Fulbright Scholar Faculty

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: February 2016 - July 2016 
Country of Study: People's Republic of China
Field of Study: Law  

As a Fulbright scholar, Paul Barresi served as a Lecturer in Law at Sun Yat-sen University School of Law in Guangzhou, China, where he taught courses in the American legal tradition and comparative environmental law. As part of the Fulbright China Guest Lecture Program, he also spoke on legal and political topics at six universities in Beijing, Chongqing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Wuhan, including as a keynote speaker, and led an environmental law workshop at the university in Beijing. In addition, Paul spoke on environmental law topics as part of the English-language Masters of International Law Programs Guest Lecture Series at the Royal University of Law and Economics and at the Vishnu Law Group in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with financial support from the Fulbright East Asia & Pacific Regional Travel Program and the Vishnu Law Group itself. 

Currently, Paul is Professor of Political Science and Environmental Law in SNHU's School of Arts and Sciences, where he teaches courses in environmental politics, public policy, and law; sustainable development; and sustainability. His Fulbright semester in China led to an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Law at Sun Yat-sen University ("SYSU"), where he continues to teach for two months a year during the second half of SYSU's spring semester. It also led indirectly to invitations to present papers on environmental or climate law, including two keynote papers, at several conferences or workshops in China, at least three of which were published later in peer-reviewed Chinese or international law journals, as well as to invitations to speak at the U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou as part of its public event series and at another university in Guangzhou. These activities in turn led to an invitation to serve as a foreign expert on a U.S.-China comparative environmental impact assessment law research team officially associated with the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment's effort to revise China's environmental impact assessment law.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Unlike most countries, China does not allow Fulbright applicants to make arrangements with a Chinese university before applying to the program. Once the applicant has been accepted, China's Ministry of Education makes the assignment in consultation with the U.S. Department of State. Despite this difference in the process, my experience as a Fulbright China scholar taught me three lessons that are likely to be of use to any prospective Fulbrighter. First, when developing a proposal as part of the application process it would be useful to align that proposal with the interests of the prospective host country and the priorities of the U.S. State Department. The closer the alignment between your proposal and those interests and priorities, the more competitive your application is likely to be. Second, choose a host country or setting within that host country that will immerse you in an experience very different from anything else that you have experienced in your professional or personal lives. Although this strategy is likely to set you up for much more culture shock than otherwise would be the case, your Fulbright experience will be all the richer for it. Third, do not approach your quest for a Fulbright as the culmination of whatever it is in your career that you think would make you a competitive applicant. Instead, think of it merely as a beginning. 

Time as Fulbright Scholar: August 2015-June 2016
Country of study: Botswana
Field of study: Foreign direct investment, examining IPAs and FDI, and the role of entrepreneurial firms in Botswana.

Charlotte Broaden has been teaching a class in foreign direct investment on the doctoral level for several years. She believes understanding what attracts investments into a country to support specific industrial sectors is key to understanding economic development in those sectors. For Broaden, Botswana was especially attractive considering their economy is supported primarily by diamonds. Botswana is home to the headquarters of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) where there is a host of data on the sixteen member states. During the year she spent abroad, she was able to meet with government officials, local entrepreneurs and members of the educational community. 

Today, Broaden continues to conduct research on FDI in Africa, and has been involved with entrepreneurs across Africa though SNHU’s GEM program. She is also currently working with a doctoral student who is studying entrepreneurship in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region, and still works with Fulbright.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: If given the opportunity, take advantage of getting to know the local community, make new friends, volunteer, and explore all that is available to you.

Learn more about Broaden in this faculty Q&A.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: September 2011-July 2012
Country of study: Serbia
Field of study: English teaching

Matea Ilic-Drijencic was awarded a Fulbright scholarship as an English teaching assistant at the University of Kragujevac in Serbia where she helped teach undergraduate students French, English, Spanish and German. As part of her role, she collaborated with professors and students at the university to start a student run writing center, where participants would meet at the American Corner in Kragujevac to conduct writing workshops and peer-to-peer critiques in an effort to improve writing and research skills in English. She chose to apply for the Fulbright scholarship in Serbia due to previous connections with other countries in the Balkan region, including Bosnia and Croatia, and to gain a deeper understanding of Serbia’s history and future development plans.

Following her time as a Fulbright English teaching assistant, Ilic-Drijencic decided to pursue a regional master’s degree in Democracy and Human Rights in South East Europe in Bosnia while focusing on the influence of a segregated education system on inter-ethnic relations in the region. She currently lives in Manchester, NH where she continues to work in the field of education as an academic advisor at Southern New Hampshire University.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Take advantage of the opportunity to learn and immerse yourself in the culture of the country where you’ll be living. Be vulnerable and share your own personal experiences and culture with students, co-workers or fellow scholars. This allows for the true exchange of ideas and perspectives between cultures – giving all sides a richer outlook for the future.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: 1998-1999
Country of study: Canada
Field of study: Ethnographic research conducted in Igloolik, a small Inuit village in the Arctic

As a Fulbright scholar, Michael Evans spent 9 months in Igloolik, a small village in the Arctic, working with Inuit videographers. His research focused on expressions and negotiations of indigenous culture through the mass media, ultimately using his discoveries to help build greater mutual understanding among people throughout the globe. Throughout his assignment, he was able to immerse himself in the daily life of the village, learning about Inuit culture through observation, active participation and extended interviews. 

Currently, Evans is the vice president for academic affairs at Southern New Hampshire University. He is now researching the use and impact of mass media by Native American activists in the 1970s.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Choose a project that you would truly, deeply love to tackle and then determine the best place in the world for that project. (Avoid choosing the destination first.) Every part of the world is fascinating and considering locations beyond the usual favorites will greatly increase your chances.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: 2011
Country of study: Pakistan
Field of study: Creative women in education

Dawn Reno Langley is an instructor for SNHU’s MFA program and professional writer who holds an MFA in Fiction and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies. Passionate about private and personal voices in literature, her MFA thesis was about women writing privately and publicly, and her dissertation focused on the voices of transgender writers, pre- and post-transition.

She applied for Fulbright at the suggestion of a friend and scholar from Pakistan, and completed her assignment at a time when a war was ongoing in neighboring Afghanistan. This required strict security procedures, but didn’t stop Langley from exploring museums and mosques in Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad. In exploring the lives and culture of locals, she was able to gain a unique understanding of the nation’s history – an experience she carries with her today.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Try to be open to everything you experience. Respect the culture, appreciate customs and ask lots of questions.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: September 2018 – January 2019
Country of study: Canada
Field of study: Using Humanoid Robots to Enhance Social Skills in Subjects with Autism and Other Cognitive/Emotional Deficits

As a Fulbright scholar for the Institute of Science, Society, and Policy at the University of Ottawa, Lundy conducted three research projects on the use of robots to contribute to the social good. He collaborated with therapists at a Children’s Hospital to help children with autism enhance their social skills, collaborated with staff at an elementary school to provide social interaction among robots and students, and offered a series of workshops at the Canada Science and Technology Museum to educate students about robots while studying their attitudes towards multiple styles of robots. Lundy published papers with his Canadian colleagues on the results of these projects in the professional literature.

Additionally, Lundy gave talks on humanoid robots to several professional organizations and to several pre-college schools in the greater Ottawa area. During the stay Lundy was a co-investigator on a business proposal on the creation of a Social Enterprise at the University of Ottawa and he was the principal investigator on a research proposal “Smart Voice Technology with Custom AI to Help Persons with Cognitive and Mental Health-Related Disabilities Participate in the Digital Economy.” The Canadian government awarded the proposals and Lundy continues to collaborate with colleagues in Canada on these projects.

Lundy is a professor in SNHU’s School of Business in the Department of Computer Information Systems where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses. After completing his Fulbright assignment in 2019 he was invited to the Fulbright Computer Science Peer Review Committee and has reviewed some 40 Fulbright proposals.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Start early on the application process, don’t wait until the last minute. If it is not fun and exciting, then maybe it is not a good idea. Get educated about the Fulbright program and the procedures for selecting a host institution and writing up a good application. If you don’t succeed the first time, try to figure out how to improve a future application. Participate in the on-line tutorials and office hours offered by the Fulbright staff. Don’t be shy about asking questions. Study the interests of like-minded colleagues at your candidate host institutions and don’t be shy about contacting them before making a decision.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: July 2018-September 2018
Country of study: Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma)
Field of study: Strategic management in public organizations, project management, foreign direct investment analysis and evaluation, nation-building/capacity building

Leveraging his expertise in project strategy, evaluation, analysis, procurement and management, Robert A. Marshall completed the Fulbright scholarship as a senior advisor and lecturer to the minister of finance, project appraisal and reporting department, for the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Speaking to his experience, he described the goal of the assignment as such: first, to educate officials and staff on modern qualitative and quantitative methods, and second, to “represent American values by demonstrating openness and collaboration along with the highest levels of honesty, integrity, fairness, trustworthiness and professionalism.”

In relocating to Myanmar – 8,495 miles from his hometown – Marshall was able to share his dual passions of strategic project management as well as international affairs. Though the experience required “constant vigilance,” having planted him in a remote location known as the “Ghost City” capital, the assignment “turbo-charged his passion for teaching what he spent a lifetime learning.”

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Your first choice of a host country may not be available – be open to other countries. It also takes a while before you hear from the institution or organization that is sponsoring you – be patient. Once you arrive, the specifics of your assignment may change as the host institution determines its needs – be flexible. 

Lastly, you will thoroughly enjoy the experience of sharing your academic story with others, as you learn about theirs. So, savor what you think you will experience and do, along with the things you never would have imagined, but did.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: Spring 2018
Country of study: Maldives
Field of study: Faculty of hospitality and tourism studies

Kimberly Monk is a hospitality business faculty member at SNHU. As a scholar, she was a lecturer in the faculty of hospitality and tourism at Maldives National University. An admirer of the region, her work offered a unique opportunity to engage and learn in one of the best hospitality programs in Asia.

Her experiences overseas called upon a number of her skills. She presented and published her work, Authenticity in Storytelling, at the South Central Asia Fulbright Conference in New Delhi, India in 2018, was a guest speaker at the America Center in Maldives, where she discussed the words of Dr. King and she consulted at several resorts in Maldives, imparting her expertise to help promote better business practices.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: If this is the opportunity desired, apply. Once you make it to your destination, explore every chance you have. Connect with the locals and landscapes no matter how daunting.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: 2011-2012; 2016-2017
Country of study: Jamaica (2011-2012); Suriname (2016-2017)
Field of study: Area, ethnic and cultural studies and African Studies; cultural & intellectual history

Paula D Royster is a two-time Fulbright scholar. For her first assignment, in 2011, she was invited by the U.S. Embassy to explore the Jonkonnu Carnival in Jamaica, including its origins following the transatlantic slave trade. She continued her work as a scholar in 2016, this time going to Anton de Kom University of Suriname to teach two courses – African Diaspora Studies 101 and Research Methodologies – both of which she had personally developed.

In addition to teaching in the IDS department at SNHU, Royster is currently in the process of publishing a book based on the research she has conducted over the years. She is also working on another manuscript focused on an arts-based approach to researching the African diaspora with an expected publication date of early 2020.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: The Fulbright program is a very competitive process and requires complete and sincere transparency. If you are selected to represent the United States as a cultural ambassador, it will be an experience you will not soon forget. The more creative and enduring your project, the better your odds of being selected. Conceptualizing your project will take time: plan it out early enough to put it down and revise later. Attend any Q&A sessions offered by the Commission, talk to potential persons to help refine your application and, finally, try not to be anxious while you wait for your answer.

Learn more about Royster in this faculty Q&A.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: 2009-2010
Country of study: Niger
Field of study: Medical anthropology

Dr. Kelley Sams served as a Fulbright-Hays scholar in Niger, where she conducted an ethnography of trachoma elimination for her PhD in medical anthropology. Through this research, she explored how visual messages shape perceptions about health and illness and merging different cultural models of disease. Dr. Sams chose her research sites in Niger following her work in the region ten years prior as a Peace Corps volunteer. As a Fulbright scholar, she was able to return to areas where the trachoma elimination program had been launched during her volunteer service and explore its local impacts and evolution.

Currently, she is conducting research that explores collaborations between artists and health programs in pandemic preparedness.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Start crafting your project proposals well in advance of the deadline – and make sure you share them widely to get feedback before submitting!

Learn more about Sams in this faculty Q&A.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: 2017-2018
Country of study: Finland
Field of study: A comparison of the education system in the U.S. and Finland

As a Fulbright scholar, Dr. Linda Szypula explored the Finnish education system, focusing, in part, on the ways STEM disciplines were integrated into curriculum across universities. As part of her assignment, she observed course lectures, co-developed an exhibit at a local science museum, and attended Educa – Finland’s largest teaching conference – where she explored new education technologies and built her network of Finnish educators. She was also invited to speak for several regional schools and presented her work at a number of Fulbright seminars.

Armed with these experiences, Dr. Szypula gained a new perspective on ways education can better serve both students and educators – from rethinking curriculum and professional development, to exploring ways in which a tuition free learning system can thrive when put into practice.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Have perseverance in completing the application and interview process. Be dedicated to your profession. Be committed to and passionate about the research topic you choose – and let it show in your application.

Time as a Fulbright Scholar: 1995-1996
Country of study: Belgium
Field of study: Political, cultural and social history of Belgium

Alan Wells completed a year of study at the French-language Free University of Brussels (Université libre de Bruxelles) focusing on the political, cultural and social history of Belgium with an emphasis on the cultural, linguistic and religious fault lines which have largely framed the country’s evolution. He developed an interest in European culture and politics early on during his high school studies and had the opportunity to continue studying French and political science in college. For his senior thesis, he completed a study of the Belgian federal system which led to a desire to learn more about the country. His Fulbright experience provided an opportunity to further explore the country and connect with its people on a much deeper level.

Wells has spent his entire career in higher education, working in admission, operations and faculty management. He currently serves as the assistant dean of general and transitional studies with Life University in Georgia.

Advice for prospective Fulbrighters: Be purposeful in selecting a country/region in which to complete your study and then develop a very clear plan for what you wish to accomplish with your project. If you are fortunate enough to be awarded a grant, strive to make the most of your time in the country. Get to know the local community. Work hard, but travel and take time away from your studies as well.