Featured Research: Perspectives on an International Faculty Exchange
- Ulrike Liebner
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Issue #1
by Heather Moulaison-Sandy (University of Missouri, USA)
This past May, I was reminded of the importance of connecting with research colleagues in other parts of the world. As a US-based researcher, I’m eligible to apply to the Fulbright Program, an exchange program operated through the US Department of State which is the diplomacy arm of the government.
My project was a two-week research project in Bordeaux, France that was part of a much larger citizen science program called ECODOC through the scholarly communication unit for the University of Bordeaux system. For this project, I was to support the work being carried out by the hosts in providing access to scientific data and citizen science/nonspecialist interpretations of that data. I worked with my hosts to finalize an interview protocol and to carry out focus group interviews during the first half of the time in-country, and then to take that data and create “personas” or research-based fictitious profiles of users in the second half. For this project, in alignment with their work through the Université of Bordeaux, we focused on young people.
This exchange involved developing a protocol, running focus groups, and analyzing the data, but there were other activities designed to foster continued collaboration. For example, I participated in advisory board meetings for the larger ECODOC initiative, read “science slam” poetry I’d written about climate change as part of a cultural evening, went on guided visits of two forests, and stayed in a campground on the Atlantic coast as part of a writing retreat with my international colleagues. In the end, it was exhausting and exhilarating, and I left feeling confident that I’d learned much more than I’d contributed.
These sentiments are not unique. Working closely with colleagues abroad provides us with insight about new ways to address problems, and in the process helps to shed light on how we do things at home. For faculty, practical elements of an exchange can also include extended networking opportunities resulting in research partnerships, as well exposure to new approaches to learning and teaching. For hosts, similar benefits can be found. Visiting faculty bring with them a different perspective, infusing their insight into all their interactions. In other words, exchanges can broaden perspectives of both faculty and students.
In my experience, iSchools are eager to support faculty exchanges as much as possible. I’ve had the good fortune of being hosted by two of France’s iSchools in the past (though neither was an iSchool at the time, one was in the process of applying). Exchanges can ultimately increase the reputation of an institution by, for example, improving research output and enhancing student learning. In the case of my most recent exchange in Bordeaux, I came away with a head full of ideas as well as a French doctoral student I will co-advise, and at least two co-authored writing projects in the works. In this scenario, it seems like there are many winners.
Leading up to Travel
From a practical perspective, work on the Fulbright Specialist award began about a year prior to travel. In spring 2024, I began discussing options for projects with administrators at ECODOC to understand how my skillset could best contribute to their work. We decided that, due to my expertise promoting access to information for marginalized communities, the focus of this Fulbright Specialist project would be on creating “personas” that could inform metadata creation work and the design of the ECODOC system. I was already familiar with the project due to my involvement as a participant in a workshop in October 2023 (where I worked with raw data and created a slam poem about acorns). The Director of ECODOC submitted the Fulbright Specialist application to the French Fulbright Commission in October 2024, and it was approved in November of the year.
Exchange Programs for Established Scholars
iSchools are located across the globe, creating a compelling list of destinations for faculty eager to learn and teach new skills. iSchools themselves may have funding for faculty exchanges, or established partnerships between universities or regions might already be in place. Fortunately, many of the countries in which iSchools are located also support international researcher exchanges and visiting scholar programs. Networking with international colleagues in the host country can be a good way to identify possible partners.
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