(UH Manoa and Fulbright Canada officials in front of Hawaii Hall.)
By Staff Reports
(OAHU)– The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, in partnership with Fulbright Canada, has announced the establishment of the state’s first Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair. To be housed in the College of Social Sciences (CSS) under a five-year arrangement beginning Fall 2016, the program will support regional cooperation on issues including energy and the environment, Asia-Pacific engagement, indigenous issues, ICT, health disparities, policy and migration.
Said College of Social Sciences Dean Denise Eby Konan, “Hawai‘i is strategically positioned to lead a dialog on international affairs across North America and the Asia Pacific. We are so pleased that this collaboration is being launched with Canada, the U.S.’s largest trading partner and closest ally. This visiting chair will greatly enhance research at the college and encourage dialogue between students and faculty from various academic disciplines, as well as the university and the wider community.”
Added Dr. Michael K. Hawes, CEO of Fulbright Canada, “The Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chairs Program currently has more than 60 visiting chairs throughout Canada and the United States. Our university partners in the program include many of the major research universities and colleges in both countries. The addition of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa to this august group expands this consortium to address key issues, particularly in the areas of Asia-Pacific engagement, indigenous issues, and international strategy and policy.”
In addition to the visiting research chair, the Fulbright Canada and College of Social Sciences partnership brings a host of opportunities for American scholars and graduate students, including:
Fulbright Canada – Awards for American Scholars: The application deadline for U.S. scholars is August 3, 2015. The selected applicant must be a U.S. citizen, be proficient in English, and hold a PhD or equivalent professional/terminal degree. Candidates outside academia (e.g., artists) with recognized professional standing and substantial accomplishments are also eligible. Types of available awards include:
- Distinguished Chairs Program: $35,000 USD for one semester (4 months).
- Visiting Research Chairs Program: $25,000 USD for one semester (4 months).
- Traditional (All Disciplines) Award: $12,500 USD for one semester (4 months) or $25,000 USD for a full academic year (9 months).
- Postdoctoral Research Award: $30,000 USD for one academic year (9 months) or $50,000 USD for a full calendar year (12 months).
- Fulbright-Carlos Rico Award for North American Studies: $12,500 USD for one semester in Canada plus 2,300 USD per month in Mexico.
- Specialist Program: Short-term collaboration on curriculum and faculty development, institutional planning and a variety of other activities at Canadian institutions.
Fulbright Canada – Awards for American Students: These awards provide opportunities for outstanding American students to study and/or conduct research in Canada. The application deadline for U.S. graduate students is October 13, 2015. The selected applicant must be a U.S. citizen and hold a bachelor’s degree. Types of available awards include:
- Traditional Fulbright student awards: $15,000 USD for one nine-month academic year. These all-discipline awards can be taken up at any college, university, think tank or government agency in Canada.
- Fulbright-mtvU Fellowships: Grants are for one nine-month academic year. Projects should center around research on an aspect of international musical culture, and should focus on contemporary or popular music as a cultural force for expression or change.
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Awards: Valued at $120,000 USD for three academic years, this award is for students i n STEM fields who wish to study at one of six top-ranked partner research institutions in Canada.
- Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowships: Grants are for one nine-month academic year. Digital storytelling projects (using text, photography, video, audio, graphic illustrations, and/or social media) can take place in up to three countries on a globally significant theme.
Scholars and students seeking information about these and other similar opportunities may contact Ivy Yeung, CSS international programs coordinator, at (808) 956-6070 or cssintl@hawaii.edu.
The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious and highly regarded international academic exchange and public diplomacy programs in the world. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1946 under legislation introduced by then-Senator J. William Fulbright, the program is dedicated to increasing mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries. Today there are approximately 310,000 Fulbright alumni in more than 155 countries throughout the world, including 53 Fulbright alumni from 13 countries who have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 29 alumni who are MacArthur Foundation Fellows, 82 alumni who have received Pulitzer Prizes, and 31 alumni who have served as heads of state or government.
The College of Social Sciences (CSS) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa is engaged in a broad range of research endeavors that address fundamental questions about human behavior and the workings of local, national and international political, social, economic and cultural institutions. Its vibrant student-centered academic climate supports outstanding scholarship through internships, and active and service learning approaches to teaching that prepare students for the life-long pursuit of knowledge.