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
How are physical activity and mobility linked to frailty after age 80?
Research examines physical activity and mobility across the frailty spectrum among oldest old Brazilians, defined as adults aged 80 years and older. The study found that frailty was strongly associated with physical inactivity and specific mobility difficulties, including difficulty walking short distances and extending the arms above shoulder level, highlighting the close relationship between physical activity, frailty, and mobility. Assistant Professor in Health and Kinesiology Emerson Sebastiao was the senior author of the study, published in the Journal of Applied Gerontology.
Plastics and reproductive health in Brazil
An ongoing research collaboration connecting Illinois and Brazil examines how everyday exposure to microplastics, nanoplastics, and phthalates may affect reproductive health, helping advance our understanding of the health consequences of environmental contaminants. Comparative Biosciences Professor Jodi Flaws leads the Illinois side of this Brasillinois collaboration with Professor Wellerson Scarano from São Paulo State University (UNESP).
The legacy of Palmares and Zumbi
After Palmares: Diaspora, Inheritance, and the Afterlives of Zumbi examines explores the history and enduring legacies of Palmares and Zumbi, connecting themes of slavery, race, resistance, and freedom to their lasting influence on Brazilian society and identity. The book was authored by History Professor Marc Hertzman and was recently recognized with the 2026 Roberto Reis Senior Scholar Award from the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA). The book also won the James A. Rawley Award from the American Historical Association (AHA) and received honorable mentions from three other book prize competitions.
