Brain Circulation from Eastern
Europe to the US and Back
Anita Komlodi, PhD
Department of Information Systems
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
www.umbc.edu
Biographical Background
• 1994: Master of Science:
– Library and information science
– English (American studies concentration)
– Kossuth Lajos University, Debrecen, Hungary
• 2000: Master of Library Science:
– University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• 2002: Doctor of Philosophy, Library and
Information Science
– University of Maryland, College Park, MD
• 2001-present: Lecturer, Assistant Professor,
Department of Information Systems, UMBC
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Research and Teaching
• Research:
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Human-computer interaction
Information retrieval
Cultural differences in information seeking
Gender differences information technology use
and perceptions
• Teaching:
– Human-computer interaction
– Foundations of information systems
– User interfaces for information retrieval and
visualization
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Professional Relationships
with Home Country
• 1995-1998: relationship building
between US and Hungarian
departments of library and information
science
• Limited interest on Hungarian side
• More interest on US side in exsocialist countries
• Language skills and decision-making
power did not always coincide
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Brain Circulation
• Repatriation is not always the
answer
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
New Organizational
Efforts
• Grassroots efforts in expatriate young researcher
and professional community in US
• Left Hungary after 1989
• Washington, DC: medical researchers, IT
researchers and professionals, other
researchers, law, policy and diplomacy
• New York, NY: finance, law, IT
• Highly educated and in developing careers
• Interested in keeping relationships and moving
intellectual capital back to Hungary
• More formal efforts by the diplomatic
representation of Hungary in US (typical of many
countries)
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Hungarian Grassroots
Efforts
• Annual conference in
Washington, DC and New York,
NY
• Information and communication
portals and email lists
• Communication with Hungarian
government and diplomatic
bodies
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Results
• Communication channels
established
• Information sharing about joint
opportunities
• This talk is a result of such
communications
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Maintaining Research
Relationships:
Individual Efforts
Student supervision
Professional visits
Publication support
Professional events in home
country
Joint research funding
applications
Movement of equipment
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Student Supervision
• Beneficial for both sides
• Exposes students to international
research community
• Allows data collection and
analysis in other countries
• Joint publications
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Professional Visits
• Students, faculty, researchers
• Interest is not always equal on
both sides
• Extremely beenficial in
developing relationships
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Publication Support
• Exposure in international
research outlets
• Especially useful for young
researchers and students
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Professional Events
• Support of the hosting of
international events in host
country
• Support for the participation of of
home country researchers in
international events
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Joint Research Funding
• Best form
• Very few sources available
• Often more complicated than
applicaiton by one country
• Opportunity to build on each
other’s strengths
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi
Thank You
• Feedback and questions
welcome
• Komlodi@umbc.edu
research.umbc.edu/~komlodi