Duilia de Mello
Executive Director
Dr. de Mello is an extragalactic astronomer and an ordinary professor of Physics. She is the Vice Provost for Global Strategies and is responsible for overseeing the University's international programs and initiatives, increasing the international presence of The Catholic University of America as a research institution, and supporting initiatives that engage faculty and students in experiences in research, teaching, and learning throughout the world. She oversaw all libraries of the Catholic University from 2016 to 2022 and is currently the Executive Director of the Oliveira Lima Library.
Dr. de Mello is the recipient of the Professional of the Year Award of the Brazil Diaspora in 2013. She was named one of the most influential Brazilians by Epoca magazine in 2014. She is listed as one of the 50 Brazilians over 50 by Forbes Magazine in 2022. She received the Order of Rio Branco in 2022 and the University of Sao Paulo Alumni Award in Science and Technology in 2023.
Daniel Rodrigues Lima
Assistant Coordinator of Art and Culture
Daniel Rodrigues Lima (Assistant Coordinator of Art and Culture) is a Brazilian conductor, born and raised in the Amazon Rainforest region. He obtained his Master in Music of Orchestral Conducting from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and Artist Diploma in Orchestral Conducting from the Catholic University of America. Rodrigues Lima also studied in the São Paulo Symphony Academy of Conducting and has appeared as guest conductor with many orchestras, including the Baltimore Symphony and the São Paulo Youth Orchestra. Daniel Rodrigues Lima has also collaborated with the Embassy of Brazil in the United States of America, directing musical performances during the celebrations of the 200th Anniversary of the Independence of Brazil.
Juliana Gongora
Consultant
Juliana Gongora (Consultant) has been a consultant for new projects at the Oliveira Lima Library since July 2024. Graduated in Communication and with a postgraduate degree in Project Management from Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Juliana has over 15 years of experience in Account Management and 3 years dedicated to Project Management. Originally from Brazil, Juliana has lived in Portugal for 6 years, where she contributed to organizing high-impact events such as Science on Stage, the largest European event for science teachers. Her work as a manager was recognized in 2022 with the GP Start award, granted by the Project Management Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, for a transformative project that stood out for its impact and execution. Currently, Juliana develops initiatives that expand the reach and relevance of the Oliveira Lima Library, fostering connections between history, culture, and innovation in Portugal.
Marilia Mello
Librarian
Marilia Mello (Librarian) is a librarian and a federal public servant at the Brazil Federal Supreme Court, with an extensive background in legal research, project management, and team leadership in libraries. During her tenure as director of the Library at the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region, she developed strategies to improve services and promote innovations focused on institutional needs. With 24 years of experience as a legal librarian, Marília has vast expertise in reference services, utilizing various technologies, including advanced use of complex resources, reference tools, digital platforms, and information dissemination systems. She was a fellow at the Cornell University Law Library, where she deepened her experience in library science practices and information systems. Currently, she works at the Oliveira Lima Library, aiming to promote and manage its informational resources, innovative services, and cultural relevance.
Featured Visiting Scholars
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2023
Cynthia Carvalho Martins
Dr. Cynthia Carvalho Martins holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Maranhão (1994), a Master's degree in Public Policy from the Federal University of Maranhão (2000), and a Doctorate in Anthropology from the Federal Fluminense University (2008). Currently, she serves as a professor at the Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, where she has contributed significantly to the fields of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies.Dr. Martins has an extensive background in researching social movements, quilombo communities, social cartography, and the interplay between conflict and identity, particularly in the Amazon region, and has been recognized for her innovative research on the impacts of megaprojects in the Amazon and the dynamics of community traditional territories.
Silvia Ferreira
Sílvia Ferreira holds a Ph.D. degree in History in the specialty of Art, Heritage, and Restoration from the Faculty of Letters in Lisbon, and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Currently, she is part of the NOVA FCSH team, where she is developing a research project dedicated to the topic: “The Legacy of Robert Chester Smith: New Perspectives for the History of Art in Portugal.” Robert C. Smith was an American scholar known for his work on Luso-Brazilian culture. During her time at the Oliveira Lima Library, Dr. Ferreira had the opportunity to study publications by Smith, his correspondence with Manoel Cardozo, a former director of the Oliveira Lima Library, and various important artworks, including "The Imperial Family of Brazil in 1831," watercolors of the Amazon River, and George Branden Willis’s depictions of Portugal.
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2024
Thiago Gonçalves Paluma Rocha
Dr. Thiago Gonçalves Paluma Rocha has an extensive background in Law that includes a Bachelor of Law degree from the Federal University of Uberlândia, a Ph.D. degree in International Law at the Universidad de Valencia, Spain, a Master's degree in Public Law at the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil, and a Specialization in Private Law at Universidade Gama Filho, Brazil.Dr. Rocha has been part of the Federal University of Uberlândia faculty since 2013, where he currently serves as a Professor at the School of Law and the Director of Innovation and Technology Transfer, besides that, he is the International Civil Procedure Research Network Coordinator, the Leader of the Research Group in International Law (GEPDI) at UFU, and a Visiting Professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Chile.