on several work fronts as a public employee, guest professor, consultant and zero waste movement leader in Brazil. Currently, his main job is at the Municipal Environment Agency of Goiania City Hall as an executive secretary of the Municipal Environment Council. Over the years, he has won several awards and honors, like the 2014 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) for the Residential Zero Waste Project, where it was provided 100 compost bins to residents in Goiânia City. At the moment, he is advising his partner, Mr. Guimaraes, who is an environmental and work safety engineer during his Master's degree program.

Melo and Guimaraes were welcomed by the UC Davis Humphrey Fellowship staff: Karen Beardsley, director of the Humphrey Fellowship and Global Professional Programs; Jennie Konsella-Norene, Humphrey Fellowship associate director; and Sasha Ferreira, Humphrey Fellowship program coordinator. After, they met the current Humphreys and led the Seminar, which presented the following topics: Zero Waste Movements in Brazil, the research named Proposal of Zero Waste Environmental Education Model for Cities in Goiás State, Brazil and some tips for the Humphreys after their Exchange Fellowship using his example as a testimony. Finally, they were invited to participate in a potluck dinner where they met other Humphrey Fellows.

Melo said: “I chose UC Davis as one of the places to visit in California during our vacation period. For me, it was a great opportunity to update information about the UC Davis Humphrey Program, stay in touch with my host university staff and my host family and make new connections with the new Humphreys. It´s a kind of renovation of my personal, academic, and professional life. Here at UC Davis and Davis city, I feel at home.” 

Also, he visited his host family, Guy Turner, his professional affiliation institutions (California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery - CalRecycle and CawRecycle NGO), the California Compost Coalition at Edgar & Associates – Environmental Engineering & Advocacy. Lastly, they attended the 2024 North Bay Zero Waste Symposium at Santa Rosa City and Sonoma County. For Melo, the visit overcame his expectations as after that, he and two new Humphrey alumni from UC Davis, Rosani Matosa Silva (2023-24, Brazil)  and Arslan Garryyev (2023-24, Turkmenistan) applied for the Collaborative Alumni Project Grant with the "Global Eco-Alliance: Brazil and Turkmenistan for Zero Waste Pilot Project." In short, the visit was very nostalgic and productive.