May 12, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Paula Dias, an Indiana University
Bloomington junior, has been selected as a 2008 Beinecke Scholar.
Dias, of Bloomington, Ind., is one of only 22 students nationwide
to receive the $34,000 award, which supports graduate study in the
arts, humanities or social sciences. She is the fifth IU student to
receive the award.
An anthropology major, Dias is currently studying abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France. She was
born and grew up in Brazil, South America. Her research interests include women, contraception
and urbanization in the Brazilian Amazon.
Dias has worked at the Anthropological Center for Training and Research on Global
Environmental Change (ACT) since her junior year of high school. She spent two months in the
Amazon conducting fieldwork and has spent the last two years analyzing the data from her
research there.
Dias hopes to continue studying the Brazilian Amazon and to earn her doctorate degree.
“This award means that people believe in my potential as a researcher, and that my ideas can
develop into interesting issues in my field of study,” Dias said. “This award is a great way to give
support and encouragement to undergrads with graduate study aspirations.”
The Beinecke Scholarship Program was established in 1971 by the Sperry and Hutchinson
Company to honor Edwin, Frederick, and Walter Beinecke. The three brothers shared a strong
belief that businesses should support educational institutions. The endowment was created to assist
students who display strong motivation and exceptional potential. Since 1975, the program has
selected more than 410 college juniors from 97 different schools.
For more information, please contact Edward Gubar at 812-855-2827
or gubare@indiana.edu.