Emily Kilburg

Colorado State Hosts Fulbright Seminar

Posted on by Emily Kilburg
A group of scholars stand in front of a blue Fulbright Banner

Colorado State University had the pleasure of hosting the Spring 2024 Fulbright Enrichment Seminar, a significant gathering of intellectual minds from across the globe.

122 Fulbright Scholars representing 57 diverse countries came to CSU to collaborate and exchange knowledge with fellow scholars currently placed at various research institutions across the U.S.

What is Fulbright? The Fulbright Program is a flagship program of international educational and cultural exchange. It offers passionate and accomplished students and scholars in more than 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to mutual understanding at locations that span the globe. These talented “Fulbrighters” from all backgrounds inspire, innovate, and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world. Learn more at fulbrightscholars.org

The seminar was filled with vibrant discussions, insightful presentations, and collaborative endeavors. Topics delved deeply into the pressing issues surrounding climate change, with a particular focus on its impact on the semi-arid regions of the American West.

Colorado State University, no stranger to serving as a hub of academic excellence and cultural exchange, was the perfect home for such a conference. Fulbright’s selection of CSU as the venue for this seminar underscores the institution’s unwavering dedication to combating climate change and fostering sustainability initiatives.

International Programs and the School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SOGES) partnered to orchestrate the seminar’s success. SOGES staff and faculty led presentations, facilitated productive exchanges, and catalyzed collaborative efforts among the participants, whereas International Programs was instrumental in the planning and execution of seminar logistics. Together, these groups worked to provide a platform for meaningful academic discourse.

By harnessing the collective wisdom and expertise of Fulbright Scholars from around the world, the seminar reaffirmed Colorado State University’s commitment to fostering international collaboration and driving positive change in the face of one of humanity’s greatest global challenges — climate change.

Global Impact Awards Given at Annual Grad Show

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On November 15, graduate students across Colorado State University’s eight colleges participated in the annual Graduate Student Showcase. 

Hosted at the Lory Student Center, this conference served as a platform for graduate students to not only exhibit their cutting-edge research and creative endeavors but also to forge connections with peers and faculty, explore diverse disciplines, and compete for a wide range of scholarships. The LSC Ballroom buzzed with scholarly energy as students presented a myriad of research posters and compelling visual arts presentations.

In recognition of exceptional research contributions, nearly $21,000 in cash prizes was awarded. The Office of International Programs proudly sponsored three distinguished Global Impact Awards, each accompanied by a $400 cash prize, honoring graduate students who have demonstrated a fervent commitment to effecting positive change on a global scale through their research endeavors.

GLOBAL IMPACT AWARD recipients

Congratulations to the 2023 Global Impact Award recipients!

  • Katherine Stevick, Sociology
  • Emilia Ravetta, Sociology
  • Rose Parham, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology

Awardees and excerpts from their abstracts are featured below.

Katherine Stevick
“Still Sitting in the Dark:” Living with Bumbuna Dam

“My research investigates the long-range social and ecological effects of the Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project, phase 1, (BHP-1) on two villages in Kalanthuba Chiefdom, Sierra Leone. Based on participatory mapping and 65 interviews across village residents, local leaders, and government officials, this research traces both material transformations and the narratives people create around life with the dam. 15 years after the initial inundation in 2009, this project analyzes slower-emerging processes of agrarian change and adaptation, which are rarely captured by the literature on the social impact of large dams.”

EMILIA RAVETTA
Authoritarian Environmentalism’s Expansion: analyzing BRI in Latin America and Africa

“Amidst the global transition away from carbon-dependent economies and the increasing prominence of critical mineral extraction, environmental governance in the Global South has undergone rapid transformations in recent decades. China has emerged as a key player in shaping the new international economic and political order, expanding its influence and investments in global sustainable development through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative. This study compares the discourses employed by China, Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile), and West African countries (Ghana, Nigeria, and Mali) to justify the expansion of gold and critical minerals mining and assesses their effects on the enforcement of environmental regulations in these regions. The study utilizes a critical discourse analysis of official governmental documents, media reports, and academic articles from the three regions, focusing on how development, environment, green transition, and China’s expansion are framed at both the micro-level (language) and meso-level (institutional) contexts.”

Rose parham
Processes for Collaborative, Interdisciplinary, Action-Based Research in the Ecuadorian Highlands

“The following research was developed in collaboration with an Indigenous community organization in the Ecuadorian highlands. The research is deeply interdisciplinary, encompassing an ecological and anthropological component, both of which were co-designed around the community’s concerns regarding the impact of development in their region. The ecological research addresses concerns about contamination in local waterways, investigating several water quality parameters in an important river to the area and in irrigation channels used for agricultural activities. Water testing sites were identified by the community, and community members will use results to support local conservation and mining resistance efforts. The anthropological research focuses on the community’s broader philosophy regarding trade-offs between development and natural resource conservation and seeks to encourage the re-thinking of the dominant capitalist development model.”

Strengthening Global Ties: Hashemite University and Colorado State University Sign Collaborative Agreement

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In a significant stride towards international collaboration, Colorado State University (CSU) welcomed President Fawwaz Mohammad Rashed Alabed-Alhaq from Hashemite University (HU) in Zarqa, Jordan, for the formalization of a collaborative international memorandum of understanding (IMOU). This visit solidified a longstanding relationship, particularly within CSU’s Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) department.

The catalyst of this partnership stemmed from visiting CSU professor, Lubna Tahtamouni, whose deep connections between the two institutions played a pivotal role in bringing this partnership to fruition.

Two people smile while holding up documents of agreement. They stand against a wooden backdrop with a Colorado flag visible.
Hashemite University President Fawwaz Mohammad Rashed Alabed-Alhaq and Colorado State University Vice Provost for International Affairs Kathleen Fairfax

A Shared vision

The international memorandum of understanding expresses a shared vision for fostering collaboration between Hashemite University and CSU. The outlined areas of collaboration opportunities include:

  • Exchange of faculty, students, scholars, and researchers;
  • Exploring online and in-person short term programs and training opportunities for faculty staff and students;
  • Joint research activities, lectures, and lectures via e-learning;
  • Collaboration and participation in seminars and academic meetings;
  • Exchange of academic materials and other information; and
  • Other cooperative activities as mutually arranged by both parties.
Three people sit at a desk signing documents.
College of Natural Sciences Interim Dean Simon Tavener, Department Chair Laurie Stargell, and visiting professor Lubna Tahtamouni sign the agreement.

EXPLORING NEW HORIZONS

In addition to the formal signing of the agreement with the Office of International Programs, President Fawwaz Mohammad Rashed Alabed-Alhaq had a busy itinerary during his visit to CSU. He attended a seminar with BMB students, meeting the future generation of scholars to be impacted by this collaboration. The president also had productive meetings with CSU’s College of Natural Sciences, College of Business, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, and the International Enrollment Center, all underlining the diverse opportunities that this partnership will bring. A meeting with CSU President Amy Parsons served to cement the commitment to this exciting partnership.

Two people standing in an office holding a plaque and smiling. Picutre and flag in the background.

Hashemite University President Fawwaz Mohammad Rashed Alabed-Alhaq and Colorado State University President Amy Parsons

This international memorandum of understanding represents a new chapter in the history of Hashemite University and Colorado State University. It is a testament to the power of collaboration and knowledge sharing in the global academic community and a reminder of the limitless possibilities that open when institutions unite for a common purpose.

COVID-19 Student Immigration Flexibilities Ending in Fall 2023

Posted on by Emily Kilburg

With President Biden’s announcement of the termination of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s (SEVP) COVID-19 flexibilities are also ending.

Starting in the Fall of 2023, the Department of Homeland Security will be returning to its pre-covid regulatory language. What this means: only one online course per semester will be allowed to count toward full-time registration for international students on F-1 visas.  To be considered full-time, international undergraduate students are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 credits and graduate international students must be registered for minimum of 9 credits per semester. We understand that many international students began their studies under the COVID-19 flexibilities, but with this change the recent flexibilities we have temporarily grown accustom to, will no longer be possible.

Please take note of this change as you are advising international students for the fall semester, and be sure that at least 9 credits (at the undergraduate level) and 6 credits (at the graduate level) are considered in-person or face-2-face. Summer 2023 falls under the 2022-2023 academic year, which means that current flexibilities will remain in effect through the summer term.

For more information:  SEVP COVID-19 Flexibilities Terminated: Here’s What You Need to Know

The ISSS Team is here to support you with any questions or concerns.

Faculty Teaching Awards

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Recognizing Excellence: International Development Studies Faculty earn prominent awards

Dr. Lorann Stallones and Dr. Suzanne Kent, in addition to their other roles on campus, are integral faculty members in the International Development Studies Program. This spring both received distinct awards honoring outstanding research, advancements in their fields, and positive contributions to Colorado State University.

Dr. Lorann Stallones

Society for the Advancement of Science and Injury Research (SAVIR) Excellence in Violence or Injury Prevention Science Award.

Dr. Stallones, currently serving as the interim director of the One Health Institute was the recipient of the inaugural Society for the Advancement of Science and Injury Research (SAVIR) Excellence in Violence or Injury Prevention Science Award. This award recognizes scientists whose leadership, research, and service have led to important advancements in violence and injury prevention science.

Stallones specializes in epidemiology of agricultural health, rural injuries, and injuries among underserved populations. Her international research has led to partnerships with colleagues in China, South Africa, Costa Rica, and Iran. She has also served as the Principal Investigator on a five-year Fogarty International Center/NIH grant to train scholars in China on ethical conduct of research on agricultural injury prevention. This project brought four Chinese researchers to CSU for extended training.

Under the International Development Studies curriculum, Stallones has taught the course Perspectives in Global Health since 2005. Students in that program bring a different perspective that incorporates understanding of policy, economic development, and political systems that expands discussions in meaningful ways.

Dr. Suzanne Kent

College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dr. Kent received the College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching (non-tenure track) Award. This award recognizes outstanding teachers who positively impact students through innovative, rigorous courses and supportive practices outside the classroom.

Dr. Kent is a sociocultural anthropologist.  Her areas of interest include transnational migration, globalization, gender, international development, and conservation. Global initiatives by Kent include a current research project in the Bay Islands, Honduras. A collaborative project with anthropologists at the University of Memphis, as well as conservation organizations and activist groups in Honduras. This group is transitioning from a recently completed environmental education project to a focus on intersecting issues surrounding environmental changes, land rights, and cultural heritage.

Kent has been teaching International Education courses since 2009. Her classes include International Development Theory and Practice and Women and Development. Both courses provide the opportunity to engage with students on global challenges and strategies for solutions. She has also co-led education abroad experiences to Mexico and Nicaragua.

The Office of International Programs is delighted to have such accomplished faculty on our International Development Studies roster. We extend our congratulations to both Dr. Stallones and Dr. Kent for their well-deserved awards!