The 2016-2017 Fulbright Lunch & Learn seminar series kicks off Friday, October 7. Bring your lunch and learn from alumni and current grantees about their Fulbright experiences. Presentations will last 20-30 minutes, allowing time for discussion and socializing. All meetings will be held in University Capitol Centre Room 1117. Download the full series poster.

Friday, October 7, 12:30-1:20 p.m. 

Classical and Folk Traditions: Exploring the Mahabharata in the Himalayas

Presented by Frederick Smith, Ph.D., Professor, Sanskrit and Classical Indian Religions, UI Department of Religious Studies; Chair, UI Department of Asian & Slavic Languages & Literature

Professor Smith's 2015-16 Fulbright project in the Indian Himalayas focused on the superimposition or commingling of modern religious geography on the geography of the Indian national epic, the Mahābhārata (ca. 200 BCE-200 CE), and how it is consistently confirmed through narrative production, small scale religious processions and pilgrimage, and commemorative performances of various kinds. In this talk, he will show some of the processions and performances.

Friday, November 4, 12:30-1:20 p.m.

Childhood Trauma Prevention with Global Outreach: From UI to Greece

Presented by Resmiye Oral, M.D., Clinical Professor, UI Department of Pediatrics; Director, UIHC Child Protection Program

Dr. Oral will outline her current involvement in childhood trauma prevention on the UI campus, UIHC hospital, and in Iowa overall, combined with her efforts to help her Greek colleagues establish a national child protection system via hospitalbased multidisciplinary teams. During her June 2016 Fulbright Scholar Specialist program, Dr. Oral collaborated with the Yale University Child Protection Program to train almost 100 trainers from seven university hospitals in Greece.

Friday, February 3, 12:30-1:20 p.m. 

How a Fulbright Year in Venezuela Transformed a Career and a Life 

Presented by John Fuller, Ph.D., Professor, Associate Chair & Director, UI Graduate Studies, UI School of Urban & Regional Planning

In the mid-1980s, Professor Fuller spent a Fulbright year in Venezuela structuring a masters program in economics for Universidad de los Andes. While there, he also consulted with local transportation officials to explore the creation of an urban transit system. Little did he know at the time that this cross-cultural experience would fundamentally change his worldview and impact the rest of his life.

Friday, March 3, 12:30-1:20 p.m.

Papermaking Path-A Fulbright Fellowship in Japan, 1975-1977

Presented by Timothy Barrett, Director, UI Center for the Book; Professor, UI School of Library and Information Science 

Professor Barrett will share details of his memorable experiences in Japan four decades ago when he undertook two years of research on the Japanese craft of papermaking. Barrett will also describe how he went on to a fulfilling and rewarding career as a specialist in the wider history and technique of hand papermaking. His current research interests are focused on 15th Century European papermaking materials, techniques, and aesthetics.

Friday, April 7, 12:30-1:20 p.m. 

The "Great Wave" of Japanese Educational Reform: "Glasnost" and President Obama's 2016 Visit to Hiroshima

Presented by Karen Wachsmuth, D.M.A., Associate Director, UI International Fellowships and Fulbright U.S. Student Program Advisor

Dr. Wachsmuth received a Fulbright Scholar Program International Education Administrator award to Japan in Summer 2016. She will discuss how her experiences meeting with Japanese Ministry of Education administrators, university and college leadership, and attending cultural events provided a unique window into a Japan that is both deeply traditional and starkly new.

This series is co-sponsored by the Iowa Chapter of the Fulbright Association and University of Iowa International Programs. For more information, contact Sonia Gunderson, sonia-gunderson@uiowa.edu.