Lemann Brazil Research Fund announces next phase

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) and Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs (OVPIA) has announced the next phase of funding for the Lemann Brazil Research Fund, thanks to a new gift from the Lemann Foundation.

Established in 2016 by a generous gift from the Lemann Foundation, the fund is intended to foster collaboration between scholars and support research projects focused on current issues facing Brazil. Since its inception, the fund has made 63 awards supporting more than 60 faculty representing nine Schools. These primary investigators have collaborated with individuals from more than 70 Brazil-based institutions across Brazil.

The first 10 years of the Lemann Brazil Research Fund have led to significant research applications in Brazil, positively impacting society across disciplines. President Alan M. Garber ’77, Ph.D. ’82 remarked that “this progress would not have been possible without the thoughtful generosity of Jorge Paulo Lemann and the Lemann Foundation. We are proud of what our collaboration has achieved over the last decade — and we are excited about what the future holds.”

A report celebrating 10 Years of the Lemann Brazil Research Fund at Harvard University (2016–25) is available online.

“We are grateful for the generosity of the Lemann Foundation in continuing to support critical research partnerships, which help our faculty advance knowledge and better the world,” said John Shaw, senior vice provost for research, Harry C. Dudley Professor of Structural and Economic Geology, and professor of environmental science and engineering.

Mark Elliott, vice provost for international affairs and Mark Schwartz Professor of Chinese and Inner Asian History, emphasized the impact of the Lemann Brazil Research Fund, commenting that “the Lemann Foundation’s enduring generosity and support have made possible such remarkable research, creating positive impacts in society across many fields.”

Founded in 2002 by entrepreneur and Harvard alumnus Jorge Paulo Lemann ’61, the Lemann Foundation is a family foundation focused on guaranteeing access to high-quality public education for every child in Brazil and supporting the development of leaders committed to the social transformation of Brazil.

OVPR and OVPIA administer the fund in collaboration with the Brazil Studies Program and the Brazil Office of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

Supported proposals address education management and administration; social science and its applications; public administration and policy; technical advances in education; and evidence-based research. A formal call for proposals, including additional details, is forthcoming and will be posted on the OVPR website later this semester. Harvard faculty with an interest in submitting a proposal to the Lemann Brazil Research Fund are encouraged to contact Tim Linden, associate director of the DRCLAS Brazil Office, with any questions.