Gleison dos Santos Souza

Academic Trajectory: Professor Santos Souza began his academic career at COPPE/UFRJ, where he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in Software Engineering under the guidance of Professors Ana Regina Rocha and Guilherme Horta Travassos. During his studies, he actively participated in applied projects, establishing a strong connection between academic research and industry from an early stage. Throughout his career, he has maintained strong engagement with the productive sector, having participated in projects such as implementing the CMMI model at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and developing software to support process improvement in software development companies, which has been used by approximately 30 companies over the years.

Since 2010, he has been a professor at PPGI-UNIRIO, where he has consolidated his work in software engineering, specifically in process improvement and agile methods. His research has always focused on practical application, seeking solutions that directly impact the software industry.

Scientific Contribution: Professor Gleison has distinguished himself in ​​software process improvement, agile methodologies, and applied software engineering, contributing significantly to the adoption of structured practices in software development.

His doctoral thesis focused on supporting the definition of processes in development teams, assisting companies in implementing agile methodologies, and improving the efficiency of their processes. This research generated direct impacts on how software teams structure their practices, promoting a more systematic and efficient approach.

In addition to academia, his work extended to the public sector, where he participated in the software analysis project for the TSE’s electronic voting machines. In this work, he assisted in evaluating the system’s security, applying his expertise in critical software auditing to ensure the integrity and reliability of the Brazilian electoral process.

Another notable aspect of his career is his engagement with software maturity models. From the beginning, he was involved in the MPS-BR program, a Brazilian quality model inspired by CMMI and international ISO/IEC standards, used by more than 700 companies in the country. His work has directly contributed to improving the quality of software development in Brazil, assisting organizations in adopting more robust and effective processes.

During the 2021-2024 period, he published an article in the SBES (Brazilian Symposium on Software Engineering) that has already received more than 40 citations, demonstrating its impact and relevance in the scientific community.

Contribution to the PPGI: Prof. Santos Souza plays a central role in the PPGI-UNIRIO by consolidating software engineering applied to information systems. His practical experience and knowledge in software process management strengthen the program’s interdisciplinarity, aligning academic research with industry demands.

In addition, he has supervised master’s and doctoral students, contributing to the training of highly qualified professionals.

Researcher Training: Prof. Santos Souza has distinguished himself in supervising students and training new researchers, contributing significantly to the academic qualification of the PPGI-UNIRIO. His work has been recognized for the high level of supervision he provides, as evidenced by the awards his doctoral students have received. Over the past four years (2021-2024), two doctoral students have been awarded prizes in thesis competitions, demonstrating the quality and impact of his supervision.

In addition to his commitment to academic training, he has established strategic partnerships with PUC-PR, UFAM, and UFES, thereby expanding the influence of research conducted at PPGI-UNIRIO and strengthening collaborations with other institutions.

One of the most striking pieces of evidence of the impact of his mentorship is the recognition of his former student, Bianca Trinkenreich, who received the ACM award for Best Doctoral Thesis, consolidating the relevance of the research conducted under his supervision and reaffirming the excellence of his work in training new researchers.

National and International Visibility: Professor Santos Souza has contributed to the visibility of the PPGI-UNIRIO through his participation in scientific events, committees, and thesis defense panels. His activities include serving on the steering committees for renowned events such as CIBSE (Ibero-American Congress of Software Engineering) and SBQS (Brazilian Symposium on Software Quality), thereby consolidating his presence in relevant discussions in the field.

Furthermore, he has contributed to the training of new researchers by serving on thesis and dissertation committees at various institutions, strengthening academic exchange and promoting knowledge sharing between universities.

Another highlight of his career is his work in MPS-BR, where he plays a continuous role as one of the main evaluators of the model, responsible for the Technical Team Evaluation area (composed of people involved in the MPS-BR program, considered experts in the areas of interest). This involvement reinforces his leadership in process improvement, highlighting his commitment to software development quality and his influence in defining methodological standards for both industry and academia.

Main qualities of Professor Santos Souza:

1. Academic and Applied Experience

• • Strong performance in software engineering, process improvement, and agile methodologies.
  • Significant contributions to software maturity models and technology transfer.

2. Impact on Industry and the Public Sector

• • Active participation in MPS-BR, influencing over 700 companies.
  • Experience in evaluating the software of the TSE’s electronic voting machines.

3. Researcher Training and Impact on the Academic Community

• • Mentoring award-winning students and training outstanding researchers.
  • Collaborations with Brazilian universities such as PUC-PR, UFAM, and UFES.

4. Leadership in Knowledge Dissemination

• • Presence on organizing committees of national and international events.
  • Recognized scientific production, including an article in SBES with over 40 citations.

Plan for 2025-2028:

Prof. Santos Souza seeks to expand his research on agile transformation in organizations, analyzing how companies can adopt agile methods not only at the team level but throughout the organizational structure. This is an emerging theme, especially in the context of digital transformation, and is aligned with the evolution of the software industry.

Despite his strong practical experience, he identifies a gap in his knowledge of statistics and quantitative methods. This is an area he intends to develop to further strengthen his impact analysis.

1. Conduct an international postdoctoral fellowship

• • Prof. Gleison has expressed interest in pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship at a leading European institution over the next four years.

2. Strengthen research on agile transformation

• • Develop an organizational model to support companies in adopting agile methods, promoting efficient agile transformation.

3. Expand collaborations and partnerships

• • Consolidate joint projects with PUC-PR, UFAM, and UFES, in addition to strengthening international connections.

4. Continue serving on committees and seeking funding

• • Actively participate in the management of PPGI-UNIRIO, contributing to institutional improvements and fundraising for infrastructure.