University Times

Ruth Correa Leite Cardoso, wife of Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, visited the University Nov. 14-15 to help launch Pitt's new Brazilian studies program.

Cardoso gave the program's inaugural lecture. As chair of Brazil's Commission of Solidarity in Community (CSC), she also discussed efforts to combat Brazil's poverty and social exclusion. CSC oversees social policies in the areas of health, education, labor and public housing.

Cardoso is one of Brazil's leading scholars. She holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Sao Paulo and has done postdoctoral work at Columbia as a Fulbright scholar.

Cardoso is a member of the Latin American Studies at the Social Research Council and the American Council of Learned Societies.

Pitt's Brazilian studies program will promote initiatives in research, education, public outreach and policy conferences. It will build on the current work of Pitt faculty on Brazil, expand existing collaborative efforts with Brazilian universities, facilitate the exchange of students and organize a series of policy conferences.

The program will be housed in Pitt's Center for Latin American Studies.