Add your promotional text...
RankBrasil Brazilian records
Pioneering the Use of Benford’s Law in Public Works Auditing Science, innovation, and citizenship: Brazilian researcher is recognized by RankBrasil as a pioneer in the application of Benford’s Law to public works auditing
The federal auditor Flávia Ceccato Rodrigues da Cunha, from Brasília (DF), has been officially registered by RankBrasil as a pioneer in applying Benford’s Law to public works auditing. This statistical method makes it possible to identify anomalies in large budget spreadsheets, helping to combat overpricing and mismanagement of public funds.
This achievement began in 2013, when Flávia presented her master’s dissertation at the University of Brasília (UnB). Under the supervision of Professor Maurício Bugarin, she applied Benford’s Law for the first time to public works spreadsheets, analyzing major infrastructure projects connected to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. The research showed that deviations in digit frequency may indicate risks of manipulation or overbilling, working as a sort of “statistical sieve” for auditors.
The innovation quickly gained recognition. In 2015, Flávia received an Honorable Mention in the SOF Monograph Award, promoted by the Federal Budget Secretariat and ENAP. The following year, she was granted the Reconhe-Ser Award from the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), in the category “Innovative Idea.” She also presented papers in national and international journals, published a structured algorithm to automate tests in collaboration with Professor Maurício Bugarin in 2015, and participated in congresses such as the XX Annual Meeting of LACEA in Bolivia.
The researcher was also invited by the Brazilian Institute of Public Works (IBRAOP) to be a coauthor of the book Selection of Audit Samples for Public Works Using Benford’s Law (ISBN 978-85-93840-00-5), which has become a reference for oversight bodies throughout Brazil. In 2017, she delivered a lecture at the Rui Barbosa Institute (IRB), spreading the methodology among State Courts of Accounts.
With more than a decade of study, Flávia continues to expand the reach of the method. Recently, she transformed the algorithm originally developed in Excel into a JavaScript digital tool enhanced by artificial intelligence, capable of running statistical tests, highlighting suspicious items, and exporting automated reports.
For the record holder, recognition by RankBrasil represents the appreciation of science applied to public service:
“It proves that research, persistence, and innovation can generate direct impact on citizens’ lives by promoting greater transparency and efficiency in public resource management,” she highlights.
Through this pioneering work, Flávia Ceccato Rodrigues da Cunha secures her place in RankBrasil’s history, uniting statistics, innovation, and citizenship in the supervision of public works.
Recognized by RankBrasil under strict technical and impartial criteria — the sole national record-certifying authority since 1999.
Golden Fellow Award
Flavia Ceccato received the prestigious Royal Golden Award from Eudoxia Research University in August 2025, recognizing her leadership, innovation, and contributions to education, research, and societal development, often tied to her work in science communication and her book on existential intelligence. This award, also known as the Golden Fellow Award, signifies her status as a Fellow of the Royal Golden Assembly of Eudoxia Lifetime (FRAEL) and grants her access to global academic platforms, publications, and conferences.
Reconhe-Ser 2016 Award
In 2016, the author received the Reconhe-Ser Award from the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in the category “Innovative Idea.” The program, launched in 2009 by the TCU, publicly recognizes permanent staff members who, individually or in teams, make significant contributions to their units and to the institution, aiming to achieve strategic objectives and enhance institutional results. The Reconhe-Ser Award is one of the Court’s key recognition initiatives. Staff members submit projects carried out in the twelve months prior to the application period or present new ideas. The awards are organized into three categories: innovative projects (in external control or in governance and management), outstanding projects (in external control or in governance and management), and innovative ideas. The Reconhe-Ser Award represents the appreciation and recognition of the innovative and proactive spirit of the technical staff who, in the face of the complex mission of operating and supporting external control, deliver results that have a direct impact on citizens’ lives and on the improvement of public management.
SOF Award
She received an Honorable Mention in the 7th SOF Monograph Award (March 2015), promoted by the Federal Budget Secretariat (SOF) in partnership with the National School of Public Administration (Enap), in the category “Quality of Public Spending.” The award aims to stimulate studies on public budgeting, recognizing works of quality and applicability in Public Administration. The award covers different editions and categories, such as “Articles” and “Solutions in Budget Data,” and grants recognition to works that address topics related to public budgeting, including planning, integrated management, fiscal rules, among others. The award was granted to the author and her master’s supervisor, Professor Maurício Bugarin, in recognition of the author’s master’s dissertation on the innovative application of Benford’s Law to budget spreadsheets of public works projects.
Golden Ocelot Award
PROMOVE
Promove Education System
Golden Ocelot Award
Belo Horizonte, May 23, 1994
Dear Parents,
At the end of the first bimester of 1994, we are pleased to contact you to congratulate you on the outstanding academic performance your daughter, Flávia Ceccato Rodrigues da Cunha, demonstrated at Colégio Promove.
We are aware that this success is also a result of the education she receives within her family, and we therefore extend our sincere congratulations.
To mark this special moment, we are presenting your daughter, through your hands, with the Golden Ocelot Award.
This award represents recognition for the high level of academic achievement attained by our students.
To take part in your daughter’s developmental journey is, for us as educators of the Promove Education System, a source of great joy and pride.
Sincerely,
(signature)
Patrícia Sarturi
Promove Education System
