Alice Rangel de Paiva Abreu, from Brazil, is Professor Emerita of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. She received her doctoral degree in Sociology from the University of São Paulo Brazil (1980), and her M.Sc. in Sociology from the London School of Economics and Political Science of the University of London (1971). Full Professor of Sociology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro until 2005, Professor Abreu is a former Vice President of the Brazilian National Research Council for Scientific and Technological Development and Director of the Office of Education, Science and Technology of the Organization of American States. Professor Abreu received the National Order of Scientific Merit from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil in 2001, and was awarded with the "Palmes Académiques" from the Ministry of Youth, National Education and Research of France in 2003. At present Professor Abreu is a Member of the Board of the Gender Advisory Board of the UN Commission for Science and Technology for Development - UNCSTD, of the Executive Committee of the International Sociological Association-ISA, and an Associate Member of TWOWS - Third World Organization for Women in Science.