At 39 years old, having just completed his postgraduate studies at the University of Arizona, Roberto Cláudio Rodrigues Bezerra became the mayor of the city of Fortaleza, the state capital of Ceará, located in northeastern Brazil. He has been involved in initiatives in Brazil that focus on research, community development, an innovation ecosystem that connects to industry, and a partnership of the universities. Roberto Cláudio holds a master's degree in public health (2002) and a doctorate in epidemiology (2006) from UArizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.