She holds a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Adjunct Professor at the Mercosur Integration Center of the Federal University of Pelotas.
In the 21st century, globalization has impacted the port-city relations, particularly when it comes to their dynamics of growth. This impact has been observed in many urban centers across the world. Brazil's economy has found new ways to connect with international capitalism, and there have been different characterizations for the mid-sized cities of the country. The present study sought to investigate the economic,(Gross Domestic Product GDP); populational and spatial growth of the cities of Rio Grande and São José do Norte between 1990 and 2010. The study used LANDSAT 5 images from Thematic Mapper (TM) Sensor. The data were processed with Spring and ArcGIS software tools. The procedures also included a bibliographic survey at IBGE and FEE/RS (Economy and Statistics Foundation of the state of Rio Grande do Sul), interviews, as well as visits to the expanding areas. We have concluded that São José do Norte has grown more, proportionally, than Rio Grande, and the Brazilian state had an active role in this process.
