France Onsite Staff: Dr. Leigh Smith and Christelle Le Gars
Dr. Leigh Smith, Dean of IAU College and Professor
MA, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
BA, Auburn University
Dr. Leigh Smith joined the IAU faculty in 2006 teaching Comparative Literature. In 2011, he moved into the post of Director and Dean of Students, and in 2014 assumed the position of Dean of the College. Prior to coming to IAU, Dr. Smith taught and worked at the Université de Paul Cézanne and in the administration of various study abroad programs in Europe. He continues to teach Comparative Literature at IAU and leads a January term Traveling Seminar: European Cities. Dr. Smith’s research has largely focused on the Twentieth-century European novel, and is currently tracing the novelistic representation of the European city.
Christell Le Gars, Administrative Assistant
M.A. in Communication, Celsa, Paris Sorbonne
Christelle Le Gars has been an administrative assistant at IAU since 2018, focused on aiding students with work-study, excursions and administrative requirements. Christelle Le Gars joined IAU after working in England for more than ten years in secondary schools specialized in international teaching and learning. She has a Licence in English studies (Lille 3 University) and an M.A. in Communication (Celsa, Paris Sorbonne). She is fluent in English and French.