Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies
Welcome to the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies!
The Lemann Center promotes the multidisciplinary study of Brazil by offering fellowships to UIUC and Brazilian students, funding faculty collaboration and research, organizing international conferences, and supporting cultural programming. Established in 2009 through a generous gift from Jorge Paulo Lemann and family, the center draws upon a half-century of sustained research and collaboration between Illinois and Brazilian scholars. To learn more, visit our About Us page.
Upcoming Events
Center Highlights and News
Soil erosion and sustainable agriculture in Brazil
Research examines soil erosion under natural rainfall in Brazil, bringing together evidence across studies to better understand erosion patterns and inform soil conservation and sustainable agricultural practices. Agricultural and Consumer Economics Professor Mary Arends-Kuenning collaborated on the study with Professor Tiago Telles from the State University of Londrina (UEL). The study was published in Advances in Agronomy.
Learn more about this study here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/bookseries/abs/pii/S0065211325001166?via%3Dihub
AI could revolutionize disease prevention. But flawed data could deepen health inequalities
Artificial intelligence is increasingly viewed as a powerful tool for predicting and preventing public health problems. But it is not just about using the most sophisticated algorithm, says Health and Kinesiology Associate Professor Bruno Nunes. “If we do not have good data, we will not have good models.” Nunes has tested machine-learning models for their ability to predict real-world health outcomes in Brazil.
Learn more here:
https://www.ahs.illinois.edu/where-does-ai-fit-into-the-big-picture-of-public-health/
The power of a precise veto
A line-item veto allows presidents to remove specific provisions from a bill while allowing the rest to become law. Research co-authored by Political Science Professor Gisela Sin, Line-Item Vetoes as a Coordination Mechanism examines Brazil’s legislative process and shows that this tool can help presidents coordinate with congressional allies and maintain unity within a governing coalition. The article received the 2026 Jewell-Loewenberg Prize for Best Article on Comparative Legislatures.
Learn more about this news here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/lsq.12467
