Coatsworth said he hopes the professorship will draw Brazilian scholars to Harvard and increase the number of courses on Portuguese language and literature, and on Brazil.

"I think over the last few years there's been a significant increased awareness around Brazilian Studies at Harvard," said Stephen J. Reifenberg, executive director of the center. "Having a chair will provide a focal point."

Reifenberg said Brazil is becoming increasingly important in the international arena. It is the largest country in South America and has almost 160 million people.

"Brazil has more actively wanted to have an international role," he said. "[More] business opportunities have emerged...People are beginning to recognize more the dimension and importance of it as a country."

The center has inaugurated two other programs in Latin American studies over the past two years--the Committee on Cuban Studies and Exchange and an interfaculty committee on Latino Studies, which focuses on people from Latin America living in the United States.

Like the Brazilian Studies program, these are not concentrations.

"The center does not hire faculty, does not offer courses, does not offer degrees," Coatsworth said. "We work with faculty to make life easier and more interesting for Harvard students and faculty."

Funding for the program will come out of the center's budget, but Coatsworth said he hopes alums will contribute to the costs.