FIU's Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC) and its partner Fundación INCA wish to announce research opportunities in Andean Studies at the Fundación INCA research center in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Fundación INCA is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 by Alfredo Montalvo to promote and contribute to the study and research of the Andean region and to disseminate its cultural legacy.

The Biblioteca INCA, one of the largest and most comprehensive libraries of Andean Studies materials in Latin America, is located at the Fundación INCA. The library currently has over 110,000 volumes and 5,000 periodicals titles from across the Andes, including Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The collection is strongest in the Social Sciences (anthropology, economics, education, environmental studies, indigenous studies, sociology, political science, religious studies), International Education, Humanities (history, languages, literature, music), and Andean Law. The library is particularly strong in research books and periodicals published within the last 15 years. The library has reading/research areas with Internet access and several private study carrels. For additional information on Biblioteca Inca, please contact Catherine Marsicek, Latin American and Caribbean Librarian at 305-348-2228 or marsicek@fiu.edu.

Faculty and graduate students may apply for LACC travel grants to support their research at Fundación INCA. Application procedures for LACC travel grants can be found at http://lacc.fiu.edu/about_lacc/grants_research_frm.htm. Student applications for LACC travel grants to Fundacion INCA should include a resume of their Spanish instruction and experience. Students must have a good reading knowledge in Spanish to use materials at the Biblioteca Inca. Students may demonstrate the required Spanish skill level by scoring at least Advanced on the ACTFL/ETS exam (2 to 2-plus on the US government scale) or by showing completion of several undergraduate semesters of basic (2000 level) and intermediate (3000 level) Spanish language instruction and at least one semester of advanced (4000 level) instruction.

The August 1 deadline for LACC travel grants is waived for applications to Fundación INCA - applications will be taken at any time. For travel planning purposes, round trip airfare to Cochabamba from Miami is approximately $900. Room and Board (3 meals per day) is available at Fundación Inca for $130 per week and must be paid in advance to LACC. Local business hotels charge $30-$50 per night for rooms. Transportation and meal costs in Cochabamba are relatively inexpensive. The Fundación INCA is located ten minutes from downtown Cochabamba in a beautiful setting that includes three acres of gardens, rest areas, dormitories, study rooms, conference facilities and a cafeteria. For additional information, please contact Michael Collier, LACC Director of Research, at 305-348-2894 or collierm@fiu.edu.