Featured Post from Georgia Southern University

Bye-bye Bonnie and Clyde – Brazil is taking bank robbing to a whole new level

Sep 9, 2021

2 min

The media coverage reads like a scene out of a Michael Bay movie. Bank robbers using drones, strategically planting bombs across the city and taking hostages and placing them atop getaway cars.


It’s surreal … but in Brazil, over the top bank heists are becoming the new normal. And the media are looking for experts to try and explain just what it is going on. That’s why the Daily Beast recently contacted Georgia Southern’s expert on Latin America, José de Arimatéia da Cruz, Ph.D.



In the predawn darkness last Monday, a group of about 20 heavily armed commandos seized control of the downtown financial block in Araçatuba, a mid-sized Brazilian city in the eastern state of São Paulo. They then proceeded to rob three banks, while the surveillance drones they had deployed kept watch over head.

When the heist was complete they accosted several bystanders, shot a man who had been filming them on his phone, and then bound the hostages they’d taken to the tops of their getaway vehicles so as to dissuade police from interfering with their escape….

Since 2015 these kinds of attacks have become so common that Brazilians even have a name for them: Novo Cangaço, which roughly translates into English as “New Struggle.”

The name refers to a “social banditry” movement that flourished in Brazil’s hardscrabble northeast in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The original Cangaço sought to battle back against widespread poverty and inequality. It involved Robin-Hood like figures who plagued wealthy landowners, donated to the poor, and pushed the government to jumpstart economic reforms.

“The New Cangaço’s modus operandi is similar” to that of their predecessors, José de Arimatéia da Cruz , Ph.D., told The Daily Beast. The tactics might be alike, but the strategy between the old and new incarnations are quite different, according to da Cruz, who is originally from Brazil but now teaches international relations at Georgia Southern University.


“The difference today is that the traditional cangaceiros [peasant bandits] were fighting against politicians. The Novo Cangaço today are attacking banks and are most basically interested in money for different purposes.”



This is a sensational chain of events – and if you are a reporter covering these escalating crimes in Brazil – then let us help with your stories.


José de Arimatéia da Cruz is available to speak with media regarding this topic — simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.


You might also like...

Check out some other posts from Georgia Southern University

2 min

Viqtory Media recognizes Georgia Southern University as a top military-friendly college

Georgia Southern University continues to be a leading institution in providing military-connected students with exceptional opportunities, earning the 2025-2026 Top Ten Military Friendly® distinction by Viqtory Media. The University achieved gold recognition for its support of military students, veterans and families as they pursue their academic and career goals. “At Georgia Southern, we are deeply committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of our military-connected students by providing them with a student-centered experience rooted in flexibility, support and excellence,” said Alejandra Sosa Pieroni, Ed. D., Executive Vice President for the Division of Enrollment, Marketing and Student Success. “This continued recognition as a Military Friendly School reflects the intentional work of our faculty and staff to ensure that service members, veterans, and their families have the resources they need to succeed in the classroom, in their careers, and in life.” Georgia Southern is used to being named a Military Friendly School, having earned this distinction for 13 consecutive years. Military-connected students at Georgia Southern have access to a variety of services and flexible academic programs both on campus and online. Select graduate programs, including the MBA, are conveniently offered at the Army Education Centers on Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. In addition, all three campuses and offices located at the Fort Stewart and Hunter Airfield Education Centers feature resource centers to assist military students, veterans and families. “Georgia Southern University is dedicated to providing the best service to our service members, Veterans and their families,” said William Gammon, director of Military and Veteran Services. “We consider it a privilege to serve this special student population. The continued recognition as a Military Friendly School is a testament to our dedication to our military services and their families.” The annual Military Friendly School list is compiled by Viqtory, a service-disabled, veteran-owned company, with input from the Military Friendly Advisory Council, a group of independent experts in higher education and military recruitment. The list is published in the May and October issues of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. Visit Georgia Southern’s website to learn more information about the Military and Veterans program: Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University and it's programming and support for military-connected students — simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

3 min

Apanaskevichiella: Georgia Southern’s tick detective honored with genus classification

Dmitry Apanaskevich, Ph.D., doesn’t look like a traditional detective. He won’t be found chasing down clues in back alleys or interrogating shady characters in a dimly lit room. But he does have that inquisitive, investigative passion that fuels his unique work — serving as the assistant curator at the U.S. National Tick Collection, housed in Georgia Southern University’s Math/Physics Building on the Statesboro Campus. “I’ve been fascinated by animals my entire life,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to be a biologist.” That fascination gave birth to a decades-long career studying ticks, part of the Arachnida class, leading to a lifetime full of discovery and distinction. He was recently awarded one of the highest honors a biologist can receive: a newly recognized genus of soft ticks named Apanaskevichiella. The genus was discovered through advanced genomic work by world-renowned tick phylogeneticist Stephen Barker, Ph.D., of the University of Queensland. Barker is a long-time collaborator, and the naming of the newly discovered genus is his way of honoring Apanaskevich. “It has turned out to be a very pleasant surprise,” said Apanaskevich. “To have a genus named after me is already more than I ever expected. It means my work has made a lasting mark — and that’s a rare and humbling gift.” But his love for ticks came about accidentally. Apanaskevich received his education in Russia, earning a bachelor’s and a master’s at St. Petersburg State University. He went on to obtain his Ph.D. at the Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences. It was during this period of his life when his professors ignited what would become a decades-long fascination with the tiny arthropods. “In my early days as an undergrad, my professors had a major influence on me,” he explained. “The professor who offered the most interesting topic would win.” One day, a professor handed him a jar filled with mayflies, tasking him with describing each species. It was a request that would change his life forever. “He completely won me over with that,” said Apanskevich. “Discovering new species became my dream.” He became obsessed, spending hours glued to the microscope, developing a huge passion for tiny parasites. “Parasites like ticks might look like they’re small, but they’re quite large,” he explained. “That being said, you need to use a microscope when examining them, especially if you’re trying to find and identify those more minute details.” Finding and analyzing those small details is as much of an art as it is a science, he said. “You have to be able to see things that others can’t,” explained Apanaskevich. “You can provide objective data like measurements and comparisons all day, but the artistic, subjective part of this research is how the biologist can analyze and find connections between the thousands, even millions of specimens.” Ambition and curiosity have fueled his journey through the scientific world. But now, he has something else that makes him tick. “My kids are proud of it,” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “They’re pretty proud of me. And really, that’s enough for me.” If you're interested in knowing more about the work Dmitry Apanaskevich is doing at Georgia Southern University or looking to speak with him — simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

2 min

Georgia Southern secures National Science Foundation Grant for innovative STEM research, education and outreach

Georgia Southern University’s Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing and College of Education are teaming up to bring the latest innovative research on renewable energy to STEM educators and their classrooms across Georgia. That’s all thanks to a $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to establish the Engaging Educators in Renewable Energy (ENERGY) program. The funds will support a three-year-long initiative that will bring Valentin Soloiu, Ph.D.’s energy research into high school and technical college classrooms. Soloiu and engineering graduate students from Georgia Southern will conduct research related to renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating climate change, covering topics like renewable and alternative energy (solar and wind), climate change, enhanced energy technologies and the development of sensors and controls for energy applications and smart grids. Soloiu, the Allen E. Paulson Distinguished Chair of Renewable Energy, will be joined by mechanical engineering professor Mosfequr Rahman, Ph.D. and Elise Cain, Ph.D., director of the Educational Leadership Program in the College of Education, in developing the program. “The core requirement is to conduct state-of-the-art, transformative research in science and engineering,” explained Soloiu. “After that is complete, we bring high school and technical college teachers in to translate this research into classroom-ready modules.” Teachers will be selected from a large pool of statewide applicants to work alongside faculty and graduate students from the College of Engineering and Computing. They’ll also receive funds to incorporate that research into their curriculum. Soloiu will oversee the program as the principal investigator, with Cain serving as the education lead, bringing a multidisciplinary approach to the program. “I think interdisciplinary collaborations are vital in academic work,” noted Cain. “Faculty from the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing contribute their technical knowledge and skills related to renewable energy, while I bring my College of Education perspectives on educational contexts and pedagogy. Working together allows us to create a robust program with immediate and lasting impacts.” Educators will visit local companies and interact with leaders in renewable energy, such as Gulfstream Aerospace in Savannah, Georgia, and Rolls-Royce Power Systems in Aiken, South Carolina. These experiences are designed to help teachers share career opportunities with students they might not otherwise encounter. “This program reflects the essence of our institutional mission,” said Cain. “It’s about discovery, teaching, and community engagement—all grounded in excellence and innovation.” Soloiu echoed those sentiments. “Many teachers and students in rural areas don’t even know what we do here at Georgia Southern,” explained Soloiu. “By engaging with educators directly, we’re creating awareness, inspiration, and pipelines to higher education and high-tech careers. This is reflective of the University’s dedication to our communities as we move towards R1 status.” Looking to know more about this important  research happening at Georgia Southern - Valentin Soloiu is available to speak with media. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

View all posts
Powered by