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DISCOVERY · ENGAGEMENT · LEARNING
I spent my junior year abroad
at the University of Glasgow. In
Ames I learned with—and
from—students from Germany,
To Be World-Class,
Make the World Your Classroom
Lesotho, Bolivia, and the
Message from the President
Welcome to Iowa State University, where Iowa meets the world. Each year thousands of scholars come to Ames
from across the globe; and, for thousands of Iowans, Iowa State is their point of departure to a world they
otherwise could only imagine.
Today institutions of higher education must be networks that link diverse communities of students, faculty,
business, industry, and governments. At Iowa State, we meet this challenge through transferring the fruits of our
research, relieving world hunger and poverty, preparing students to be productive and responsible citizens, and
contributing to understanding between Iowans and others in the world community.
International education collaboration is vital as
transportation, communications, business, finance,
agriculture, and other sectors become more globally
integrated. Iowa State has responded vigorously to this rapidly
changing world by partnering with institutions to engage our faculty,
staff, and students in research, service, and study abroad.
More than an institution, Iowa State University is a state of mind that extends beyond the boundaries of place,
people, or nation to encompass all places, all peoples, and all nations in its intellectual orbit. We are deeply
involved in the world, with strong agreements with universities and other institutions overseas. We strive for
balance and integration among learning, engagement, and discovery to realize our mission of being the best
university at fulfilling the obligations of our land-grant heritage.
For over 50 years, ISU teachers and researchers have worked in a host of
In these pages you will meet some of the extraordinary minds of this great university, men and women who
believe that an international perspective is central not only to their academic disciplines, but also to their lives in
general. From studies and service in Kenya to veterinary acupuncture in China to the music and literature of the
Italian Renaissance, their pursuits are as diverse as the nations they explore.
staff to obtain the knowledge and perspective one gets only by crossing boundaries—
At no time in our history has the cultivation of understanding and meaningful ties between Americans and people
the world over been more important than now. Join me, then, in a world of ideas, a world of constructive learning
and action—the world of Iowa State University.
last decade, the number of students participating in study abroad programs has tripled: today, more
nations on projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the
United Nations, the World Bank, foreign governments, and universities.
The 93 active agreements with international collaborators enable Iowa State faculty and
cultural and intellectual, as well as geographical.
Dominican Republic. The
international opportunities I
had at Iowa State University
influenced not only my career,
but my understanding of what
it means to be part of an
interconnected world.
Dr. Modupe Labode
Rhodes Scholar
Chief Historian, Colorado Historical Society
B.S. History, Iowa State University
D.Phil., Oxford University
In addition to their expertise, Iowa State faculty and staff also take their students abroad. Over the
than 1100 students pursue studies or participate in work or internships in foreign countries each year.
International education is a two-way street. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend of
international students studying in the U.S. Iowa State University is no exception. As a major land-grant
and Carnegie research/doctoral institution, ISU enrolled 2580 students from 119 countries in the fall of
2002.
Gregory L. Geoffroy
President, Iowa State University
We invite you to tour the world as seen from Iowa State, where you will meet some of our people
.........
who consider the entire world their home. They know that if you want to be world-class, you make the
world your classroom!
Encouraging globalization initiatives for a better understanding
of the multicultural and international world.
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ISU Professor Donna Cowan
and the Hon. Mr. Joseph
Korir, Member of Parliament,
exchange greetings during tree
planting and service projects at
Kelelwa Primary School, Kenya.
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DISCOVERY
For Iowa State,Discovery
Reveals New Worlds
Assistant Professor Grace
Marquis (lower right) with
Ghanaian mothers in pilot study
that could impact the spread of
HIV-AIDS in Africa.
Promote
The scholars of Iowa State take the world as their object, and they take it at first hand—up close and
discovery and
personal. For some, the word “research” may conjure up images of scientists in labs peering through
Beyond Borders:
microscopes or scholars in libraries poring over dusty tomes. But Iowa State researchers take the world
Rethinking Community in the Global AIDS Crisis
as their laboratory and the problems of people the world over as their own.
Iowa State enjoys a multitude of platforms from which to launch its research efforts across the globe.
In addition to its eight globally-connected colleges, a variety of interdisciplinary centers and institutes
What started as a small study has grown into
a five-year, $1.5 million National Institutes of
Health project with the potential to help reduce
the spread of AIDS in Africa.
provides for collaboration both on-campus and off. The Institute for Physical Research and Technology
(IPRT), for example, is comprised of 11 research and technology development centers with more than
1000 faculty, staff, and student employees. IPRT’s mission is to develop new technologies to benefit
humankind through interdisciplinary research in science and engineering.
With its traditional strength in materials synthesis and chemistry, the Ames Laboratory conducts
innovative research in environmental technology and high-performance computing. The Ames Laboratory,
part of the U.S. Department of Energy laboratory system, employs top international researchers and sends
its people to lecture, research, and collaborate at centers and conferences around the globe.
The Plant Sciences Institute is an umbrella organization over a group of centers, each focused on specific
areas of the plant sciences. The nine centers that form the institute involve faculty and staff members
from 32 departments. The centers are engaged in cutting-edge research in areas ranging from basic plant
sciences to designing foods to improve nutrition.
Within these larger umbrellas, Iowa State’s international collaborations
are driven by a number of highly focused research centers. Whether the
Laurence H. Baker Center for Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics
or the Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC), these units bring
together scholars from across both disciplinary and national boundaries
Students from Iowa
State’s Study & Work in
Britain program gather
outside London’s St.
Bartholomew’s parish
church, founded in 1123.
to develop technologies that benefit the world’s people and draw them
closer together.
However sophisticated the institutions of research may be on the Iowa
State campus, though, their ultimate value is realized only when their
people, products, and processes leave Ames to be tested in the greater
Two Iowa State faculty members— Grace
Marquis, an assistant professor of food science
and human nutrition, and Robert Mazur, an
associate professor of sociology—launched the
initial study, “Mother-to-Child Transmission of
HIV through Breastfeeding: A Pilot Study on
Attitudes, Beliefs, and Social Norms in Urban
Ghana,” with internal funding. That enabled
them successfully to pursue NIH support to
look at the biological and social determinants of
how HIV affects child nutrition. About one-third
of the NIH funds will come directly to Iowa
State, with the rest divided among other project
collaborators.
According to Marquis, studies of mothers
with HIV indicate that if HIV transmission
hasn’t occurred at birth, a mother who
exclusively breastfeeds decreases the chances
of subsequently transmitting HIV to her child
dramatically, compared to mothers who mix
formula with breastfeeding. The next stage,
she says, is to look at the social aspects of this
type of HIV transmission, including childcare,
alternative feeding methods, and the roles
community and the extended family play in
dealing with children.
innovation
Ghana was selected because the prevalence
of HIV is still relatively low and childhood
malnutrition persists as a major problem.
With NIH support, a multidisciplinary team of
nutritionists, food scientists, immunologists,
anthropologists, and sociologists from Iowa
State, the University of Connecticut, and the
University of Ghana is conducting the study.
characterized
by preeminent
scholarship,
including
The complexity of child nutrition requires that
participating scientists look at the issues from
multiple perspectives. “We utilize differing
methodologies that complement each other,”
says Mazur. “Each contributes different research
questions that form a comprehensive whole.”
increasingly
interdisciplinary
and collaborative
activities.
In addition to improving the quality of life for
children and families in other countries, the
researchers agree, international research offers
other benefits. “You appreciate other cultures,
other ways of life,” observes Marquis. “You are
introduced to excellent scientists and colleagues
who broaden your sense of what ‘community’
is. It also opens your mind to see different
solutions to problems at home.”
laboratory of the world. As the following portraits demonstrate, it is a test
relished by the researchers of Iowa State.
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M E M O R A N D A
O F
A G R E E M E N T :
N E W
Z E A L A N D
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A R M E N I A
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G E R M A N Y
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J A P A N
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C U B A
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P A N A M A
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Savings Are More than Peanuts
Geographically, China’s Henan Province is about
the size of Iowa. And, like Iowa, it’s a region with
ample agricultural resources. But that’s where the
similarities end: with over 90 million people and a
dwindling supply of firewood, Henan Province is in
critical need of alternative fuel sources.
D I S C O VERY
B R A Z I L
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I T A L Y
For Brown, who directs Iowa State’s
Center for Sustainable Environmental
Technologies, China provided an ideal
opportunity for a demonstration project.
“Because fossil fuels are expensive,”
he notes, “biomass gasification is
economical, and it’s helped us consider
what niche markets might exist in the
United States.”
C O S T A
R I C A
Technology developed at
Iowa State provides residents
of China’s Leizhuang Village
cooking gas made from
peanut hulls.
Today, a new technology developed at Iowa
State known as a thermal gasifier is converting
peanut hulls, an abundant and sustainable
resource, to cooking gas for hundreds of
households in Leizhuang Village. This
economical innovation resulted from the
collaboration of Iowa State, the Henan
Academy of Sciences, and China’s Guanghui
Machine Manufacturing Company.
Iowa State physics professor Bing-Lin Young
and chemical and mechanical engineering
professor Robert Brown traveled to Henan
to look at environmental programs and the
impact of fossil fuel use. They discovered
that their Chinese counterparts were eager
to explore ways to use agricultural resources
to help rural villages. Once the thermal
gasification technology is fully developed,
it may help many villages enhance their
standard of living.
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J O R D A N
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C A N A D A
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T H A I L A N D
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S I N G A P O R E
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David Schladt, the first Norman
Borlaug intern, spent eight weeks in
Mexico, studying maize and wheat.
Plant Sciences Institute
Feeding a Growing World
Research in Iowa State’s Plant Sciences Institute (PSI) has worldwide implications for all aspects of the food
cycle. In fact, PSI researchers are developing methods to help feed the world’s growing population, strengthen
human health and nutrition, improve crop quality and yields, foster environmental sustainability, and expand
the use of plants for bio-based products and energy.
PSI cultivates relationships with researchers across the globe through collaborative programs and international
A Chinese
veterinarian reviews
acupoints on a donkey
with ISU vet students.
forums and seminars. The institute has partnerships with universities such as Germany’s University of Beilefeld
and Universität Berlin, England’s University of Bristol, the Swiss Institute in Bioinformatics in Lausanne, and
Shanghai’s Fudan University.
According to PSI Director Stephen Howell, the benefits of these relationships are enormous. “In an increasingly
global society,” Howell says, “it is critical that faculty and students have international perspectives. We believe
The ‘Point’ of International Dialogue
the best way to gain these are through collaborating with colleagues around the world.”
“Da-feng-men, Tian-men, Tong-tian, Long-hui, Jing-ming,” Shawna
One example may be found in the PSI’s Center for Plant Transformation and Gene Expression, whose Plant
Greene writes. “Our instructors used a combination of modern
Transformation Facility makes transgenic plants for researchers in the United States and Europe, and is
technologies such as PowerPoint, Elmo projection, and slide
believed to be the world’s largest public sector facility for transgenic maize creation.
projection to point out the locations of these acupoints.”
There is perhaps no better illustration of the mingling of the modern
with the ancient than this diary entry of an Iowa State student,
recounting lessons she learned during a study abroad experience
supervised by Dr. Walter Hsu of the Iowa State College of Veterinary
Medicine.
“Veterinary acupuncture has been used for thousands of years in
China,” Hsu notes, “particularly in horses.” Although a recent
practice in the U.S., he adds, the use of acupuncture for small
domestic animals is actually more advanced here than in
China, due to differing cultural attitudes toward dogs.
Although animal acupuncture is unlikely to replace
traditional western veterinary medicine in the U.S., there is
increasing interest in the practice as an alternate therapy, Hsu
says. The numbers of students applying to the Iowa State study
program in China back him up: last year Hsu took 27 students, and
Another is PSI’s agreement with Mexico’s International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), a
International Student
Enrollment
research and training center that focuses on improving the profitability, productivity, and sustainability of maize
1993
2,692
and wheat in developing nations. CIMMYT’s joint research program with Iowa State is helping to conserve the
1994
2,518
1995
2,522
1996
2,566
PSI and the World Food Prize Institute sponsor the Norman Borlaug Internships for two Iowa State students
1997
2,564
each year through an eight-week research or lab position at CIMMYT. The first intern, David Schladt, a
1998
2,459
2002 graduate in agricultural biochemistry with a Spanish minor, conducted experiments in PSI’s maize
1999
2,441
2000
2,516
2001
2,572
2002
2,580
genetic resources of maize, as well as improving its resistance to insects.
transformation lab.
“They have some of the best scientists on the planet,” Schladt says. “And they really do want to help feed the
world. It was an honor to work with them and make a small difference.”
In addition to collaborations with foreign partners, PSI’s international profile directly benefits Iowa and
America’s agribusinesses. For example, PSI’s Iowa Seed Science Center is home to the USDA’s National Seed
Health System, an agency that accredits labs that produce seed for overseas markets. With the U.S. exporting
nearly $800 million worth of seed in 2001, ensuring the seed is free of pathogens is vitally important worldwide.
had to turn down 20 others.
6
7
Virtual Answers to
Hailed as the premier facility for virtual reality technologies when it opened in 2000, Iowa State’s C6 (right) is a unique
projection-based, immersive environment that uses wireless systems to completely envelop users with three-dimensional
graphics and sound. The C6 is the focal point of the Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC), an interdisciplinary
research group that is expanding and enhancing the interface of humans with computers.
Whether taking in a Beijing cityscape or walking through a Hindu temple, C6 users share virtual worlds, as
well as experience perspectives unique to their locations and vantage points. “It is a powerful tool,” says
Carolina Cruz-Neira, VRAC associate director, “because it literally puts the user in the middle of the action.”
D E N M A R K
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C Z E C H
R E P U B L I C
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J A M A I C A
C6
Real-World Questions
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N E T H E R L A N D S
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U N I T E D
K I N G D O M
Virtual Temple Offers Unique Experience
Associate Professors Carolina Cruz-Neira of Industrial and Manufacturing
Systems Engineering and Whitney Sanford of the Department of
Philosophy and Religious Studies are using Iowa State’s C6 virtual
reality chamber to create a model of the Hindu temple of Radharaman in
Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India, complete with simulations of ceremonies
that include virtual humans playing different roles.
DISCOVERY
International Student Enrollment Top 10*
China, People's Republic
ISU Technology Tackles Urban Woes
Imagine entering Beijing’s Temple of Heaven without ever
leaving Iowa. Collaboration between Iowa State’s Virtual
Reality Applications Center and Beijing Polytechnic
University (BPU) is working to make that happen. In
addition to being just plain fun, it will also help urban
planners design neighborhoods and work with various
building and zoning codes.
ISU Professor of Architecture Chiu-Shui Chan leads the
effort, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation
and the Natural Science Foundation of China. The project
encompasses computer science, urban planning, and
architecture. Iowa State’s contribution also includes virtual
reality expertise, while BPU receives input from the Beijing
Urban Planning Commission.
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Pakistan
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
The researchers are designing a tool that creates a virtual
model of Beijing focusing on the Temple of Heaven,
the Xidan Business District, and the Inner City. When
complete, users will navigate this complex city, select
property lots, determine planning issues, input building
code data, visualize three-dimensional graphic guides, and
animate the surroundings to measure potential impacts
caused by context.
*as of fall 2002
“This research will serve and educate professional
practitioners on both sides of the Pacific,” observes Chan.
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Part of the emerging field of “computational humanities,” projects such as
the virtual Hindu temple enable participants to ‘travel’ in time and space to
participate actively in the story being told, experiencing events firsthand
and interacting with characters in the virtual environment.
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A U S T R A L I A
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“...think of the
Cathedral of Notre
Dame in Paris: the
architecture, the
stained glass—religious
experience is embodied
in structures...”
The Spanish-born Cruz-Neira thinks Americans are good candidates for
virtual religious experiences. “It’s a struggle for students raised in the U.S.
to perceive what it means to have an ancient culture as part of your daily
life,” she says. “As a child, I would jump on Roman ruins 2000 years old.
That was my playground.”
There are challenges. “On the technical side,”
Cruz-Neira says, “we’re investigating control
algorithms to create virtual humans to assume
roles in the ritual, as well as methods that
allow users to explore the environment and
interact with the virtual characters.”
Using an illusionary environment to recreate
a highly sensual experience may strike some
as ironic. Yet, according to Sanford, what is
illusionary is how religious practice often
ISU students can “virtually”
relies on language rather than ritual and
tour the world through the C6’s
experience.
immersive technology.
“We tend to talk about religion in textual terms,” Sanford notes. “But
think of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris: the architecture, the
stained glass—religious experience is embodied in structures. Religion is
a totalizing experience of seeing, hearing, and smelling. We want to give
people that experience.”
The project, however, does not end at the temple doors. “The goal,”
Sanford says, “is to create a library of cultural and religious experiences
that are fully immersive and interactive.”
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F R A N C E
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P O R T U G A L
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S W I T Z E R L A N D
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F I N L A N D
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Between Paradise and Poverty
Lie Hard Work, Understanding
“It’s clearly a land of paradise and poverty,”
remarked one of JaneAnn Stout’s Families
Extension staffers after visiting Mexico for the
first time, reflecting on what she termed “the
tremendous chasm between the rich and the poor.”
Put simply, “engagement” expresses the responsibility of Iowa State
faculty and staff to partner and share expertise to make a real difference in
people’s lives, whether at home or abroad. Indeed, at times a given project
necessarily crosses state and international boundaries, such as the effort
of Professor JaneAnn Stout and her Families Extension staff to understand
Mexico in order to better serve Iowa’s newest residents.
Iowa State launched its formal international efforts over half a century
ago with a corn project in Guatemala. Since then, the university has
been involved in hundreds of international projects based on the needs
of communities throughout the world. We’ve established international
programs through the Center for International Agricultural Finance,
which trains business professionals from developing nations. The
Small Business Development Center offers training for Iowa businesses
expanding internationally, and Iowa State Cooperative Extension Service
has multiple relationships in China.
Iowa State’s engagement with the world embraces the contributions of
individuals as well as institutions. Today Iowa State alumni live in 140
countries. And ISU ranks among the top 5% of colleges and universities
in the nation in producing volunteers for the Peace Corps, which offers
humanitarian aid and education in 87 countries.
We believe this impulse to serve growing nations, emerging economies,
and developing political systems is learned by example. In this regard,
none exemplify international engagement better than the faculty of
Iowa State, men and women whose dedication and expertise extend the
university’s reach across the globe.
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Understanding the
reality these Mexican
families face is the
reason Stout, an associate dean in the College
of Family and Consumer Sciences, developed
the Mexico in-service program for Iowa State’s
Families Extension staff.
“Iowa’s demographics are changing,” Stout
observes, “and our staff work with communities
where that change is occurring.”
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M E X I C O
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ENGAGEMENT
Helping Women Take Control of Their Lives
The work of skilled artisans is a primary source of income in the developing world, second only to agriculture.
Ensuring that this resource remains viable is critical not only because it helps families meet their basic needs, but also
because it empowers women by providing the assets and self-confidence needed to take control of their own lives.
Mary Littrell, Distinguished Professor of Textiles and Clothing, has worked extensively with artisans throughout
the world and now leads a $240,000 Ford Foundation study to determine what impact the nonprofit group Aid to
Artisans (ATA) has had on the sustainability of artisan projects.
Engage with key
constituents through
synergistic sharing
and partnership
of knowledge and
Over the past decade, ATA has contributed considerable resources to help local artisans. Assistance
has ranged from helping to refine products to developing business skills to building links to U.S.
markets. Littrell notes that, in order to avoid overdependence on a single trading network, ATA
also helps artisans diversify into regional, tourist, or export markets.
Littrell is visiting Central Asian countries for the study, as well as interviewing artisans in Ghana,
Peru, Honduras, Hungary, and Russia. Her analysis will help determine “best practices” for helping
these artisans succeed, culminating in a book that highlights each country as a case study.
Professor Mary Littrell seeks to empower local artisans by helping them succeed in
generating income to support their families’ basic needs.
expertise to address
needs of communities
and society.
Yet prior to the in-service program, few of Stout’s
workers had significant international experience
or the Spanish language skills to serve these new
Iowans. Recognizing the need, staff members
researched and wrote grants to cover their
expenses to Mexico.
Twenty Families Extension staff members made
the trip in 2003, and another 40 are slated to
travel the next two years. As a result of their visit,
a number of staffers are working to improve their
Spanish language skills to better serve Iowa’s
Spanish-speaking residents.
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Engage the World
on Its Own Terms
If you think the university’s extension to families
extends no further than recipes, household
budgeting, and gardening tips, think again: along
with the disappearance
of small family farms,
the influx of Mexican
immigrants to Iowa
is one of the most
profound changes to
affect the state the past
20 years.
I N D I A
Habla usted
~×ol×× ?
espan×
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Coming Full Circle
English and Orientation Program (IEOP), which offers full-
its responsibility to foster human development and
time instruction and orientation to American culture.
understanding in the areas of learning, engagement, and
It’s All About Connections
With grants from the U.S. State
Department and UNESCO, Iowa
State’s International Women in
Science & Engineering (IWISE)
program has supported professional
advancement for more than 1000 midcareer women scientists and engineers in
As a land-grant institution, Iowa State takes to heart
discovery. Of these, learning is primary: the first mission
of any educational institution is to help people realize
From Mind to Market:
their full potential.
Teaching Entrepreneurship Around the World
learner-centered
State, they benefit greatly from direct experience in a
foreign country. Students from all majors and minors are
by understanding what it means to be part of the larger
abroad opportunities. In programs ranging from three
human family. Therefore, for an added dimension to their
weeks to a full semester or longer, Iowa State students
primary studies, all ISU undergraduates may choose
earn credit while refining language skills, studying foreign
among hundreds of courses to fulfill a three-credit
social and political systems, or discovering the diversity
requirement in International Perspectives.
of the world’s ecosystems.
Students also may choose a minor or second major in
For some the foreign experience may begin “virtually”
International Studies, including a topical focus in areas
by interacting with peers and teachers from universities
such as Global Environmental Issues, Social Change
abroad through Professor Niki Davis’s ILET project.
Next comes teaching about the entrepreneurial process and
developing the skills needed to move ideas from minds to markets.
Van Auken’s service as a visiting professor has given him a firsthand view of how culture impacts the business environment,
and he incorporates this into his research and teaching.
and Economic Development, International Business and
From there they may be inspired to extend their global
Trade, and Women and Development.
experience in a variety of directions. From pondering the
“Understanding the impact of culture on the acquisition
of capital is essential,” Van Auken stresses. He also
leads a study abroad program giving students a
perspective on how culture impacts the economic
system in Mexico.
German, and Spanish; minors in Latin, Portuguese, and
The first challenge, notes Van Auken, is helping people see opportunities.
“You can be so ingrained in what you do that it’s difficult to have new
ideas,” he says. “I try to help people break the pattern, to look at
something differently.”
Members of African Women in Science and Engineering
meet to exchange ideas.
languages may be for students in residence at Iowa
encouraged to take advantage of the university’s study
In Mexico, Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine, Van Auken has
helped people use their skills to pursue their dreams of being independent,
of being their own boss.
over 25 developing countries and emerging
democracies since 1996. Directed by Professor of
Public Administration Ardith Maney and program
manager Mary Ann Evans, IWISE has developed a range
of partnerships between ISU faculty and universities and
organizations from across the globe. The result is an ongoing connection between Iowa and places such as Ukraine,
El Salvador, Kenya, South Africa, and Bulgaria.
The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
offers majors and minors in Russian Studies, French,
Chinese; and classes in Italian and Classical Greek. A
learning through
exceptional
Yet as beneficial as exposure to different cultures and
We believe students may better realize their potential
“Entrepreneurship is a way of thinking, a way of life associated with the
ability to control one’s own life,” says Professor of Finance Howard Van Auken.
Enhance
glories of the Renaissance in Florence to understanding
the need for sustainable agricultural practices in Mexico,
students at Iowa State go out to the world—and bring the
world back home.
number of international students study in the Intensive
teaching, services,
and enrichment
opportunities.
Study and Work Abroad
Participants
1994
318
1995
314
1996
312
1997
579
1998
646
1999
862
2000
968
2001
1,049
2002
873
2003
1,113
“It’s a connection with women who have similar jobs, but in
different contexts,” observes Maney. These collaborations, she
says, offer perspectives and solutions that improve educational
and social environments in the participants’ home countries. It’s
a connection that informs Iowa State classrooms as well, helping
Maney to illustrate global conditions in her lectures.
Maney also facilitates communication across international borders.
“I’ve been able to link students through e-mail with people I’ve met,”
she says. “Through e-mail, the students are able to find out what’s
going on in a place besides just reading about it or watching the news.”
ENGAGEMENT
E12G Y P T
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P A K I S T A N
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P H I L I P P I N E S
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T U R K E Y
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Redefining ‘Distance’,
Refining Education
For Professor Niki Davis, “distance education”
goes further than traversing the globe. As she
learned in her native Northern Ireland, sometimes
the greatest distances are between people no more
than a stone’s throw from each other—literally.
Two Powerhouse Programs Make Global
Connections for Electrical Engineers
Professor Jim McCalley of the Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering has seen the benefits of international exchanges through
his involvement with a program that partners Iowa State with
Portugal’s Instituto de Engenheria de Sistemas e Computadores do
Porto (INESC).
It’s a win-win situation, says McCalley: INESC has one of the world’s
best programs in power systems engineering and so does Iowa State.
The exchange presents a tremendous opportunity for students to
interact with another culture and to make connections. “You multiply
by two the number of professional contacts you make,” McCalley
observes, “and that can be useful as you go through your career.”
You don’t need to sell Ana Margarida Quelhas Alves de Freitas on the
benefits of international study. Intending originally to get her masters
degree from Iowa State, Freitas was so impressed with the opportunity
to study in the U.S. that she decided to stay for her Ph.D. “The biggest
incentive I had,” she declares, “was the challenge of a new experience.”
Her colleagues in Portugal, she says, are used to traveling around
Europe, experiencing different cultures, different languages—it’s not a
big issue for them. “I’d be very happy if I could open some American
students’ minds to international study,” she adds.
With 25 graduate students in the power area, McCalley appreciates
having a diverse group. “It’s healthy to have a mixture in terms of
perspective and background,” he says.
Freitas agrees. “I’m convinced that if you discuss the same problem
with an Englishman, then with a Spaniard,” she offers, “you’ll often see
different approaches. Maybe they will come to the same conclusion,
but the ways they think through the problem are different.”
•
P E R U
•
H U N G A R Y
•
P O L A N D
Nancy Guthrie
(center) with
language and
service learning
students and friend
in Chile.
•
“People in France are
“One reason I am involved in communications
technology is where I came from,” Davis says.
“Protestants and Catholics often see each other as
‘them’, with little sympathy for each other.”
very concerned with knowing
where everything comes from,”
Together with partners in Europe and the
United States, Davis is the driving force behind
ILET: International Leadership for Education
Technology, a Web-enhanced project to bring
together individuals, institutions, nations, and
cultures into a common classroom. Underwritten
by a grant from the U.S. Department of
Education’s Fund for the Improvement of
Postsecondary Education, ILET focuses on
graduate students who will become leaders in
technology in education.
observes animal science major
Jenn Christensen, pictured here on
a Brittany dairy farm.
“They’re willing to pay more
for products if they know they’re
Davis, co-director of Iowa State’s Center for
Technology in Learning and Teaching, doesn’t see
ILET as a substitute for international exchange
so much as a technology that offers international
connections to students who may eventually travel
abroad, taking the virtual classroom as a point of
embarkation. It is, she hopes, a model that may
one day translate to non-Western nations.
from Brittany or Normandy.
If I’d just read about the
French obsession with the origins
of food, it would be
totally different from being there.”
“We hope to support each country and culture
to adopt technology in line with its needs and
values,” she says, “but many have a long way to
recover from the culture that was imposed upon
them. That’s one of our big challenges.”
LEARNING
S W E D E N
•
S P A I N
•
G E O R G I A
•
S O U T H
Remembering a Continent, Discovering Yourself
“Like Africa, South America tends to be a forgotten continent,” Nancy
Guthrie reflects.
Guthrie, however, has not forgotten: Latin America has been a big part
of the International Education Services program director’s life, having
spent nearly ten years in Bolivia and El Salvador developing gardening
and nutrition programs through a Christian relief organization.
Along with Kathy Leonard, a professor of Spanish, Guthrie put that
experience to good use in a seven-week language and service learning
program for Iowa State undergraduates in Chile in 2002. In 2003, they
are taking another group to Bolivia.
After four weeks of language immersion, the students spend three more
weeks in service to local organizations in Bolivia. “Last year students
worked in a center for mentally challenged people, several worked in a
center for the blind,” Guthrie recalls. “They work alongside caregivers,
assisting however they can.”
More than discovering a different culture, Guthrie feels the combination
of language and service helps students discover something about
themselves.
“If we’re to prepare students for the challenges of our world, this is a
wonderful way to do it,” she says, “—to know what it feels like to be
different from everyone around you.”
K O R E A
•
R U S S I A
•
R O M A N I A
Study in Florence: An Essay in Humanism
When Carl Bleyle visits with students about the “Tones
of Florence,” a two-week study abroad opportunity,
or the Semester in Florence—both programs he
originated—he looks for passion, students eager to
accept a new view of the world. Even though he is
retired, Professor Emeritus Bleyle still is committed to
the program.
Clad in traditional Renaissance garb, students
Ryan Adams and Matt Nelson join in dazzling
festivities at Palazzo Borghese.
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In Florence, a city founded by agriculturists, the
sciences and humanities all flourish. “The Leonardos
and Michelangelos—they could write poetry and build
bridges—they could do everything under the sun,”
Bleyle explains. “Students discover this place where
beauty and art are considered important. It’s infectious.”
The integrated curriculum centers on topics associated
with Florence and Tuscany. During the two-week
program, students use each day to concentrate on a
single humanist—authors such as Dante, Petrarch,
or Boccaccio. The semester program includes courses
in the natural sciences and mathematical disciplines,
social sciences, and the arts and humanities.
The benefits for students go beyond appreciation for
masterpieces. “Living on your own in a country where
few people speak your language is a challenge,” says
participant Jacquee Kolbeck. “But to know you were
able to handle it, and come out a different person with
experiences you may never be able to make anyone
else understand, is a powerful thing.”
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•
U R U G U A Y
•
LEARNING
C H I L E
•
A R G E N T I N A
•
G H A N A
University Professor Warren Dolphin and a
student pause during a “walkabout” through the
Australian outback.
The Wonder Down Under:
Unique Field Experiences for Undergraduates
Opening Eyes in Africa
Students truly “Experience Kenya” in a unique Iowa State academic
program offered in partnership with Kenya’s Egerton University and Rotary
International of Ames and Nakuru, Kenya.
The six-credit, five-week program connects students to the people, culture,
and environment of a developing nation, according to Donna Cowan, program
director and professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Students enroll in wildlife biology or creative arts, Kiswahili language study, and
a culture class which includes field study at tea and flower farms, markets, and
museums, and interaction with students and community members through cultural
programs, home visits, and safaris. A special feature is service learning benefiting
the Nakuru community. Participants do everything from planting seedlings to
building cowsheds at rural schools to assisting street children’s programs.
Kenya has over 45 tribes living and working harmoniously with each other
and with people in five border countries. From the very poor to the very rich,
students see the full spectrum of social contrasts. “It was truly an eye-opening,
life-changing experience,” says participant Sophia Magill.
“Each time I go,” Cowan says, “I learn how important it is for countries to have
contact with each other, and how this kind of experience contributes to peace
and understanding.”
ISU students in the Experience Kenya service learning program build
fences at a rural Kenya schoolyard.
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There’s no watching the world go by from
inside a bus for students taking “International
Field Trips in Biology.” The subject matter is
too intriguing merely to snap a photo and move
to the next “hot spot.”
Warren Dolphin, University Professor of
Zoology and Genetics, plans the four-week
expeditions to either Australia, Costa Rica, or
Central Europe to cultivate student interaction
with the environment and nurture learning as
a lifelong quest. Accompanying the students
around the clock, Dolphin says, gives him a
greater understanding of his young charges,
while at the same time modeling professional
behavior for them.
ISU Agronomist Ricardo Salvador and colleagues inspect Mexican maize field.
Lessons Toward a Sustainable Agriculture
Associate Professor of Agronomy Ricardo Salvador is a highly political person—but he knows when to put politics aside.
“One of our charges is to make sure students understand the conflicts people have worldwide through a rational process,”
he says, “not just provide fodder for activists.”
Acting on this principle, Salvador doesn’t preach to students but rather lets them learn for themselves about hunger, food
production, and the sustainability of the agricultural model that sustains them as Americans. For several years he has
accompanied groups to Cuba, Costa Rica, Panama, and his native Mexico to see how much of the world feeds itself.
In “Biomes of Australia,” Dolphin and his
students camp in a rainforest, observing native
plants and animals. They also hike through
savanna woodlands, watching kangaroos and
exploring lava tubes, and sail to the Great
Barrier Reef to swim among giant clams,
starfish, and sea cucumbers, all the while
scrutinizing their natural habitat for insights
into the region’s biological diversity.
Salvador acknowledges that it hasn’t always been possible to ask the sorts of questions travel abroad poses
for his students. “When I started graduate school in 1980,” he recalls, “‘sustainable agriculture’ wasn’t
considered a proper academic pursuit.”
Prior to the trip, students write research papers
on particular aspects of Australian biology.
“It helps build a sense of ownership in the
course,” says Dolphin, designated 2002-03
Master Teacher in International Programs for
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “It
goes beyond learning about biology, though. It’s
experiencing the world and reaching beyond
common experience.”
Students come from Asia, Africa, and Latin America to study with
But rising world hunger and environmental degradation have changed the equation, he says, to where a
global appreciation of food production issues assumes a special urgency for students at Iowa State
“If there’s any place that requires people to critically examine the foundations of sustainability,” Salvador
insists, “this is it—this is the belly of the beast in terms of unsustainable agriculture.”
their American counterparts in Iowa State’s new graduate program in
Sustainable Agriculture. Courses leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. are taught by
interdisciplinary teams and emphasize experiential techniques.
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DISCOVERY · ENGAGEMENT · LEARNING
College of Education
Dean Walt Gmelch
(top right) with ISU
students in Australia’s
Blue Mountains.
ISU’s Nathan Swanson
encourages fellow student Eric
Rowley in jumping contest with
young Maasai warriors.
Partnership for
International Programs
Council on International Programs
The Council on International Programs
(CIP), reporting to the Provost, is
dedicated to improving and expanding the
international profile of Iowa State University
and its faculty, staff, and students.
The council has members from each
of the university’s colleges, the Parks
Library, Faculty Senate, offices of the Vice
Provost for Extension, Vice Provost for
Research, Vice Provost for Undergraduate
Programs, and International Education
Services. Together with faculty and staff
from the colleges, centers, institutes, and
central administration, CIP members are
responsible for working collaboratively to
internationalize learning, engagement, and
discovery at Iowa State, key components of
the university’s 2000-2005 Strategic Plan.
Each year the university awards more than
$570,000 to students participating in study
abroad programs. In addition, the CIP and
its affiliates administer a variety of grants
to support foreign travel and program
development for faculty and research staff.
For more information, visit the grants page on
the CIP Website at: www.public.iastate.edu/
~cip/Grants/Grant.html
Study Abroad and Exchange
Advisory Committee
The Study Abroad and Exchange Advisory
Committee (SAEAC) reports to the Vice
Provost for Undergraduate Programs, and
includes representatives from the colleges
and the Study Abroad Center (SAC).
Cooperation among the SAEAC, SAC,
faculty, and staff is key to the success of the
university’s study abroad programs.
The SAEAC serves on behalf of the ISU
Faculty Curriculum Committee to approve
university study abroad programs. The
SAEAC awards funds to faculty and staff for
site visits for new study abroad programs,
and partially supports travel expenses for
leaders of group programs.
ISU offers over 270 study abroad programs,
with thousands more available through other
institutions.
Gathered for a retreat, International Women in
Science and Engineering (IWISE) collaborate
to enhance the status of women scientists and
engineers and solve global issues.
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Ancient Roman aqueduct provides
architecture students an opportunity
to hone their drawing skills.
Toward a Global Future…
The world is in constant transition.
The pace and scope of events seem
to outstrip the ability of persons
and institutions to address them
knowledgeably and effectively.
International Education Services
International Education Services (IES)
provides services and programs for
international students, faculty, and staff, and
for Americans studying or working abroad.
Staff advise international guests on university
procedures, U.S. visa regulations, personal
concerns, and community resources. The
IES Culture Corps, Friendships International
(host families), Conversational English
Program, International Student Council, and
25 international student organizations bring
internationals and Americans together for
mutual learning.
The Study Abroad Center provides
administrative support for students seeking
to study or work abroad and for faculty and
staff program leaders through individual
advising, workshops, information sessions,
and comprehensive handbooks. The SAC
awards study abroad scholarships and serves
as a resource for current information on
health, safety, travel, and cultural issues. The
SAC has a fine library of more than 1000
volumes. Persons interested in developing
new study abroad programs are encouraged
to contact SAC staff.
...........
Graduating international
students “shake” things up at
spring alumni reception.
Within these pages you have been
introduced to some of the many
excellent faculty and staff who inspire
students and others to understand
and engage the world responsibly
in the 21st century. This may mean
anything from simply holding one’s
leaders accountable for their actions in
the international arena to choosing a
career of global service.
To learn more about international
programs at Iowa State, please contact
International Education Services or the
individual colleges listed on the back
of this publication.
Iowa State University is dedicated to educating students who are
informed and engaged with the world beyond our borders.
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International Education Services
252 Memorial Union
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
(515) 294-1120
intlserv@iastate.edu
www.public.iastate.edu/~internat_info/homepage.html
www.iastate.edu/~study-abroad/
For more information about college international programs,
please contact the offices below:
College of Agriculture
Global Agriculture Programs
515-294-8454
www.ag.iastate.edu/global/
College of Business
Office of the Dean
515-294-2422
www.bus.iastate.edu/undergrad/studyabroad.asp
College of Design
Office of the Dean
515-294-7427
www.design.iastate.edu/
College of Education
International Programs
515-294-1010
www.educ.iastate.edu/program/intl/
International Leadership for Education Technology (ILET)
www.public.iastate.edu/~ilet/
College of Engineering
International Programs
515-294-5090
www.eng.iastate.edu/intlprogs/
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Office of the Dean
515-294-5980
www.fcs.iastate.edu/student/travel.htm
Families Extension programs
www.extension.iastate.edu/families/
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
International Programs
515-294-7740
www.las.iastate.edu/students/international/
College of Veterinary Medicine
International Programs
515-294-8459
www.vetmed.iastate.edu/academics/international/overview.html
© 2003 Iowa State University, Council on International Programs, Office of the Provost
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any
persons having inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 3680 Beardshear Hall, 515-294-7612. 04032
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