Sergio Caporali-Filho

Tell us about yourself. 

I am originally from Brazil but lived in four different cultures throughout my life. I lived in Brazil until I was 18 years old, but I spent one year in the U.S. while attending middle school. In 1989, I moved to Peru, where I got my undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Lima in 1994. I worked in Peru as a plant manager for three years and in 1996, I moved to Puerto Rico to get a master's degree in Manufacturing Engineering Management from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez in 1998. 

In 1999, I moved to Morgantown, W.Va., and I received my MSc degree in Occupational Hygiene and Occupational Safety from WVU in 2001. I also got a PhD in Industrial Engineering from WVU in 2002. I worked for WVU Extension Safety and Health until 2003, then I was invited to go back to Puerto Rico to teach. I lived there for 19 years and ran the Industrial Hygiene program for the University of Puerto Rico for eight years. In the summer of 2022, I was hired to be the Director of Industrial Hygiene at the WVU School of Public Health.  

Overall, I lived 18 years in Brazil, 21 years in Puerto Rico and so far, six in the US.  

What are your research interests and why did you choose to pursue them? 

I enjoy a technical and scientific challenge! Occupational hygiene and occupational safety is a very dynamic field where we must apply knowledge from several different disciplines to understand and control hazards in the workplace. The human component in our profession only makes it more interesting. My research interests revolve around local exhaust ventilation design, respiratory protection, noise evaluation and control. I chose to pursue these topics because they have knowledge gaps where I believe I can contribute and because doing so requires a lot of hands on and technical abilities.  

What’s a favorite teaching moment from your career? 

Some of the best moments in my job as a faculty member are when I see a former student of mine outperforming me in the field. This is the greatest gift and recognition for me, that my efforts have made a difference.  

Tell us about a career achievement that you’re proud of.  

As a faculty member, my greatest achievement was to lead the Industrial Hygiene program at the University of Puerto Rico to an international benchmarking level in 16 years of service as a faculty member, with eight of them as a program director. As a researcher, my greatest achievement was to promote a significant change for an important design parameter in industrial ventilation systems through applied research.

Who had the greatest influence on your education and your career path?  

My parents.  

What's the best advice you ever received?  

Do not do anything to someone that you wouldn’t want them to do to you.  

What is your favorite book? 

“A Soldier in Sciences.”  

What is your favorite TV series and/or movie? 

“Star Trek.”  

What is your favorite music genre?  

Latin American popular music. 

What is your favorite place you’ve visited? 

Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean. That is where I go to dive, dive, dive and dive. 

What is your favorite local restaurant?  

Asian Bistro. 

What are your favorite things to do when you’re not working? 

 Handyman work, singing, scuba diving and skiing.  

Is there anything else you’d like students to know about you? 

 I will give my best for the success of my students!