We are very pleased to announce that Dr. Octavio di Leo has been appointed as the first Center Director for our new Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Octavio has been with IES Abroad since 2003—first as Academic Dean in IES Abroad Barcelona and since 2006 as Director of our Rome Center. Octavio has also played an active role in the development of the IES Abroad program in Brazil.
Octavio’s strong academic credentials, proven directorial track record as our Rome Center Director, and broad international experience are the perfect combination to lead our program in Rio de Janeiro. Octavio is well known and respected in the field of international education.
Originally from Buenos Aires, Octavio earned his B.A. in Comparative Literature at the University of Buenos Aires. He lived and studied Portuguese in Brazil for one year before moving to New Haven to earn an MA and M. Phil in Latin American Literature from Yale University.
In 2000, Octavio earned his Ph.D. from Yale University with a dissertation on oral narrative in the African Disapora, "El descubrimiento de Africa en Cuba y Brasil (1889-1969)", published by Editorial Colibri in Spain. In his earlier career, he was a news speaker for Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin and a translator and journalist in Barcelona. He has taught at Yale University, the Free University of Berlin, the Technological University of Berlin, and the University of Buenos Aires. Octavio's articles have appeared in academic journals in Brazil, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, and the United States.
Apply now for the Study Brazil Program! Starting Spring 2013, the program features the country's rich history and culture, academic courses at local institutions, and the opportunity to live and learn in one of the world's most beautiful cities.
