Leonardo A. Villalón is Dean of the International Center and Professor of Political Science and African Studies at the University of Florida, where he also coordinates the Sahel Research Group. He is a specialist on the countries of the African Sahel (Senegal, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Chad), in particular the role of Islam in democratization, education, and political stability. He has published numerous works on the region. He is past president of the West African Research Association, and currently chair of the board of directors of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC).