aNumber 27 - November 2009
 
News and Events
 
May
 

2009 NAFSA Conference in Los Angeles

Fulbright Director Norma González and Program Coordinator, Melina Ginszparg attended the 2009 NAFSA Fair (May 24-29) held in Los Angeles. Although Fulbright has had a regular presence at this big event that reunites the world education community, the delegation from Argentina was much larger in 2009.

More than thirty representatives from Argentine universities were supported by the Argentine Ministry of Education to attend this meeting and promote the Argentine Higher Education System at this international forum.

From left to right: Melina Ginzparg, Norma González and Ruby Simms, Education USA Adviser at ARICANA, the binational center in Rosario.

 
 

Western Hemisphere – Regional Directors’ Meeting

Right before the NAFSA Fair, Dr. Norma González participated in the 2009 Western Hemisphere Regional Directors Meeting held in Vancouver, Canada (May 19–22, 2009 ). At this meeting, held every two years in one of the Western Hemisphere countries, Fulbright Directors and many key officials from the U.S. institutions involved in the management of the Fulbright Program (State Department, Institute of International Education, Laspau and CIES) discussed policies, shared experiences, set up new program guidelines and gave considerable thought to the future of Fulbright. See some of the best shots taken at this inspiring Fulbright assembly. See the picture!

 
June
 
Regional ETA Enhancement Seminar in Brazil
Photograph taken by the Brazilian Fulbright Commission
On June 14-19, 2009 thirty-two U.S. fellows currently holding English Teaching assignments in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil convened in Brazil. Conceived as a mid-term training gathering, the 2009 meeting of the ETA Enhancement achieved many other complementary goals: strengthening the participants’ commitment with the Fulbright Program, developing new friendships and raising the students’ awareness on their responsibility as ambassadors of their country.
 

Administrator Exchange Program

 
Argentine Participants
 

Now in its tenth year, the Administrator Exchange Program continues to attract highly motivated school principals from select provinces in Argentina. 127 School Administrators from Argentina and an equal number from the United States have already participated in this program. On June 5th a panel of reviewers from the sponsoring institutions (Fulbright and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Córdoba) selected fifteen candidates from Córdoba. In mid May another panel (Fulbright, the Ministry of Education of Santa Fe and the Bunge y Born Foundation) selected twelve school principals from the province of Santa Fe. The twenty-two Argentine School Administrators will start their shadow exchanges in U.S. schools in October of this year after attending an informational training session in Washington D.C. After interviewing candidates in Córdoba, representatives from the sponsoring institutions met with participants from the 2008 cohort to follow-up on their exchange projects. In this meeting, the principals talked about how they were applying new perspectives, technologies and materials and how they will transform deeply rooted practices into new and more efficient learning environments.

Representatives of the sponsoring institutions meet 2008 School Principals for a follow up meeting

 
U.S. Participants

On June 22nd and July 27th, Fulbright held orientations for the twenty-five U.S. counterparts of the 2008 Argentine Principals. This year, Fulbright split the orientation in two so as to accommodate the U.S. participants’ schedules. The participants took a city tour of Buenos Aires and went to a tango show, one of the most appealing attractions of our city. After meeting with Fulbright officials in Buenos Aires, the group headed to Córdoba, Mendoza and Santa Fé, where they had further training sessions with local education authorities.
See the album!

Young Leaders from Seminar on U.S. Studies travel to the U.S.

On June 25th, Fulbright held a pre-departure meeting for the twenty-four young leaders selected from an original pool of 33 candidates. These young graduates are gifted, socially committed and academically outstanding individuals who deserved the reward of attending a one-month Leadership Seminar at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. See the album!

 

Pre-departure Orientation - Master’s and FLTA grantees

Every year, before starting academic life at U.S. campuses, Fulbright Master’s, Science and Technology, and Teaching Assistant grant recipients go through a one-day immersion session prepared by the Fulbright staff to help them adjust to a new and challenging work or study environment. In 2009, the pre-departure meeting was held on June 30th at the premises of the Pizzurno Palace, home to the Argentine Ministry of Education. In addition to receiving packages with relevant information and tailor made lectures, the students enjoyed panels where current and former Fulbrighters commented on their personal experiences and reminded students of the ultimate mission of Fulbright of humanizing humankind through international cooperation and exchanges. Our special thanks go out to the following alumni who participated in the panels: Mariano Turzi, Julián Rodríguez, Carolina Fernández, Cecilia Zabaleta, Vanesa Fusco, Kathryn Curtis, Katharine French-Fuller and John Mullee.
 
August
 

Pre-departure meeting for Fulbright Research Fellows

Fulbright takes pride in the increased collaboration between Argentine and U.S. scientists. We have tripled available funding for doctoral and postdoctoral research stays at U.S. universities since signing cooperation agreements with the National Research Council (CONICET) and the Bunge y Born Foundation,. We have awarded ten more grants in 2009 than last year, allowing 42 argentine scholars to develop scientific ties and lead joint collaboration with U.S. scholars. Fulbright and the other sponsoring institutions held a pre-departure meeting in mid August for these accomplished scholars who are dedicating themselves to a life of science.

 

Seminars on U.S. Studies in Argentina

The seminars on U.S. Studies sponsored by Fulbright and the Universidad de San Andrés (UDESA) are becoming increasingly popular. Fulbright could accommodate only 69 qualified professionals at the two seminars held at the downtown UDESA branch. Journalists, politicians, university professors, free lance professionals and leaders of NGOs had an intense week of classes in August. These seminars improved their knowledge of U.S. institutions, culture, history and social movements. Jerel Rosati, Professor of International Studies & Political Science at the University of South Carolina and Michael Hannahan, Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst conducted the two seminars. Of the 36 young graduates that attended the second seminar, 24 will be selected for a similar program on leadership that is hosted annually by the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Selection is based on merit. See the complete listing of participants.

 
September
 

Mary Lou Mc Closkey

  A busy agenda brought Dr. Mary Lou Mc Closkey, Teacher Educator and Specialist in Resources for Professional in English, to Argentina. Sponsored by the Fulbright-Specialist Program, Prof. Mc Closkey was one of the main speakers at the annual FAAPI (Argentine Federation of English Teachers Associations) conference, then traveled to Córdoba to give a follow up workshop to former participants of the Fulbright Teaching Assistants Program; finally Dr. Mc Closkey was hosted by the Lenguas Vivas Teacher Training College in Salta where she had a training session for 64 students and a workshop for faculty from local and neighboring universities. Both the participants and the speaker were highly satisfied with the results and all of them learnt many new lessons to improve the teaching of English and make it as enjoyable as possible.
Participants at workshop in Salta, October 2-3, 2009  
 
Fulbright Announcements
 
Master / Ph.D Programs

The Fulbright Commission formally announced the candidates nominated for Master’s/PhD. programs on July 20th. Pending approval by the J. William Foreign Scholarship Board, with whom the final decisions rests, Fulbright fellows will start graduate school in August, 2010. During the months following the announcement, selected candidates will prepare their applications under the supervision of the Fulbright Academic Advising team. Fulbright set up a special workshop, conducted by Erika Edwards, a former Fulbright fellow currently living in Argentina to strengthen their applications.

Principal Candidates

1. BER, Marcelo: Public Administration
2. BRIL, Tomás: Political Science
3. COLACI, Daniela: Public Health
4. CRESCI, Karen: Literature
5. DALL’AGLIO, María Bernarda: Economics
6. ETCHEGORRY, María Alejandra: International Law
7. FLOM, Hernán: Political Science
8. KLETZEL, Gabriela: Public Interest Law
9. LEW, Sebastián: Urban Planning
10. MILLÁN PLACCI, María Florencia: Public Administration
11. PIQUÉ, María Luisa: Criminal Law
12. RODRÍGUEZ CAILLAVA, María Inés: International Relations
13. SCHIJMAN, Agustina: Public Administration
14. SCHIPANI, Andrés: Political Science
15. SIBILLA, Gustavo: Public Administration

Alternate Candidates

1. ARIAS, Santiago: Urban Planning
2. BARRAZA, Jorge: Public Administration
3. ROMERO, Melisa: Law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
2010 Science & Technology Awards

Principal Candidates
1. FUMAGALLI, María Eugenia: Chemical Engineering, Renewable Energies
2. DEREGIBUS, Dolores: Climate Change

Alternate Candidate
1. CASQUERO, Agustín: Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

 
Cooperation agreement

Through a cooperation agreement with UNIVERSIDAD AUSTRAL, we have nominated the following candidate:
1. VILLAR FREULER, Carolina: International Law

Through a cooperation agreement with UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA ARGENTINA, we have nominated the following candidate:
1.
CERUTTI, Paula: Journalism

Through a cooperation agreement with the ARGENTINE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, we have nominated the following candidates:
1. OTERO, María Pía: Sociology
2. BARON, Sergio: Engineering

 

Outreach Activities

 
 
Norma González

Fulbright Director Norma González was interviewed twice this year by radio stations, where she advertised Fulbright grant opportunities to radio listeners. This opportunity helped us increase the visibility of the program. Clase Ejecutiva, a radio show broadcast on Radio Uno dealing with current local and international issues, interviewed Norma González at the end of July. More recently she participated in a vigourous debate on “Jóvenes en Acción”, a radio show that highlights young entrepreneurs and their commitment with society. They discussed how university students can look for alternative funding sources to study in the U.S.

 
Fulbright at UDESA’s fair “Meeting Companies and Organizations”

One of Fulbright’s top priorities is spreading the word about grant opportunities. On Wednesday, August 5th, María José Aragón and Laura Moraña went to UDESA’s campus in Victoria, north of Buenos Aires, to talk with senior students about opportunities after graduation. María José and Laura advocated for and described the importance of international experiences in professional and personal growth. On the other hand, local and global companies at the UDESA fair simply offered paid internships or job careers.

 
Other outreach appointments on Fulbright’s annual calendar were
  1. The Education USA Fair, an event organized by the Education USA Division and ICANA held at the binational center at the Sheraton Libertador Hotel in Buenos Aires. Last September 3rd, more than twenty U.S. universities promoted their undergraduate and graduate programs. The fair also promoted intensive English Language training. Visitors to the Education USA Fair picked information from booths in the hall or signed up at one of the five simultaneous panels on “Exchanges”, “Undergraduate/Graduate Studies in the U.S.”, “Types of Visas” and “International Exams” during the four hour long fair.

2. The Alumni Foundation (ALFA) Fair held once a year at the Buenos Aires Marriott Hotel is another event free of admission set up by foreign university alumni clubs. Seniors or recent graduates come to this event to search for new information and hear about experiences from alumni. After a thorough search by country and field, visitors come to the Fulbright booth to request funding opportunities and advice. See the pictures!

 
 
Acknowledgements, recognitions and awards
 
María Inés Barbero
Business Historian María Inés Barbero received the Alfred Chandler Fellowship and will spend three months as a Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Business School.
 
Carlos Bertoglio
Carlos Bertoglio traveled to the U.S. in 2007 for the first time after receiving the Teaching Assistant Award. Carlos stayed eight months at a small university in Arkansas where he worked to strengthen Spanish teaching among speakers of other languages. Carlos applied to graduate school two years after his return, and was thrilled to learn that he had been admitted by the University of Arkansas. The acceptance was particularly special because it is where Senator Fulbright taught and then served as President, and now boasts the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.
 
Maria Bjerg
Historias de la Inmigración Argentina, an essay written by Historian Maria Bjerg is part of “Argentine Topics”, a book collection edited by Juan Suriano. María Bjerg currently teaches General Social History at Universidad Nacional de Quilmes.
 
Thomas O’Keefe
Thomas O’Keefe, a 2004 Fulbright scholar, taught graduate courses on International Trade Law and Negotiations. Over the next five years he has continued to work on commerce in the Americas and Mercosur as is reflected in the book: Latin American and Caribbean Trade Agreements: Keys to a Prosperous Community of the Americas published last June. Read a synopsis of the book here, or search this web to know more about Prof. O’Keefe’s expertise: http://www.mercosurconsulting.net
 
Alicia Palavecino
Eight Argentine high school teachers were nominated for the Teaching Excellence and Achievement award in 2008. One of them is Alicia Palavecino who traveled all the way down from Libertador General San Martín, a small town in Jujuy, to Buenos Aires and then to the University of North Dakota, her host institution in the U.S. Alicia Palavecino’s achievements caught the attention of “El Tribuno”, one of the largest newspapers in Jujuy, who featured Alicia’s story in their paper edition, last September 19. To read the whole article, please click here.
 
Fer Isella
Fer Isella is an eclectic musician and composer who inherited the taste for music from his father, Cesar Isella. Fer gave a twist to his career by accepting the Fulbright-National Fund for the Arts award that allowed him to spend a year at the Berkeley College of Music in 1998. At this school in Boston, Fer experimented with fusion, jazz and post rock and reshaped himself to become the accomplished artist that he is today. Read more about this talented musician at: http://www.myspace.com/ferisella
 
Diego Escolar
PROMETEO, one of the top Argentine publishing houses will soon release Diego Escolar’s book Los dones étnicos de la Nación. In it, Escolar, an anthropologist, presents his findings about the origin of the huarpe identity in the Cuyo/Andean region of Argentina. Read more about this detailed and exhaustive work here.
 
Iliana Martínez and Silvia Beck
After several years of teaching English as a Foreign Language at the Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Iliana Martínez and Silvia Beck noticed that Spanish speaking scholars and researchers needed to be trained in academic writing. They started to research this field in order to produce accurate material and help advance this discipline. One of the products of their research is an article coauthored by Martínez, Beck and Panza published by Science Direct.
 
Marcelo Rabossi
Marcelo Rabossi, who currently teaches at the Department of Education of the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella has been honored with the Presidential Distinguished Doctoral Award (2008-2009), an important recognition awarded by the School of Education of the State University of New York, to the best doctoral dissertation of the year. Prof. Rabossi’s dissertation “Agency Costs and Labor Contract Design in the University Market: Public and Private Cases in Argentina” focuses on how institutions of higher education can reduce unwanted effects caused by hiring unsuitable personnel, or how they can improve efficiency and help create a better working environment.
 
Gastón Schulmeister
In spite of his short career, Gastón Schulmeister is gaining a reputation as an expert on security issues. After completing a Fulbright Fellowship at the United States Institute on National Security (U.S. National Security Policymaking in a post-9/11 World), Gastón participated in a conference at the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies (CHDS) that took place in Cartagena, Colombia. At this conference, Professor Schulmeister presented a paper on Drug Trafficking. Along with Schulmeister, other Fulbrighters (Juan Battaleme, Sebastián Vigliero and Carolina Sampo) presented papers on Defense and other crucial issues affecting hemispheric strategies. To see the complete listing of participants, click here.
 
Miranda Lida
Another historian, Miranda Lida, professor at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella spent three months at the prestigious Columbia University with funding from Fulbright and the National Research Council. One of the positive side effects of her research (Immigration and Religion in Buenos Aires. Catholic Associations, The Catholic Press And Politics) is that at Columbia she found unexpected material not yet published in Argentina. The book that Professor Lida digitalized and made available on line is a diary of a Cuban trade unionist, Vicente Rubiera Feito, who came to Argentina during the Perón Administration. You can read a synopsis of the book here.
 
Lucía Zuppa, Noelia Tintilay and Vanesa Fernández
Three Teaching Assistants from the 2007 cohort, Lucía Zuppa, Noelia Tintilay and Vanesa Fernández not only built friendships that lasted after the Fulbright grant finished, but also worked together to produce a paper that they submitted at the Fourth National Meeting of Teacher Training Colleges held in Córdoba. This joint paper, “Technological Tools as a Means of Promoting Real Communication in Foreign Language Settings: Some Practical Ideas” was based on lessons learnt while teaching Spanish to speakers of other languages and useful strategies for adapting those lessons to the Argentine classroom context.
 
Guillermo Wilde
An experienced anthropologist, Guillermo Wilde has come up with a book, Religion y Poder en las Misiones Guaraníes, where he has employed sociological and historical tools to portray the guaranies’ assimilation into the colonial system from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. You can read a review of the book.
 
Lutz Matschke
Always out of the mainstream, photographer Lutz Matschke sent an original announcement of his wedding to Malén, the love of his life. The happy couple moved to Berlín right after the marriage.
 
Pablo Eiroa
Pablo Eiroa married Meredith Bostwick last June 27th in Buenos Aires. It was a truly original wedding since the couple had first had the civil ceremony in New York City (June 10th) and then flew to Buenos Aires to have their religious ceremony and celebrate with Argentina friends and family. Look at all the details of this wedding at: www.meredith.pabloeiroa.com
 
Fernando Dobrusky
Let us introduce Vera, the third daughter of Gabriela and Fernando Dobrusky who was born last September 9th. See Picture!
 
Letters From Fulbrighters
 
We have several exciting stories written by grantees. They are all touching, vibrant narrations that are worth reading!
 
By Marolyn Haws
The following letter was written by Marolyn Haws to Fulbright Director Norma González. Marolyn arrived in Argentina in mid June during the peak of the swine flu. Marolyn’s academic visit was the last part of the Administrator exchange initiated in October of 2008 when Lucía Fozzatti, Principal of Instituto Técnico “Cristo Obrero”, V.C. Brochero, Córdoba traveled to the U.S. to shadow Marolyn at her school l in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Glad to hear from you. I have had the BEST time ever! I can’t tell you what an incredible and rewarding adventure this has been. Lucia and her family are a dream and I have had so much fun with them. In the last two weeks I attended Lucia’s school and talked to many teachers and students. I attended a number of activities at the school l, assisted the English teacher, taught English to 1st and 2nd graders at the nearby primary school, visited a number of poorer schools in the country, purchased books for one of them and returned to the school the next day to present them, attended a mass, had lunch with the nuns, visited the museum in Nono and the one in Cura Brochero, shopped till I dropped, ate with some lovely Argentinean families, and learned to love facturas, dulce de leche, alfajores, asado, limitos and Argentinian pizza. I’m hooked on mate now and have it at least twice a day. I’m sure I have gained at least 10 pounds. I attended my own church twice in Villa Delores, got to go to the voting place and received a special tour of the voting room and the process. I toured the valley from Cura Brochero to Merlo. Beautiful country! I learned how to crochet a scarf and finished it, used up a 4 GB photo memory card and had to get another one, and spent countless hours with Lucia discussing the similarities of our educational system and hers. I’ve made a lot of new friends and have invited everyone of them to come stay with me and my husband in Arizona. Who knows, maybe someone will take me up on it. I appreciate the opportunity I’ve had to get to know and love Argentina and its people. Despite the flu, I couldn’t have asked for a better time or a better hostess. Knock on wood that I’m still healthy. Thanks for allowing me to come and a huge thank you to Fulbright!

Marolyn Haws
Desert Mountain Assistant Principal

 
By Elizabeth Zamora

Elizabeth Zamora, Language Teacher at Kentwood High School, Covington, WA and Yamila Alem, Language Teacher at IPEM Nº298 “Maestro Rodolfo V. Butori”, Alta Gracia, Córdoba seemed to have been the perfect match, as can be read in the following testimonial that Elizabeth kindly sent to us:

“Antes que nada quisiera agradecer a la Comisión Fulbright, a la Fundación Bunge y Born, al Ministerio de Educación y al Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Córdoba el que me permitieran participar en este intercambio de profesores con mi contraparte Yamila Alem. Convivir con Yamila en Covington, Washington y en Alta Gracia, Córdoba fueron experiencias muy enriquecedoras para ambas. Aquí en Alta Gracia, entre otras cosas, disfruté de bellísimos paisajes, participé en reuniones familiares, aprendí a compartir un mate, fui a una Doma de Novillos donde había Gauchos y Chinas y hasta pude tomar unas siestas. Durante estas semanas siguiendo a mi contraparte y a la contraparte de mi compañera pude visitar escuelas y clases de diferentes niveles incluyendo una primaria, varias secundarias, una secundaria rural, una escuela privada y la Universidad de Córdoba. Los directivos y profesores fueron muy cálidos en su recibimiento para conmigo y generosos en permitirme observar sus clases, así pude darme cuenta de su dedicación para con sus estudiantes. Mi compañera Bárbara Hopkins y yo preparamos una presentación con visuales, una bandera de los Estados Unidos, mapas y otros materiales en CDs y el flash drive de Kentwood High School, nuestra escuela y de Washington nuestro estado. Hicimos estas presentaciones muchas veces, algunas con tecnología a otras sin ella, unas veces en español otras en inglés. Los chicos se mostraron muy interesados en saber que existen otros chicos como ellos que viven en otros países y que comparten mucho en común pero que también difieren en varios aspectos de su vida. Siendo yo misma Mexico-Americana, hice hincapié de la diversidad étnica de los Estados Unidos y la riqueza de culturas que se concentra en ese país. Quedé admirada de ver la eficiencia de algunos profesores al presentar su clase prácticamente con una tiza y un pizarrón como único material. Estoy muy agradecida por esta oportunidad que tan generosamente se me ha ofrecido. Mi compañera y yo hicimos lo posible por cumplir con el propósito humanitario de esta beca y traer a Alta Gracia un mensaje de amistad desde nuestra comunidad."

Elizabeth Zamora
elizabeth.zamora@kent.k12.wa.us

 
Board and Staff News
 
Vilma Martínez

We welcome the new Ambassador of the U.S. in Argentina, Vilma Martínez who will also be the Honorary President of the Fulbright Commission during her four-year term as the head of this diplomatic mission. To read more about Ambassador Martínez, click here.

 
Cynthia Wolloch

October 2nd was Cynthia Wolloch’s last day at the Educational and Cultural Affairs Office, U.S. Department of State where she served as Branch Chief. Cindy, as we all called her, worked at ECA (or USIA till the mid nineties) for 25 years. She was a respected leader and a true advocate of the Fulbright Program. She came to Argentina several times and, all those who got to know her appreciated her friendliness and kindness. We will miss Cindy’s guidance, dedication and support.

 
María José Aragón

Program Assistant María José Aragón was selected for the Western Hemisphere Education USA Adviser Training Program that took place September 28th –October 2nd, 2009 in Mexico City, Mexico. Over 100 advisers from the Education USA network gathered together for a one week training program designed to strengthen their advising capacities for attracting qualified international students to U.S. campuses.

 
Amy Molden

Amy Molden has just joined the Fulbright staff. Amy will work with Education USA (poner logo) to promote education opportunities in the U.S. Amy is originally from San Diego, California. She has a Bachelors degree in International Economics from Boston College and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Development Management in a US/Argentine joint-degree program. Previous to joining Fulbright, Ms. Molden worked as an Analyst in Global Credit Trading for Deutsche Bank in New York and as Project Manager for Fundacion Grameen Argentina.

 
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The Ful letter team, Sofía Museri and Laura Moraña, would like to thank Fulbright fellow Katherine French Fuller for proofreading the English version of the Ful letter Nbr. 27.
 
If you have problems opening and reading the Ful-letter, please click here!