Four Marquette faculty members currently have the opportunity to travel abroad for research thanks to the U.S. government-funded Fulbright Scholar Program.
The Fulbright program, established in 1946, has provided more than 300,000 individuals with grants to study, teach or research abroad. Approximately 8,000 grants are awarded annually to scholars in year- or semester-long teaching positions.
In order to be considered for the scholar program, faculty must hold a Ph.D or equivalent terminal degree.
Award recipient Claire Badaracco, a retired professor of communication, will use her award to research peace and policy studies at the Center for International Conflict Resolution at the University of Ulster in Derry/Londonderry in Ireland later this school year.
Joseph Daniels, a professor of economics, is studying how U.S. and Canadian residents’ patriotic and nationalistic views have changed since 9/11 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is currently the visiting Fulbright chair in governance and public policy in the department of political science at McMaster University.
Steven Long, an associate professor of speech pathology and audiology, accepted his award last February and will teach at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, in Córdoba, Argentina, next April.
Jodi Melamed, an associate professor of English and Africana studies, accepted her award over the summer and will teach two graduate-level courses called “Revolutionizing American Studies” and “Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Literature and Culture” in Berlin.
Long said he had established contacts with individuals at the Escuela de Fonoaudiología (School of Speech Pathology & Audiology) in Argentina and visited the school prior to receiving the Fulbright grant. He also studied Spanish for the last four years to prepare for the program and fulfill the language requirement the Fulbright program demands.
“It’s something I’ve been working towards for several years, so I felt that I had made a strong application,” Long said.
Long said with the cooperation of his department chair and dean, all classes will be covered during his leave.
Marquette Fulbright Scholars have not received any economic bonuses for their accomplishments, but Long said Marquette will allow him to miss part of the Spring semester without reducing pay, demonstrating the university’s support of the program.
Melamed said she felt supported by Marquette and that her department chair, Krista Ratcliffe, and Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences the Rev. Phil Rossi worked to help her receive the Fulbright grant.
“The Fulbright is actually a surprisingly small amount of money, and I am grateful that the university showed such strong support for faculty research and made it possible for me to accept the award,” Melamed said.
Melamed said internationalizing the field of American studies in Berlin is what most excites her about the opportunity.
Melamed studied in Berlin during the 1980s and was one of the first American undergraduates to do research in former East Germany at Bertolt Brecht Archive.
“It will be exciting to return to the city as a more seasoned scholar,” Melamed said.
Melamed is also a published author. Her most recent work, “Represent and Destroy: Rationalizing Violence in the New Racial Capitalism,” examines the coproduction of anti-racist ideologies following World War II and focuses on global capitalism.
Badaracco will focus on the intersection of public communication, journalism, religion, political climates and media culture in Ireland.
“I expect to bring back to my classes in the U.S. knowledge gained from this experience, and to continue to co-teach peace studies with Bellarmine, Rafik Hariri University in Beirut, and with Marquette,” Badaracco said.
Daniels said winning the Fulbright award is a tremendous honor as it signifies that scholars’ proposals were worthy among competition.
“The Fulbright gives me the opportunity to interact with students and scholars in another country and in a department (political science) different from my own (economics),” Daniels said. “Though I am not that far away, I am away from my family, my friends and colleagues. It can be difficult at times, but my colleagues at McMaster University are very friendly, which helps.”
Daniels added that the hardest element of the program was preparing the paperwork. Although efforts were strenuous, it seems Fulbright scholars have a little fun too.
“The (Canadian orientation) program ended with a reception at the U.S. ambassador’s home and then everyone taking (to) the hockey rink at the University of Ottawa for two hours,” Daniels said.
