With the generous support of a grant from Ambassador Ronald N. and Eileen Weiser, the Weiser Professional Development Program invites scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Kaliningrad (Russia), Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine to spend up to one month in Ann Arbor partnering on research with U-M faculty. Fellows are selected through a competitive process, and 2011 awardees include faculty in the fields of political science, law, economics, public policy, and education. The program is administered by the Ronald and Eileen Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia.

The 2011 competition produced seven fellows from five countries who will visit U-M this year:

  • Phikria Asanishvili, associate professor of international relations at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia, will research the Russian-Georgian war’s impact on Eurasian and European security. Her host advisor is Gerard Libaridian, Armenian Studies Program Director and Alex Manoogian Visiting Professor of Modern Armenian History.
  • Ivan Bimbilovski, associate professor and vice dean, Faculty of Law, European University, Macedonia, will research the establishment and management of legal clinics in collaboration with his U-M host advisor, Vivek Sankaran, clinical assistant professor of law in the Child Advocacy Law Clinic and director of the Detroit Center for Family Advocacy.
  • Hamazasp Danielyan, assistant professor of political science at Yerevan State University, Armenia, will research the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement with his host advisor, Gerard Libaridian, Armenian Studies Program Director and Alex Manoogian Visiting Professor of Modern Armenian History.
  • Tetiana Galetska, senior instructor of economics at the Ostroh Academy, National University, Ukraine, will explore financial market research, leasing, and investment operations, particularly in the agricultural sector. Her U-M host advisor is John Branch, lecturer of marketing and strategy at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business.
  • Nino Kakubava, assistant professor of public policy and administration, University of Georgia, and lecturer in public administration, Caucasus University School of Government, Georgia, will research the practice of lobbying and develop a module on lobbying and advocacy for use in public administration courses. Her host advisor is Richard L. Hall, professor of political science and public policy.
  • Olga Plavutska, English instructor at European University and Ternopil V. Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University, Ukraine, will collaborate on a project entitled, “Overcoming the Effects of Religious Intolerance” with her host advisor, Professor Sara Konrath of the U-M Institute for Social Research.
  • Reda Satuniene, research assistant, Department of Art Pedagogy, Kaunas College, Lithuania, will focus on security issues for youth subcultures. She will collaborate with her U-M host advisor, School of Social Work Dean Laura Lein, as well as Professors Daphna Oyserman and Katie Richards-Schuster.

CONTACT: Nicole Rivett, rivnic@umich.edu

MORE INFO: www.ii.umich.edu/wcee/opportunities/visitingfellows

University Record article