http://newscenter.iupui.edu/ News about International from Newscenter en-us Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:09:22 -0500 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4352/McIntosh-Named-2010-Rotary-World-Peace-Fellow- http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4352/McIntosh-Named-2010-Rotary-World-Peace-Fellow- Dr. Ian McIntosh, Director of International Partnerships at IUPUI and faculty member in the Department of Anthropology, has been named a 2010 Rotary World Peace Fellow. Rotary World Peace Fellows are leaders promoting national and international cooperation, peace, and the successful resolution of conflict throughout their lives, in their careers, and through service activities. Fellows can earn either a master’s degree in international relations, public administration, sustainable development, peace studies, conflict resolution, or a related field, or a professional development certificate in peace and conflict resolution. As part of this distinguished award, Dr. McIntosh will spend three months next summer at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand at the Rotary Center for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution. "There is no one more deserving of this honor than Ian, whose entire career has been dedicated to advancing cross-cultural understanding and cooperation, whether this was through his work with Aboriginal land rights in Australia, reforestation in Armenia, the global NGO known as Cultural Survival, or his leadership of IUPUI’s international partnership program," said Susan Buck Sutton, Associate Vice Chancellor of International Affairs at IUPUI, Chancellor's P:rofessor of Anthropology, and Associate Vice President, Office of the Vice President of International Affairs, Indiana University. The purpose of the Rotary Centers program is to: Support and advance research, teaching, publication, and practical field experience on issues of peace, goodwill, causes of conflict, and world understanding Inspire people to work for a culture of peace and tolerance while enhancing their capacity, knowledge, and skill by generating interaction between practitioners and academics Provide advanced international education opportunities in the area of peace and conflict resolution Provide a means for The Rotary Foundation and Rotarians to increase their effectiveness in promoting greater tolerance and cooperation among peoples, leading to world understanding and peace Dr. McIntosh's research interests focus on issues of truth and reconciliation in global perspective and he teaches a class at IUPUI that utilizes a unique 'reconciliation barometer' to shed light on the quest for reconciliation through treaties, peace accords, apologies, reparations, truth commissions, trials and memorials. In partnership with the Scholars at Risk Network of New York University, and Human Rights Works, he coordinates the “Voices at Risk, Visions of Hope” speaker series at IUPUI. This series provides opportunities for our faculty, staff, and students to interact via video-conference with some of the world’s most distinguished scholars who, as a result of their advocacy for human rights and justice in their homelands, have been forced to take refuge in the USA.   Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_mcintosh.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_mcintosh.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4344/African-Burial-Ground-Project-Director-Prolific-Author-Earn-Lifetime-Achievement-Awards-at-African-Studies-Conference http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4344/African-Burial-Ground-Project-Director-Prolific-Author-Earn-Lifetime-Achievement-Awards-at-African-Studies-Conference An anthropology professor from The College of William and Mary and a history professor from the University of Texas at Austin are the recipients of inaugural lifetime achievement awards presented during the 1st Public Scholars in African Studies International Conference on Globalization. The conference was held Oct. 29-31, 2009, at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Michael L. Blakey, Ph.D., the National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Anthropology at William and Mary, received the Africana Studies Distinguished Public Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors Blakey particularly for his 12-year role as scientific director of the New York African Burial Ground Project. Toyin Falola, Ph.D., the Frances Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor in History at UT Austin, received the Africana Studies Distinguished Global Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award that recognizes an individual who can more accurately be described as the “quintessential scholar’s scholar,” and someone whose scholarship has had a significant impact on the global academy. IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz presented both awards during the awards dinner held Oct. 31, 2009, at University Place Conference Center and Hotel on the IUPUI campus. Both Blakey and Falola received unanimous votes from the subcommittee that evaluated the dossiers and portfolios of award nominees. Blakey embodies the very notion of public scholarship, particularly with his work to move the New York African Burial Ground Project “from a national secret to a national monument,” according to IUPUI Professor Bessie House-Soremekun, Ph.D., the conference organizer. Blakey’s methodical work as a bio-archaeologist was central to the Burial Ground Project, in terms of understanding the people, their lives, and where they came from. His 200-person team worked with the remains of more than 400 individuals and a million non-burial artifacts The William and Mary professor arranged and participated in lab tours, site visits and community forums about the burial ground project. He gave numerous media interviews and public lectures, and was a focal point in a PBS series broadcast in 1996. It was particularly fitting that Falola received the Global Scholar Lifetime Achievement award at this time because this is the year that he has achieved his goal of publishing more than 100 books, House-Soremekun said. “A genre-bender of extraordinary talent, (Falola’s) contributions are wide-ranging and have covered all aspects that we label as Africana Studies, from history to literature, economics to political economy, religion to culture, and even the creative zones of poetry and the memoir,” House-Soremekun said. During the conference Falola presented a luncheon keynote speech on the topic “Africana in the Margins: The Past and Future of Globalization.” The theme of the Public Scholars in Africana Studies conference was “Rethinking Economic Development in the Context of Globalization: Entrepreneurship, the Knowledge Economy, and Sustainable Development. About 575 people participated, House-Soremekun said. His Royal Majesty, Oba (King) Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV, Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Nigeria, was the keynote speaker for the awards dinner. Gbadebo discussed “The Changing Role of Nigeria in the 21st Century Knowledge Economy.” The conference featured outstanding scholars from universities and colleges representing Africa, Europe, North America, and South America. IUPUI conference sponsors included the IUPUI 40th Anniversary Celebration Committee; the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI; the Office of the Assistant Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research; Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Lifelong Learning; the Committee on African and African American Studies; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for International Affairs; the African American and African Diaspora Studies Program; and the Olaniyan Scholars.   Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_toyin falola final_dsc8883[1]0.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_toyin falola final_dsc8883[1]0.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4345/History-of-Muslim-America-Makes-Publishers-Weekly-Best-Books-List http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4345/History-of-Muslim-America-Makes-Publishers-Weekly-Best-Books-List An Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) professor’s history of Muslims in the United States is on the Publisher’s Weekly list of Best Books of 2009. Edward E. Curtis IV’s book, “Muslims in America: A Short History,” published in October 2009 by Oxford University Press, Inc., traces the history of followers of Islam in America from the 18th century to post 9-11 America. “This accessible history by a scholar who is not among the usual academic talking-head experts on Islam brings breadth and nuance to an important subject,” Louisa Ermelino writes in the Nov. 2, 2009, Publisher’s Weekly online article about the 100 books chosen for the Best Books list. Professor Curtis “has authored a fine and succinct history that spans centuries. ...Unmatched for its breadth of sources, this is also one of the few books in the field to cover both immigrant and indigenous (African-American) American Muslims. ...Photographs, chronology, edited selections from chosen narratives, and a Further Reading Section provide useful jumping-off points for the reader, who will undoubtedly be intrigued by Curtis's compelling little read,” says the Publisher’s Weekly review. Curtis, who has written or edited five other books, begins the first chapter of the 168-page paperback for general readers with the story of the 1730 or 1731 arrival in Annapolis, Md., of a West African Muslim aboard a slave ship. “Americans generally think of Muslims as immigrants who are fresh off the boat. This book shows that they have been part of America before the United States was founded,” said Curtis in an e-mail interview. “It recovers the essential role of Muslims in U.S. history and incorporates them into our common notion of who we are as Americans. By unearthing our shared past, the book provides us with new memories of who we have been and new hopes for what we might become.” The preface of the IUPUI professor’s book includes the author’s recounting of a modern-day news story. Curtis tells of a neighbor’s 2007 campaign to prevent the installation of foot baths in the new terminal of the Indianapolis International Airport. The neighbor, according to a newspaper report, considered installation of the baths, proposed to serve African Muslim cabbies who regularly washed their feet before performing their daily prayers, “fraternization with the enemy.” “I have written this book so that non-Muslim Americans may come to understand Muslim Americans just a little better,” Curtis writes. At IUPUI, Curtis is a professor of religious studies in the School of Liberal Arts. He teaches several courses, including “Intro to Islam,” “African American Religions,” “Religion and Racism,” and “Islam in America;” and he directs the Jordan Summer Abroad program. Curtis, who earned a doctoral degree at the University of South Africa, holds a master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s from Kenyon College. The Millennium Chair of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, Curtis is currently a Fulbright Fellow and working as Visiting Professor of American Studies at the University of Jordan. As for “Muslims in America” making the best 100 books list, “I feel proud, grateful, and a little bit lucky,” Curtis said, “My hope is that it helps me get my message across to more people. The story of Muslim Americans is the American story. Like every other group of people, they are not angels or demons, but ordinary (and sometimes extraordinary) human beings who have contributed to the making of America.”   Note to Reporters and Editors: Edward E. Curtis IV can be reached for interviews via e-mail at ecurtis4@iupui.edu; voice or video call by Skype at Regan.Zwald in Amman, Jordan; or by phone at 011-962-6-79-796-9426.   Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_curtis book signing photo.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_curtis book signing photo.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4322/From-the-Desk-of-the-Chancellor-Oct-26-2009 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4322/From-the-Desk-of-the-Chancellor-Oct-26-2009 IUPUI is proud to host the first Public Scholars in Africana Studies International Conference, October 29-31, at the University Place Conference Center and Hotel. This conference is the result of a commitment the campus made to recruit Public Scholars, faculty members who link their academic disciplines to community institutions. In 2007, three Public Scholars in African American and African Diaspora Studies were hired in the School of Liberal Arts. This was both an important step toward increasing diversity among the faculty and an opportunity to build strength in an interdisciplinary academic discipline that strategically dovetails with our local and international commitment to linking scholarship and civic engagement. These Public Scholars—Bessie House-Soremekun, conference organizer, Ronda Henry director of the Olaniyan Scholars Program, and Modupe Labode—all have started projects, like this conference, that have already brought recognition to IUPUI and Indianapolis.   Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_chancellor-charles-r-bantz-small pic00000.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_chancellor-charles-r-bantz-small pic00000.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4319/School-of-Social-Work-Students-Faculty-Attend-Conference-on-Volunteering-in-Cologne-Germany http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4319/School-of-Social-Work-Students-Faculty-Attend-Conference-on-Volunteering-in-Cologne-Germany When Caritas, one of Germany’s largest providers of social services, decided to host a conference exploring how Germany might bolster the country’s interest in volunteering, the Indiana University School of Social Work was among those invited to attend. Of particular interest to the Germans, was the School of Social Work’s use of volunteering as a tool in classrooms, said Associate Professor Lisa McGuire. McGuire, along with Associate Professor Kathy Lay took a group of 10 social work students to attend the conference sponsored by Caritas in Cologne, Germany at the end of September. School of Social Work Dean Michael Patchner accompanied the group as well. Caritas is the national arm of Catholic Social Services in Germany and has a relationship with a number of agencies in that country. “There is not a strong cultural tradition (to volunteer) as there has been in the United States,” McGuire noted. “Part of the reason we have developed more volunteer services is we haven’t developed our social welfare system to the extent Germany has,” she said. While Caritas has been interested in trying to develop the capacity for volunteerism in Germany, there is a concern among some people that if they do more volunteering that will contract the public services that are available. “They are trying to build this from nothing,” McGuire said of the public’s attitude toward volunteering. “This is a very interesting time when everybody is looking at the economy and money and what needs to be a government responsibility and what needs to be personal volunteering.” “I think all of us came to the conclusion there is room for both – a good strong social welfare system that is augmented by volunteerism. But how to get that balance right is really challenging.” McGuire and Lay presented a formal 90-minute lecture and also held an all-day workshop for 15 people, including the IU students. “We presented the DEAL model – the idea was you could use volunteering as a tool in classrooms,” McGuire said. “While there is obviously a benefit to volunteering, it is also a tool for students to learn the classroom material better, she explained. The DEAL is an academic tool to document the learning and encourage critical thinking for volunteering in classes – what we know in the US as service-learning. “There has to be a link between the volunteering and the classroom content” she explained. For example, Lay teaches human behavior theory in the Master of Social Work program. She has her students volunteer at Horizon House – an agency that provides services to the homeless. The students have to identify the theories they have learn in class with their interactions with people at Horizon House, McGuire said.   “Not only does it help students understand the class content, but they learn about things that are sometimes hard to capture – how people are different than themselves and about social welfare programs that we have that work or don’t work,” she added. “It was really a new concept for them (the Germans),” McGuire said. The invitation to attend the conference came after a Caritas official came to Indianapolis several years ago and visited the School of Social Work during his stay here. Another feature of the trip was the students got to visit several social service agencies, including a women’s addiction facility. The women are able to spend 12 to 16 weeks for rehabilitation, which is unheard of in a public facility in the U.S., McGuire noted. They can also bring their children who are up to age six to stay with them. The students got a chance to talk with six women about their treatment, she added. The students also visited a child welfare agency and got a sense of how the German system differs from what typically happens in the U.S. Germany provides many services to people before they reach the point of being involved in the child protection system, McGuire noted. The visits provided the IU students a chance to see the differences in approaches to the same problems agencies in the U.S. are trying to deal with.         Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_pa020383.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_pa020383.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4245/International-Scholars-to-Hold-Africana-Studies-Conference-on-Globalization-and-Entrepreneurship-Keynote-Speakers-include-Nigerian-King http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4245/International-Scholars-to-Hold-Africana-Studies-Conference-on-Globalization-and-Entrepreneurship-Keynote-Speakers-include-Nigerian-King Scholars from around the world, including a Nigerian king and entrepreneur, will gather at IUPUI to address globalization and economic development in Indiana, the United States and other countries. The first Public Scholars in Africana Studies International Conference will take place Oct. 29-31, 2009, at the University Place Conference Center and Hotel, 850 W. Michigan St., located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. The theme is “Rethinking Economic Development in the Context of Globalization: Entrepreneurship, the Knowledge Economy, and Sustainable Development.” Conference events open to the general public begin Oct. 30, 2009, and include a book fair, along with workshops and keynote lectures on the effects of globalization on economies around the world. Presentations also will offer solutions on how to rejuvenate the economies of America and other countries. “We are now in the midst of an economic recession in which many Americans have lost their jobs and others continue to lose their jobs every day,” said conference organizer and IUPUI faculty member Bessie House-Soremekun. “Now is the appropriate time to assemble some of the best and brightest minds in the world to discuss these critical issues and offer solutions to be used to create more jobs and wealth in the world today.” Specific topics for discussion include: How to Succeed in Business in the 21st Century Knowledge Economy International Business Opportunities in the Changing Global Economy The Impact of Globalization on Africa and the African Diaspora Keynote speakers include His Royal Majesty Oba (King) Michael Aremu Gbadebo, the Okukenu IV and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland in Nigeria. Gbadebo, an accomplished entrepreneur, will speak on “The Changing Role of Nigeria in the 21st Century Knowledge Economy.” Egbaland, located in southwestern Nigeria, has a population of about 1.5 million. “Oba (King) Gbadebo has by dint of hard work, achieved notable success in the highly competitive world of the private sector, which has strengthened his background for the exalted royal position of the Alake, Paramount Ruler of Egbaland,” House said. “During his successful foray for two decades into the private sector, he has promoted and established interest in five corporate organizations.” Other keynote speakers include Dr. Keenan Grenell, vice president and dean of diversity and associate professor of Africana and Latin American studies at Colgate University; Dr. Toyin Falola, Frances Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor in History and a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas at Austin; and Chief Jimmy Gboyega Delano, president and CEO of Ilora L’Original Beauty Concepts, Inc., which has headquarters in Chicago, Ill., and offices in many countries of the world. Registration for the two days of public events is $150 per person, and covers panel attendance, the plenary session and the keynote luncheon on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. Registration is $100 for one day of attendance. IUPUI students and Indianapolis high school students can attend for $25 plus the cost of the meals. Tickets for an awards dinner scheduled for Sat., Oct. 31, 2009, are $50 each. IUPUI conference sponsors include the 40th Anniversary Celebration Committee; the School of Liberal Arts; the Office of the Assistant Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research; the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Lifelong Learning; the Committee on African and African American Studies; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for International Affairs; the African American and African Diaspora Studies Program; and the Olaniyan Scholars. For additional information, go to: http://liberalarts.iupui.edu/index.php/signature/C116 .   Posted Sept. 11, 2009 Updated: Oct. 21, 2009 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_king 3 copy.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_king 3 copy.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4310/PhD-Student-Coauthors-Book-Detailing-Victimization-of-Women-in-Western-India-in-the-Name-of-Religious-Rite http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4310/PhD-Student-Coauthors-Book-Detailing-Victimization-of-Women-in-Western-India-in-the-Name-of-Religious-Rite Govind Dhaske is a new PhD student at the Indiana University School of Social Work, but he has already something to add to his resume – co-author of a book detailing the victimization of women in western India in the name of religious rite. The book is, “Jata Removal Movement, Unfolding the ‘Gender’ in Politico-Religious Society,” and is being released this month by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. “Matting of hairs has several superstitions attached to it which violates women’s human rights. Due of matting of hairs (called Jata) women receive social, cultural and religious attention, and forced to follow number of rituals against their choice. The personal, familial and social drudgery faced by women due to this issue is severe. There is no recognition of the issue at policy level. Matting of hairs creates stigmatization and stress among women and affects their psychosocial wellbeing”, Govind explained. He collaborated with Sudhir Kumbhar, an Indian academician and social worker for this project. Govind intends to focus on gender issues and social policy in his research at IU. He is associated with Jata (matted hair) Removal Movement in India. Not much research has been done on the reasons why the women’s hair becomes matted, Govind explained. It could be as simple as a lack of proper care because women too overburdened with work to the hair care that is needed. Once it becomes matted though, it can lead to several physical and psychological health problems over time. But simply removing the matted hair is not a step that families are willing to chance. Some people view the hair as a sign of an act by a goddess and it is believed that the person with such hair has divine powers. Women with such hair are believed to have the powers to put a curse on others and thus people give those with matted hair a certain amount of respect out of fear of what might happen if they don’t. There are several superstitions that control the reinforcement of the rite about matted hairs. To seek out the advice of priests about what to do costs money, which the women and their families often don’t have. Some poor families become indebted due to such expenses for rituals. They are forced up by the religious superstitions to keep the matted hairs. The issue of matted hairs is linked with the rigid and oppressive tradition of devdasi who carry jata as one of the customary symbol. Devdasi rite is sexual exploitation of women by the politico- religious leaders and majority of the devdasis belong to the dalit communities. The symbol of matted hairs carried by devdasi has stigma attached to it and hence it leads to drudgery of women who get affected with matted hairs. The jata removal movement began with removal of matted hairs of devdasi and spread it to the masses. Even educated individuals are most of the time can’t take stand against traditions, Govind said. He recalled one woman who lived with matted hair for decades before she finally had it removed when she was 76. Another case involved a young girl who got matted hair when she was a toddler and suffered health problems until her family was convinced it was ok to remove the matted hair when she was about 11-years-old. A network of jata (matted hair) removal activists are sometimes contacted by a friends or relatives of the person with matted hair. The activists work slowly with the family to get them to consider removing the matted hair. It’s not a situation where activists can simply go to the family and tell them to cut the matted hair, Govind said. Instead, they have to counsel family to overcome their belief in superstitions and make them understand it is in the best interest of their near ones to remove the hair. “The matted hair removal movement has been a scientific movement rooted in rational humanist thinking about beliefs and traditions. A forced life with matted hair is a serious but neglected human right violation and there is an urgent need of further public policy, social research, and social work interventions” Govind elaborated. For information on how to purchase the book, go to the publisher’s website at www.c-s-p.org   Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_govind.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_govind.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4282/Students-from-Mali-Prepare-for-Graduate-School-at-IUPUI-Language-Training-Center http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4282/Students-from-Mali-Prepare-for-Graduate-School-at-IUPUI-Language-Training-Center Four agricultural scientists from Mali knew just a little English when they arrived in Indianapolis in June to prepare for graduate studies. But thanks to help from the Indiana Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC), a language training center at IUPUI, they hope to learn enough English to study agriculture at U.S. graduate schools, including Purdue University, next spring. Their goal: to bring critical food production, processing, management and marketing skills back to their homeland when they return. The four are part of the USAID Sorghum, Millet and Other Grains Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) Mali Training Program to help improve research capacity in Mali. They all work for the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER), an agricultural research institute there. Learning modern agricultural production, food processing, management and marketing techniques in the U.S. – particularly from schools like Purdue – could significantly enhance the quality of life for people in Mali. “Food security in any developing country is very important. The CRSP research, technology transfer and training activities will help them care for themselves,” said Lonni Kucik, part of the program team at Purdue. But the four food scientists have to overcome one critical challenge before they start their graduate-level coursework: They need to master English. “It all depends on their English skills,” noted Kucik. That’s where ICIC enters the picture. The nationally-known English training center, part of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, specializes in English for Specific Purposes training. ICIC instructors created a program for these students based on the English skills they needed for graduate school, and their specific field of expertise. They take language classes in the mornings, and periodically go on agricultural-related field trips in the afternoons. One field trip was to the Indiana State Fair. The four did more than just sample elephant ears. They were given agricultural related research assignments at the fair. They were particularly fascinated by an exhibit on genomics research. Starting this fall, they are also enrolled in regular classes at IUPUI in order to prepare them for the rigors of an American university classroom. While in Indianapolis, they are staying with local families near campus. “It’s total language immersion because they are living with a family,” said Kucik. “They eat with them in the morning and evening and ride the buses in and out. It helps them learn the culture.” “It’s a good idea for us to live with host families,” said Fatimata Cisse, the lone female of the group. “It’s a good way for us to practice our English. And it’s a way for us to know how Americans live.” Students Bandiougou Diawara and Mamadou Dembele both live with the same family. Their host mother has gone out of her way to make them feel as comfortable as possible, even going to the trouble to make them African food. “It was very good but it was not exactly the same,” said Diawara. “She‘s really nice. She asks about school. We can practice with her. It’s like having a second teacher.” The four have worked hard in their classes and have made great progress, notes Honnor Orlando, ICIC’s Assistant Director for Training and one of the group’s instructors. “I met with them in June when they first arrived and then again in July,” said Kucik. “I believe there was a big improvement in just one month.” “When I first came here in June and took the (assessment) test, I could understand the writing, but I had problems speaking and listening. I have improved. Now we can have a discussion,” said Ahamadou Aly. Indeed, the four are now conversing easily in English, discussing their lives in the U.S. The first day of regular classes at IUPUI was a major victory, said Orlando. “After the first day of class they came back and they were so excited. They could actually understand it,” she said. “It was very interesting,” Aly said. “Now we can understand what is being said.” They will take the English proficiency exams in November required to gain admission to graduate school at Purdue and Kansas State University, where they plan to take classes and continue research. The ICIC program is providing critical preparation for the students, notes Kucik. “We think it is a good collaboration.” “The program here is very good,” said Mamadou Dembele. “The teachers do their best to make us understand.” “It’s a good learning program,” agreed Cisse. “I would give them an ‘A’-grade. For more information on ICIC or its programs, please contact Camilla Butcher at 274-2555 or e-mail icic@iupui.edu. ###     Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_malians outside.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_malians outside.jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4250/From-Ethiopia-to-IUPUI-to-Learn-More-about-the-Art-of-Teaching-Social-Work http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4250/From-Ethiopia-to-IUPUI-to-Learn-More-about-the-Art-of-Teaching-Social-Work When Abebaw Minaye Gezie of Ethiopia was in the third grade, something clicked and the young student understood the importance of school. Ever since then he has excelled as he pursued a career in academics. So it’s hardly a surprise that Gezie has left his homeland for a period of months and traveld to Indiana University School of Social Work on a mission involving education. Gezie, now a university lecturer at Addis Ababa University (AAU) in Ethiopia, arrived here the end of August to participate in the “Developing the Capacity for Teaching Excellence in Social Work and Social Development in Ethiopia Project,” at IUPUI. The project involves a partnership between Addis Ababa University, the IU School of Social Work and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Gezie has a degree in Pedagogical Science and in Educational Psychology and has 12 years of teaching and research experience in education and psychology in various colleges and universities in Ethiopia. He has been a lecturer in Psychology since 2003 at Addis Ababa University where he is a 2nd year PhD student in Social Work and Social Development. Addis Ababa is the first school in sub-Saharan Africa to offer a PhD in Social Work and Social Development. It is one of more than 50 doctoral programs being established to staff the country’s 11 new public universities. Ethiopia has a lack of pedagogical experts, with most faculty using only lecture-exam model. Gezie will learn more about the art of teaching while at the IU School of Social Work and UIC and has been selected to become the expert in pedagogy at AAU. By teaching and training other PhD students at Bahir Dar University, Gondar University and Adama University in teaching research and methods, he will contribute to the development of expert pedagogy at three emerging departments of social work. Gezie has already taken two courses – pedagogy and teaching in social work from Professor Emeritus Valerie Chang and scholarly writing Dr. Margaret Adamek, the director of the IU School of Social Work’s PhD program, when the IU faculty went to AAU to teach. “Our school (School of Social Work at AAU) is training students at BSW, MSW and PhD levels,” Gezie wrote in a letter about his interest in team teaching and research at IU. “But there is a lack of qualified faculty for teaching of qualified faculty for teaching at the MSW and PhD level. So we highly depend on expatriate staff elsewhere in the world.” “This may be good for partnership but we want local staffs which are competitive enough. A more authentic partnership also requires empowerment of our local staff so that they could cooperatively and competitively work with international professors,” Gezie explained. “It is with this intention our school is trying to have better links with international universities to give international exposure and experience for its PhD students.” During his stay at IU, Gezie will observe and discuss teaching practices with faculty, attend three major conferences, including the International Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. He will also observe PhD courses; participate in numerous trainings on teaching and learning; work with doctoral students and work collaboratively on research on student satisfaction, learning and grading practices. He will also enhance the internationalization of the curriculum by consulting with individual faculty, team teaching as well as delivering guest lectures. At UIC, he will compile international links and develop materials related to excellence in teaching. Gezie, who is married and has a 4-year-old daughter, said he was the first in his family to begin teaching at the university level and now has two cousins who also teach at universities in Ethiopia. Plus, his wife is to graduate with an MA in Social Psychology. “My family will definitely appreciate my coming to IU because they understand that I will be coming to IU to get a better academic experience with celebrated professors like Professor Valerie Chang and Professor Margaret Adamek,” he said of his first trip to the United States. Gezie noted he was looking forward to seeing America. “I hope it will be an exciting experience to visit the U.S. I really was eager to get this opportunity.” Gezie said he has been influenced by the scholarship of visiting professors, including Chang and Adamek, who have taught him PhD courses. While he has been teaching in higher education for the last 12 years in Ethiopia and knows many professors, the academic culture in Ethiopia is “in its early childhood,” he explained. Ethiopia, he noted is an ancient African country, “cherished to be the origin of mankind and a history of three thousand years.” Now it trails in many economic, social and other development indicators, he added. “Yet there is a promising beginning where (the number) of universities grew from two to 23 in the last 12 years.” The School of Social Work at AAU is on its way to establishing a vibrant academic culture, he pointed out. At IU, he is looking forward to teaching courses, presenting papers, attending conferences and doing research on issues of educational assessment, human trafficking, and social work education.” Part of what Gezie will do at IU is to record his experience so he can then share it with his colleagues upon his return to Ethiopia. “This chance is important for me, my university (AAU) and Indiana University.”   Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/60_sq_dsc_4728 (3).jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/images/200_dsc_4728 (3).jpg http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4246/Students-from-Mali-Prepare-for-Graduate-School-at-IUPUI-Language-Training-Center http://newscenter.iupui.edu/4246/Students-from-Mali-Prepare-for-Graduate-School-at-IUPUI-Language-Training-Center Four agricultural scientists from Mali knew just a little English when they arrived in Indianapolis in June to prepare for graduate studies. But thanks to help from the Indiana Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC), a language, cultural research and training center in the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, they hope to learn enough English to study agriculture at U.S. graduate schools, including Purdue University, next spring. Their goal: to bring critical food production, processing, management and marketing skills back to their homeland when they return. The four are part of the USAID Sorghum, Millet and Other Grains Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) Mali Training Program to help improve research capacity in Mali. They all work for the Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER), an agricultural research institute there. Learning modern agricultural production, food processing, management and marketing techniques in the U.S. – particularly from schools like Purdue – could significantly enhance the quality of life for people in Mali. “Food security in any developing country is very important. The CRSP research, technology transfer and training activities will help them care for themselves,” said Lonni Kucik, part of the program team at Purdue. But the four food scientists have to overcome one critical challenge before they start their graduate-level coursework: They need to master English. “It all depends on their English skills,” noted Kucik.   That’s where ICIC enters the picture. The nationally-known English training center, part of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, specializes in English for Specific Purposes training. ICIC instructors created a program for these students based on the English skills they needed for graduate school, and their specific field of expertise. They take language classes in the mornings, and periodically go on agricultural-related field trips in the afternoons. One field trip was to the Indiana State Fair. The four did more than just sample elephant ears. They were given agricultural related research assignments at the fair. They were particularly fascinated by an exhibit on genomics research. Starting this fall, they are also enrolled in regular classes at IUPUI in order to prepare them for the rigors of an American university classroom. While in Indianapolis, they are staying with local families near campus. “It’s total language immersion because they are living with a family,” said Kucik. “They eat with them in the morning and evening and ride the buses in and out. It helps them learn the culture.” “It’s a good idea for us to live with host families,” said Fatimata Cisse, the lone female of the group. “It’s a good way for us to practice our English. And it’s a way for us to know how Americans live.” Students Bandiougou Diawara and Mamadou Dembele both live with the same family. Their host mother has gone out of her way to make them feel as comfortable as possible, even going to the trouble to make them African food. “It was very good but it was not exactly the same,” said Diawara. “She‘s really nice. She asks about school. We can practice with her. It’s like having a second teacher.” The four have worked hard in their classes and have made great progress, notes Honnor Orlando, ICIC’s Assistant Director for Training and one of the group’s instructors. “I met with them in June when they first arrived and then again in July,” said Kucik. “I believe there was a big improvement in just one month.” “When I first came here in June and took the (assessment) test, I could understand the writing, but I had problems speaking and listening. I have improved. Now we can have a discussion,” said Ahamadou Aly. Indeed, the four are now conversing easily in English, discussing their lives in the U.S. The first day of regular classes at IUPUI was a major victory, said Orlando. “After the first day of class they came back and they were so excited. They could actually understand it,” she said. “It was very interesting,” Aly said. “Now we can understand what is being said.” They will take the English proficiency exams in November required to gain admission to graduate school at Purdue and Kansas State University, where they plan to take classes and continue research. The ICIC program is providing critical preparation for the students, notes Kucik. “We think it is a good collaboration.” “The program here is very good,” said Mamadou Dembele. “The teachers do their best to make us understand.” “It’s a good learning program,” agreed Cisse. “I would give them an ‘A’-grade.” For more information on ICIC or its programs, please contact Camilla Butcher at 317-274-2555 or e-mail icic@iupui.edu.   Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400