The Graduate Program in Ecology of Continental Aquatic Environments (PEA) at the State University of Maringá (UEM) is among the most renowned and relevant programs in Brazil. With a history spanning over three decades, PEA has established itself as a reference in research, teaching, and extension, having trained more than 700 master’s and doctoral graduates and fostering intense scientific production, manifested in thousands of articles published in collaboration with researchers from graduate institutions in over 70 countries. This performance was decisive in enabling the program to achieve the highest scores in CAPES evaluation criteria, highlighting its academic excellence and international impact.

In addition to its outstanding scientific production, PEA plays a strategic role in regional and national development, generating economic, socio-environmental, and cultural impacts. Science communication and popularization constitute one of its core values, carried out through extension projects and events aimed at the populations of the regions where the program operates. PEA also provides technical-scientific support to environmental control agencies, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, scientific societies, and the energy sector through reports, technical notes, and training courses.

Recognition of the academic, scientific, and social impact excellence of PEA is reflected in the awards received by its faculty, granted by national and international institutions. These distinctions reinforce the relevance and quality of the program’s contributions to the advancement of science and the conservation of aquatic ecosystems, consolidating its prominent position in the Brazilian and international scientific landscape.