Unesc opens the 20th Nutrition Journey uniting tradition, entrepreneurship, and Artificial Intelligence

The Ruy Hülse Auditorium was packed on the night of Tuesday (October 6). Attentive gazes and an atmosphere filled with expectation marked the official opening of the 20th Academic Journey of Nutrition at Unesc, a historic edition that symbolizes a crossing: the point where the tradition of health care meets the revolution of new technologies.

With access to the auditorium bustling with booths from sponsors of the Journey and students debuting as entrepreneurs, the event, themed "Nutrition in Transformation: Knowledge, Practices, and Innovation," brought together students, professors, and specialists eager to answer a central question for today's market: how to be an indispensable nutritionist in an increasingly digital world?

Pride

The Vice-Rector for Research, Graduate Studies, Innovation, and Extension, Vanessa Moraes de Andrade, representing the acting Rector, Gisele Coelho Lopes, praised the engagement of students in building the event and highlighted the connection between the academic space and integration beyond the campus walls.

"Seeing the auditorium full and this wonderful fair at the entrance shows the strength of our education. It is a source of pride to see students managing the event and entrepreneurial students showcasing their own products alongside industry brands. This is what shapes a distinguished professional," emphasized Vanessa.

In the Vice-Rector's assessment, the Academic Journey of the Nutrition course has become a tradition. "It is always a moment to bring knowledge from outside and give students the opportunity to connect with other professionals. It is also an occasion for students to get involved in the organization. I think it's great to give them the chance to plan alongside the coordination, because this experience is also important for their professional training. One of the good things about being at Unesc is being able to take advantage of many opportunities outside the classroom, and the Journey is one of them," she concluded.

Two decades of training critical professionals

For the course coordinator, Fabiane Maciel Fabris, reaching the 20th edition is proof of the institution's ongoing commitment to renewing its agendas without losing sight of the essentials. She emphasized that the Journey has always accompanied the major transformations in society.

"Over these twenty years, we have adapted to innovations in the field. This year we bring extremely current debates, such as Artificial Intelligence and the use of modern medications, like weight loss pens, in addition to interdisciplinary topics. Nutrition has expanded its space and importance because society has understood that promoting health, preventing diseases, and treatment truly begins with our plate," stated Fabiane.

Transformation beyond the classroom

The organization of the event is also a laboratory for personal development and leadership. Under the management of the Academic Center of Nutrition Lieselotte Hoeschl Ornellas (CAN), the Journey was conceived by and for the students.

The president of CAN and the organizing committee (CO), Thaísa de Amorim Laurindo, a 7th-semester student, summarized the feelings of those experiencing the event from both sides.

"The Journey is a great moment for us to have experiences outside the classroom. It is the time when we connect with more people, not only with speakers but also with professionals and individuals who have been in our place and are now working in the market. It is a great opportunity to learn from them. We come in with certain thoughts, but we leave with a much more open mind. I often say that we do not leave the same way we entered," she emphasized.

Regarding the choice of this year's Journey theme, the president explained: "These are very current topics. In the opening lecture, we addressed artificial intelligence, which is very much in vogue. We consider it very important to bring this subject into clinical practice because AI will certainly help, not in the decisions, but in improving the service," she summarized.

Technology as an ally

The highlight of the night was the lecture by nutritionist Luiz Lannes Loureiro, a graduate, master, and doctor from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and CEO of Shaped. With 11 years dedicated to studying Artificial Intelligence focused on health, Loureiro demystified the fear that the tool could replace professionals.

"AI is an accessory, a support, a tool. If the professional uses this tool as something that will replace their way of thinking, they are replacing themselves. It should be used not to make decisions but to reduce manual work and enhance service," the speaker emphasized.

During the presentation, the audience closely followed how to use AI to optimize everyday tasks, from simulating clinical cases for training and rapidly searching for scientific evidence to creating educational content and videos for patients. The central message was: technology gives nutritionists back the time needed to perform what machines can never imitate: eye contact and clinical empathy.

Business Fair and connection with the market

The activity before and after the official protocol confirmed the practical vocation of the Journey. The exhibition space features seven sponsoring companies from the nutrition and healthy food sector, recognized brands in the region, as well as booths dedicated to entrepreneurial students from the course itself.

In parallel, the 5th edition of the Most Liked Recipe is also taking place, where the most liked preparation on Instagram until 6 PM on Thursday (October 8) will be announced and awarded during the roundtable discussion on career paths in Nutrition.
The program for the 20th Academic Journey of Nutrition continues over the next few days with workshops, roundtables, and practical sessions.

Check the complete agenda:

Thursday (10/08) - 7 PM

Discussion Panel: Career Paths in Nutrition: experiences of professionals in different specialties

Featuring nutritionists working in the fields of Oncology Nutrition, Intensive Care, Mental Health, and Functional Nutrition.

Award Ceremony: Announcement of the winner of the "Most Liked Recipe" contest (R$ 200.00 prize for the most liked post on Instagram by 6 PM).

Raffle of prizes for attending students.

Friday (10/09) - (7 PM to 10 PM):

Simultaneous Workshops

Eight practical and thematic workshops covering cutting-edge topics such as Precision Nutrition and Nutrigenetics, Sports Nutrition Applied to Endurance, Pediatric Nutrition, among other essential themes for clinical and academic practice.

Check out the photo gallery from the opening of the Academic Journey here