(Brazil) is the Scientific Director of the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), in Brazil, and Professor at the "Gleb Wataghin" Physics Institute at the University of Campinas (Unicamp). Previously he served as Rector of the University of Campinas (Unicamp; 2002-2005), President of FAPESP (1996-2002), Dean of Research at Unicamp (1994-1998) and as Director of the Gleb Wataghin Physics Institute at Unicamp (1991-1994 and 1998-2002).

From 1995 to 1999 served as Vice-President of the Brazilian Physics Society (SBF). Brito Cruz served in several committees in funding agencies, science related organizations and universities and presently he presides the Council for Technology and Competitiveness at the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP) and is a member of the Telefónica I+D Advisory Board and the Microsoft Research External Research Advisory Board. His research interests are the study of ultrafast phenomena using femtosecond lasers, in which he leads a research laboratory at the Physics Institute at Unicamp, and science policy.

He authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific papers and conference presentations, supervised 11 Doctoral Thesis (two in co-supervision) and 10 Master Dissertations (one as co-supervisor). In 2000 he was awarded the Order of Scientific Merit by thePresident of Brazil for his contributions to science and technology, and in 2004 he received the "Conrado Wessel" General Science Prize for his scientific career. Brito Cruz has been faculty at Unicamp since 1982.

During 1986 and 1987 he worked as a resident visitor at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, New Jersey and in 1990 he had a three-month visitor engagement at Bell Labs, Murray Hill, New Jersey. Prof. Brito Cruz also worked short terms as a visitor at the Quantum Optics Laboratory at the University of Rome(1981-1982) and at the Laboratoire de Physique des Solides at the Université Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris (1988).

Brito Cruz graduated in Electronics Engineering from the Aeronautics Technology Institute (ITA) in 1978, received a M.Sc. degree in physics in 1980, and a D.Sc. degree in physics in 1983, both from the "Gleb Wataghin" Physics Institute at Unicamp. He is a member of the Academy of Sciences of the State of São Paulo (ACIESP) and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC).