Students Add Research to Their Study Abroad Programs

Contact:
Ray Barclay, Bumpers College Global Studies Program
rbarclay@uark.edu

Aug. 11, 2006

The opportunity to conduct research abroad in bioresources and clean technology is now available to UA graduate students and seniors studying science, economics and engineering. Under a special United States-European Union funded project, UA students who are interested in renewable bio-materials for use as bioresources, plastic alternatives and natural flavors to enhance food products have the opportunity to conduct research and study abroad in Belgium, Austria or France.

“We have funding from federal education agencies in both the U.S. and the EU to provide international experiences for our students and to develop a transatlantic curriculum in renewable resources and clean technology,” said Dr. Andy Proctor, coordinator of the exchange project and professor of food science, in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

The UA is leading a U.S. consortium along with three EU universities in a three-year project for exchanging students for study abroad experiences. In addition to the UA, other universities include Iowa State University, University of Washington, the University of Gent in Belgium, University of Graz in Austria and Toulouse Polytechnic University in France.

“This student exchange project provides an exciting opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Raymond Barclay, director of the Bumpers College Global Studies Program. “It adds a research dimension to our program and strengthens our commitment to internationalize our curriculum.”

The Global Studies Program provides study abroad, internships and research opportunities for students and faculty in the Bumpers College. With an office at the Scottish Agricultural College in Edinburgh, Barclay coordinates educational links and exchanges with universities and agencies throughout Europe.

Barclay said funds for international exchanges and student research are highly competitive. He said that the U.S.-EU project is a step forward, and it shows a strong faculty commitment to international education.

“Andy Proctor took the initiative and secured funding to encourage more students to participate in international programs,” Barclay said. “He has involved not only students in the Bumpers College but students in other colleges as well.”

The U.S.-EU project also has a faculty exchange component. In January, Proctor along with Dr. Ya-Jane Wang, department of food science; Dr. Michael Popp, department of agricultural economics and agribusiness, and Dr. Jerry King, department of chemical engineering, visited Gent to teach in a two-week course on biomaterials. Proctor said 50 students from 20 European and U.S. universities attended the course.

In the second year of the project, Proctor said five U.S. students and eight EU students will participate in the transatlantic exchange. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. students conducted research on starch modification, industrial biodiesel production and economics, biodegradable plastic production and the use of natural flavors to enhance food products. 

“We want to produce clean, economic and renewable resources from carbohydrates, wood, lipids and proteins,” Proctor said. “Student mobility provides the needed ingredient for the international training and education required in this rapidly changing area of technology.”

This fall semester, food science student John Stephen O’Brien will study and conduct research at the University of Gent and Mark Reiter, Ph.D. student in crop, soil and environmental sciences, will be going next spring.

“Mark is working on a way to make a value added fertilizer out of raw poultry litter,” said Dr. Tommy Daniel, professor in the department of crop, soil and environmental sciences.  “We hope to arrange continuation of that research in Gent.”

 Five European students will be on campus this fall in Bumpers College or the College of Engineering, and two students from Gent and three from Graz will be in Fayetteville for the spring 2007 semester.