Fulbright Research
Mentorship Program
Welcome!
 Introduction to program
 Program overview
 Mission
 Benefits
 Our expectations
 Your expectations
 Introduction to Research
 What is it?
 What will we be covering during this program?
Fulbright Scholarship Program
Meet your mentors!
Matthew Schwarz
 Graduated from the University of Florida
in 2009 with a B.A. in Political Science
and Economics
 In September 2010, Matt will begin his
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy at
the Fletcher School of Law and
Diplomacy
 Current research interests: how
multinational corporations influence
Vietnamese economic policy and the
structural determinants of foreign direct
investment
Valerie Dao
 Graduated from the University of
California, Irvine with a B.A. in Political
Science and minor in Education
 In September 2010, will begin Master of
Public Policy at the Irving B. Harris School
of Public Policy at the University of Chicago
 current research interests: higher
education reform in Vietnam—exploring
which university models are most successful
in preparing students for the global labor
force
The Fulbright Program
 The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 in
honor of U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright
 Aims to : “enable the government of the United States
to increase mutual understanding between the people
of the United States and the people of other countries”
Ice breaker activity!
 Now that you know a little more about us, its time for
you to learn more about each other!
 Human Bingo 

Directions:
Use the handout you have as a guide to meet/learn more about
your classmates
 When you find someone that fits the quality listed in the box, write
their name down and keep mingling
 Your goal is to be the first to get 5 in a row!

The Fulbright Mentor Research Program
 Why are we here?
 Building academic and cultural bridges
 Help you develop transferable skills
What are transferable skills?
 Skills, or capacities, that can be taken from one life
experience and directly applied to and used in
another (unrelated) situation
Research and YOU
In the next five years, you will...
Work
Finish School
Receive
bachelors
degree
Pursue higher
education
Other: start a
family, travel,
research
Regardless of the path you choose…
You will benefit from research on multiple levels…
 Personal
 Increase your knowledge base and confidence
 Engage your intellectual curiosity
 Public
 Contribute to society

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Make new discoveries
Address community issues
 Professional
 Developing essential skills
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Organization
Critical thinking
Problem solving
Communication
Build strong network of colleagues and friends
Receive good letters of recommendation
How you will get them..
 Engage in active academic culture
 Work in teams to accomplish shared goals
 Communicate clearly
 Appreciate and understand how to navigate the
research process
 Establish strong relationships with other Vietnamese
students and leaders in the community
Our expectations
 Be an active participant in course activities
 Engage in academic discussions
 Ask questions !!!
 Treat guest speakers, mentors, and classmates with
respect
 Come prepared
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Be alert and attentive
Bring necessary materials
Complete assignments/reading prior to class
What are your expectations?
And now…
 Let’s begin…….
What is Research?
 Research is a systematic process of collecting and
analyzing data in order to help answer a question,
examine an idea or phenomenon or propose new
techniques

Multidisciplinary
Research is…
 Answering a question
 Example:
Do employers review a social networking sites as part of the hiring
process when considering an applicant? If so, to what extent is the
information on these sites weighed into the final decision?
 What are the most efficient new processes for developing clean
energy?

Research is…
 Examining an idea or phenomenon
 Example:
The rise of reality television. How did this trend start, and why is
it so appealing?
 Heightened concentration of Obesity in populations living below
poverty line

Research is…
 Proposing new techniques
 Example
E-learning: how technology has revolutionized primary and
secondary education for students in developing countries.
 Medical procedures: exploring long term side effects of Lasik eye
surgery

Research is NOT
Group Activity
 House of cards
 Break down into your assigned groups
 Use the materials given to you in your envelope to build the
tallest house of cards possible
The structure must be able to stand on its own
 You may only use the materials provided in your team’s kit

The Research Process
 1.Understand the problem
 2.Identify questions and form a hypothesis
 3.Choose a research design or method
 4.If applicable, submit forms Research Protections (IRB or
IACUC)
 5.Analyze findings
 6.Draw conclusions
 7.Present and/or publish your work
Distinguished Guest Speaker
 Mr. Ben Wilkinson
Associate Director, Country Coordinator
Vietnam Program, Kennedy School of Government
Email: benwilkinson@fetp.vnn.vn
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Vietnam Program’s resident representative in Vietnam.
Oversees the financial operations of the Fulbright Economics
Teaching Program as well as the Program's Vietnam-based
external relations and development activities.
Holds a B.A. in East Asian Studies from Harvard University.
Studied law at Harvard Law School and Vietnamese history and
literature at Hanoi Teachers' College, Hanoi National University.
Research Journal
 Each time we meet you will be asked to write in your
journals
 In your journal you will
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1. Summarize the lesson of the day
2. Answer questions given that day
3. Write down any questions or comments you have
 Each entry should be written with good content and
grammar –these will be saved and made into a student
portfolio