Mello to speak at Brazilian conference
October 13, 2005
KOKOMO, Ind.—Indiana University Kokomo Assistant Professor of Labor Studies Bill Mello, Ph.D., will be a guest speaker at the International Conference on Education to be held in Brazil November 9–12. The central theme of the conference is “Basic Education in Brazil and the World: A Necessary Reflection.”
Mello will speak on a panel titled "Education, Technology and the World of Work.” Panel members will analyze the importance of education as a fundamental factor for social change and development. The conference is sponsored by the Brazilian Ministry of Education, the National Institute for Research in Education, the office of the mayor of the City of Gravatí, Project Integrar, and the Central Labor Council of Brazil.
Mello said his invitation to speak at the conference is the result of growing interest among educators in Brazil regarding Indiana University's Labor Studies program. Mello coordinated a study abroad program to Brazil last spring. After Labor Studies students from IU Kokomo and IU Northwest met with labor union members and educators there, Brazilians wanted to learn more about IU Labor Studies' work, especially among non-traditional students, Mello said.
Mello's students visited factories, union halls, and a cooperative tent city, where Brazilian workers were instituting social, economic, and political changes similar to those movements covered in Labor Studies courses. “Students grasp the concepts so quickly when they are immersed in the culture,” Mello said.
Labor Studies Abroad in 2006
Another study trip to Brazil is planned for spring 2006, with IUPUI joining the Kokomo and Northwest (Gary) campuses in sending students next year. Up to 20 IU Kokomo students can participate in this for-credit program; the application deadline is November 5. The Division of Labor Studies is offering student travel grants of $250.
For more information on labor studies at IU Kokomo, visit www.iuk.edu/labor or call (765) 455-9403.
