Victor Hugo Alvares V. is a professor at the Federal University of Viçosa and became an honorary member during the 35th CBCS, held in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, in 2015.

At 76 years of age, Ecuadorian Victor Hugo can be proud of an extremely productive life. Retired, he continues to be active as a volunteer professor and postgraduate advisor. His resume is full of superlative numbers. He has supervised or co-supervised more than 120 dissertations and 50 theses. There are at least 200 researchers in this country who can truly call themselves researchers because they were trained by Professor Victor Hugo. There are at least two generations of researchers trained in the same concept of scientific rigor defended by the professor. Likewise, the thousands of students he has had in over 40 years of teaching have learned from the master that only an understanding of science, rigor in measuring data and a passion for statistics are capable of keeping them attentive to the “art-science” of analyzing data to make safe and accurate decisions in professional life.

As a researcher, he has published over 170 articles and is the author or organizer of 14 books in the areas of soil fertility and analysis of results and dozens of articles with reflections on the use of statistics in soil science, statistical foundations and experimental techniques. His methodological rigor has contributed greatly to the adaptation of Brazilian Soil Science to the International System of Units.

The new honorary member has a long history of devotion to the SBCS. Together with Professor Roberto Novais, he was one of the creators of the publication of Textbooks and Topics in Soil Science that have made such a difference in the education of thousands of students throughout Brazil. He became a member of the SBCS Board of Directors in 1997, Vice-President from 2001 to 2009 and then Secretary General, when he led the adaptation of the administrative structure of the Brazilian Society to that of the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS). At these times, he revealed another trait of his noble character. Although convinced of his personal positions, Professor Victor is genuinely a democrat in his attitudes. He fought for the decentralization of the SBCS, encouraging the creation of Regional Centers, Divisions and Specialized Committees. Since 2007, he has led the formation of the first representative Board of Directors, which culminated in the formulation of the new SBCS Statute in 2009. With the new structure consolidated, he calmly stepped aside from the SBCS to make way for younger members, encouraging them to undertake the necessary technological modernization, without, however, ceasing to be the kind, perceptive and helpful Board Member in the genuine conception of the idea.

The smooth renewal of the SBCS Board of Directors under the new Statute and the boards of Regional and State Centers, Divisions and Specialized Committees, now in 2015, are examples of the competence, dedication and conviction of Professor Victor Hugo in the consolidation and strengthening of the SBCS.