As many of you already know, I will be stepping down from my role as director of the Center at the end of this calendar year. I won’t be far – just down the hall – and expect to be fully involved in Center activities from my faculty position in Political Science. It has been an honor to direct the Center for these five years, and it has been a great pleasure to be a part of the many conferences, talks, discussions, and other events. I very much appreciate having had this opportunity to serve in this role, and I want to thank everyone for their support and participation – especially to the wonderful staff that has made everything possible. I want to offer a special thanks to Karen Goldman, who is also leaving CLAS. She has made been a wonderful contributor and collaborator.
Please watch your inboxes for an annual report sometime in the early year. As a preview, here are some highlights of the past semester and upcoming events/projects:
Fall talks/colloquia on Brazil and Central America and a successful film series (thanks to Martha and Diana), Spring event planned on Venezuela and continued Panoramas roundtables on timely issues (thanks Rosita, and Kelsey who helps with everything!). We also supported other speakers, workshops, and events on the following themes (among others): Transnational Social Movements and Global Change, Jorge Luis Borges, Detroit’s Rivera, and Indigenous People’s Day.
Our annual student trip to Washington DC, which focuses on potential careers related to Latin American Studies, will take place in the spring. (Luz is organizing)
Owing to our efforts (especially Karen), Pittsburgh Public Schools now offer Portuguese in four high schools. To extend the collaboration with the school district, we have applied for a StarTalk grant.
Our annual (and growing) grad-student conference on Social and Public Policy will take place March 29-30. We welcome back Aníbal Pérez Liñan as the keynote speaker.
As part of our increased interest in the theme, we now open grant applications for projects related to Latino studies.
Congratulations to Michelle Reid Vazquez, who won the Chancellor’s Seed Grant for her Afro-Latin American and Afro-Latino Studies Initiative. Look for programming this spring.
Please join some of the reading groups CLAS is sponsoring next semester, including the “Emerging Latino Communities Reading and Publishing Group,” run by Patricia Documet and the Center for Health Equity.
We have welcomed (and helped to support) four Fulbright scholars to Pitt this year, two from Haiti, one from Colombia, and another from Nicaragua. They are working in Health and Rehabilitation, Engineering, the Dental School, and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.
Among the many awards and degrees proffered, we want to recognize Catalina Pineda who was awarded the 2018 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Outstanding Student Award at the World Congress of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society in Kyoto, Japan.
Among our undergraduates, Second Lt. Caileigh Carei (A&S ’17) has become the first female infantry officer in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
Research grants for students and faculty; deadlines Jan 21 and Jan 18, respectively
Luis is organizing our Seminar Field trip … they are going to Manizales, Colombia!
Thanks to Luz for hosting delegations from Colombia and Chile
And of course, please join us at the annual Festival late in the spring! (Thanks, Diana)
