Illinois International News

University of Illinois International Achievement Awards Winners Recognized for 2008

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will honor the 2008 International Achievement Award winners at the International Achievement Awards Banquet the evening of April 16 at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center. 

Dr. Bo Zhang, winner of the Madhuri and Jagdish Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement, will speak that morning at 9 a.m. in the main ballroom at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center.  Dr. Zhang is currently the chairman and chief executive officer of American Electronic Products Inc. and chairman of the Ningbo Bosheng Precision Machinery Co. Ltd. and Bestech Abrasives Co. Ltd.  His lecture is titled “Empowerment of a World-Class Education at Illinois and Its Relevance in a Global Economy.”

The 2008 Illinois International Achievement Award winners are:

• Dr. Bo Zhang – recipient of the Madguri and Jagdish Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement
• Dr. Clifford Singer – recipient of the Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award for International Achievement
• Dr. Elizabeth Pierre-Louis – recipient of the Charles C. Stewart International Young Humanitarian Award
• Rachel Garai – recipient of the Illinois International Graduate Achievement Award
• Muffadel Saylawala – recipient of the Illinois International Undergraduate Achievement Award

Established in 2000, the Madguri and Jagdish Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement is awarded each year to one of the University’s distinguished international alumni who has helped to better their own nation or the world through their contributions to government, humanity, science, art, or human welfare.  Dr. Bo Zhang, the 2008 recipient, graduated from the University with an M.S. and Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering in 1992 and 1999, respectively.

Dr. Zhang’s endeavors in his home country of China have helped to stir economic development in the country, as well as provide jobs and disaster relief to many of its citizens.  Dr. Zhang founded the Tiajin Dinglee Electrical and Mechanical Products Company, which developed specialized hydraulic rescue tools for the Chinese market.  These tools were used during the Sichuan earthquake relief efforts and are used by the majority of China’s highway and fire protection agencies.

Furthermore, Dr. Zhang has concentrated his economic efforts in his home province of Gansu, where he established the Lanzhou Boya Feed Company.  One of the company’s many endeavors was the creation of a three-way crossbred sheep that improved the quality of the lamb as well as reduced its cost.  The company, which is now one of the largest feed companies in China, has been praised for creating jobs and raising the standard of living throughout the local community of 1.75 million people.

The Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award for International Achievement will be presented to Dr. Clifford Singer of the College of Engineering.  This annual award acknowledges the work of a current University faculty member for exemplary work in teaching, research, and public service in the international arena.  Dr. Singer, professor of nuclear, plasma, and radiological engineering, was the director of the Program in Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security on campus for eight years.  He also led the University’s efforts in pursuing the MacArthur Foundation Grant for study in international security and related policy.

Dr. Elizabeth Pierre-Louis is the Charles C. Stewart International Young Humanitarian Award recipient for 2008.  Dr. Pierre-Louis received her Master’s degree from the Graduate School of Information and Library Sciences in 2003.  Upon graduation, she returned to her home country of Haiti.  There, she took the position as the director of library programs with the Fondation Connaissance et Liberté, a program that has aided in the tremendous growth of community libraries in the area.

Rachel Garai who will receive the Illinois International Graduate Achievement Award, is currently a graduate student in College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.  Garai, a Glenview, Illinois native, coordinated an entire South African study abroad experience for undergraduates in the College last summer.  This included planning the logistics of the course, selecting the text materials, and scheduling everything from wildlife sightseeing excursions to lectures.

The Illinois International Undergraduate Achievement Award recognizes an undergraduate student who has made a significant contribution while participating in study abroad opportunities.  This year’s winner, Orland Park native Muffadel Saylawala, is a junior in the College of Business.  He has been to 30 countries, many of which he visited while studying abroad through University programs.  For one of these trips, Saylawala participated in three different internships in Kenya the summer after his freshman year.

Economics Department Hosts Conference Examining Iranian Economy

By Matt VanderZalm

Iranian economists from universities around the world as well as a Nobel Laureate converged on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign December 11-13 to present their research and try and answer questions about the Iranian economy’s past, present, and future.

Probing topics such as sources of economic growth and stagnation, poverty and inequality, price subsidies, trade issues, the economic and social factors in presidential elections, and the oil market, the conference was organized by Program Committee co-chairman and Illinois economics professor Hadi Salehi Esfahani. He said the conference’s intent was to enable the leading economists interested in Iran to exchange views on current research on Iran, and Illinois was in a very good position to facilitate the process.

“Research on economics of Iran is not very advanced, and is behind some other developing countries,” Esfahani said. “Anything that can be done to advance people [in Iran] will also be positive for the rest of the world.”

He pointed to the current global economic downturn as proof of the interconnectedness of the world’s national economies. As an example, despite sanctions placing restrictions on military and technological product imports, Iran imports many agricultural products from the U.S. “Understanding the markets there helps us here,” he said.

While most Americans know of Iran as a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the production of crude oil is just one factor in the scope of Iran’s economy. The significance of oil in its economy isn’t what most might believe, Esfahani said.

“Oil is a major resource for Iran. It helps Iran import goods and technology and helps the country invest and consume more,” he said. “When oil prices go up, the Iranian economy generally does better. But over time, its significance has declined, the reason being that the rest of the economy has been growing.”

The oil revenue has also had some negative impact, according to Esfahani. Disputes over oil income have led to a lot of waste, and not all oil money has gone to investment critical to the growth of Iran’s economy.

In addition to purely economic issues, one session of the conference looked at the 2005 Iran Presidential election. Using an economic model for analyzing data from the election, Esfahani was able to shed some light on why voters opted for the hardline candidate Ahmadinejad over moderate opponent Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Some analysts believed that statistical evidence suggested the poor did not disproportionately vote against Ahmadinejad, while others believe election fraud was the key ingredient in elevating him to power. But a closer examination of the data reveals that perhaps these beliefs are flawed, according to Esfahani.

“Once we control for some key variables, the results changed,” said Esfahani, who pointed out that ethnic minorities tended to vote against Ahmadinejad, and those minorities tend to be poor. As for the implication of impropriety during the election, he said irregularities cannot explain the 62 percent to 36 percent margin. “The size of the majority was just way too big to be explained by fraud,” he said

Illinois’ conference on the Iranian economy is just the first step organizers have taken to address the issue. A similar conference is in the works at the University of Southern California next September, and a third will likely occur at the University of Chicago, the home of Nobel Laureate Gary Becker, a conference participant. The 1992 winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Becker was one of first economists to use economics methods to address topics outside the discipline, especially sociological problems. “His presence at Illinois’ conference provided a valuable contribution. He provided commentary that was invaluable, and he raised the scientific level of the conference,” Esfahani said.

William Brustein, associate provost for international affairs at Illinois, said he hopes the relationship between the University and Iran can be further strengthened in the future. A conference such as December’s on Iran’s economy is exactly what Illinois needs to do more of, he said.

“Iran has such a rich history and culture, and they are such a major presence, not just in the Middle East but in the World,” Brustein said. “Unfortunately, Iran is a country that the average American tends to be very ignorant about.”

Overall, Iran and the University of Illinois have had a long history of academic collaboration, beginning in the early 1920’s when Ernest L. Bogart, the prominent Head of Illinois’ Department of Economics at the time, acted as an adviser on banking and currency to the Iranian government and is credited with having aided materially in Persian monetary matters.

More recently, Illinois has trained more Iranian PhD economics students than any other institution outside Iran. In addition, Illinois boasts more Iranian faculty members than any other American university, Esfahani said.

The conference on Iran’s economy was sponsored the Department of Economics and the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Illinois in association with the Center for Global Studies at Illinois, the American Institute for Iranian Studies, H.A.N.D. Research Foundation, and the Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance.

French Ambassador Speaks at Illinois to Kick Off EU Week

By Matt VanderZalm

While France has had disagreements with the U.S. as well as its European Union allies, those relationships remain as strong as ever, despite constant challenges and a changing world.

That was the message from Pierre Vimont, Ambassador of France to the United States, who opened the European Union Center’s 10th anniversary at Illinois in October with two addresses separately aimed to discuss the future of the EU and trans-Atlantic relations. He emphasized productive dialog as the key to future cooperation between long time allies.

“[The U.S. and France] have had our differences on economic, security, and trade issues, and every time we’ve managed to step around the table and find a way to get through them,” Vimont said. “We have to work together to find new ways of working together.”

The former chief of staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in France, Vimont mentioned a number of issues the trans-Atlantic allies will have to address in the coming years, including cooperation with Russia, climate change, and the economic recession that has hit the global economy. But he feels that the strong partnership will remain as such despite these obstacles.

“We still share the same values. We still believe in a strong democracy,” Vimont said.

The French ambassador also shared his thoughts regarding the future of NATO, which is embroiled in a conflict with insurgent forces in Afghanistan. While Vimont feels there is still a strong likelihood that the operation will be deemed a success in the long run, there is a need for members to more accurately clarify its purpose.

“NATO has never been set up to deal with economic and social development,” said Vimont. “Should it remain a military organization? Should it be more political? There is a need to redefine its purpose.”

In an earlier discussion focusing on the EU’s future, Vimont laid out the goals of France’s six-month presidency of that body. He said the three major topics open for dialogue include immigration issues, security and defense, and improved relations with Mediterranean countries. But he cautioned that often agendas are set by unexpected events rather than a carefully established list of goals. He pointed to the crisis in Georgia this past summer, where forces clashed with Russian troops over two contested territories, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

“Suddenly, you’re dealing with a situation where you must concentrate on [the crisis], and other matters get pushed to the background,” Vimont said.

Also participating in the opening panel was Dr. Robert Zischg, Consul General of Austria (Chicago). He echoed Vimont’s sentiments that relations remain close among EU members, calling it a “family, with some old-timers and some newcomers.” But with such a large “family” (the EU has 27 members), it comes as no surprise that there are occasional disagreements within its members, he said.

“It’s not easy to reach a consensus among everyone,” said Zischg. “But the situation in Georgia showed how quickly 26 members plus one bus driver can move.”

Consuls General from the Netherlands, Ireland, Czech Republic, as well as a minister from the European Commission to the U.S. also participated in the discussion.

Other events during EU Week included two symposia, one addressing the global financial crisis and its effect on the currencies of the U.S. and Europe, the other examining new strategic dynamics between the U.S., the EU, and Russia after the presidency of George W. Bush. In addition, Bevier Café hosted “Taste of Europe,” during which the University community was able to sample fare from around Europe, such as panzella from Italy, moussaka from Greece, and caldeirada, a fish stew with potatoes, from Portugal.

Illinois Provost Linda Katehi, who introduced Vimont prior to his keynote address, emphasized the commitment the University has made to study abroad programs in Europe as well opportunities for faculty and students to bring back knowledge and expertise here for them to become successful.

“The EUC is an important part of our University’s commitment to global engagement and has become a campus focal point for teaching, research, and outreach programs [related to Europe],” Katehi said.

The European Union Center was founded in 1998 at Illinois as one of the ten original EU centers in the country. In 2003, the U.S. Department of Education designated the EUC as a Title VI National Resource Center.

By Stephanie Saladino

The Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (CSAMES) and the Center for Global Studies (CGS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have been awarded a $50,000 Social Science Research Council (SSRC) Carnegie Grant titled "Illinois Outreach Network on Islam in the World."

The SSRC has awarded funding totaling $591,487 to ten universities, representing 27 National Resource Centers in response to a call for proposals for outreach activities undertaken by Title VI National Resource Centers on U.S. campuses, with a special thematic focus on "Islam and Muslims in World Contexts." Harvard University, The Ohio State University, and the University of Chicago were among the other institutions also awarded grants.

The goal of the program is to support activities that succeed in disseminating the insights of academic research to the general public, and to encourage public scholarship by facilitating communication between scholars and a variety of constituents. The grant is to be used over a 12-month period to enhance existing programs on campus or to develop new activities that promote understanding of Muslim societies.

Ritu Saksena, associate director of CSAMES, pointed to three initiatives that will be funded by the grant: activate and institutionalize an informal statewide network of scholars on the Middle East in Illinois; launch a Speakers Bureau and Web site dedicated to outreach; and coordinate a shared Speaker Series and a traveling Film Series that will move between different sites and audiences within the state.

"For us, intellectual engagement is enriched through efforts like this," said Saksena. "We want to share the resources we have, but to also receive more resources from the greater community."

Saksena said there is a need for information and communication about the Middle East throughout institutions of higher learning in central and southern Illinois. She said the program has received support from university faculty throughout the area.

Karen Hewitt, outreach coordinator for the Center for Global Studies, said CGS
will be working with CSAMES to develop the speaker's bureau and a series of lectures for the campus and the greater community. Working with community organizations such as Parkland College, Urbana Free Library, the Peoria Area World Affairs Council and similar organizations in the state, administrators from CGS and CSAMES plan to present educational and accessible talks on Islam and Muslims in a global context.

The SSRC Carnegie Grant is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Department of Education Title VI program dedicated to international education and public education. For more information on this and other SSRC programs, visit the Web site at http://www.ssrc.org/.

International Award Winners Honored at Achievement Awards Banquet April 2
Each year, the University of Illinois honors a few individuals whose lives and careers exemplify a robust engagement within the international arena. The awards are intended both to publicly recognize the winner's achievements in philanthropic, humanitarian, and scholarly work and to inspire members of the Illinois community through that recognition. Winners for 2007 are:

Administrators Seek New Opportunities for Study Abroad

By Stephanie Saladino

Study abroad is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to learn and live amongst a different culture. Though the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a nationwide leader, ranking fifth nationally in the number of students that study abroad, administrators continue to look at ways to enhance study abroad opportunities even further.

Dr. William Brustein, the associate provost for international affairs and director of International Programs and Studies (IPS), pointed to greater student participation, better funding, heightened student safety and security, improved communication vis-a-vis colleges, and the study abroad office and more faculty participation as some of the overarching goals for study abroad.

The current participation among academically-eligible students for study abroad is 26 percent, or about 2,000 students. One of the major objectives is to increase those numbers to around 50 percent, or around 4,000 students, while still maintaining the quality of the program, Brustein said.

Erika Ryser, associate director of Student International Academic Affairs (SIAA), Illinois' study abroad office, pointed to several strategies to increase student participation. Though student participation has been increasing, the study abroad office is working with the admissions office to give potential students incentives to enroll in the university because of comprehensive study abroad opportunities.

"Study abroad is one of the benefits of studying at this university," said Ryser. "It is so complete and widespread."

Brustein said funding is another major challenge. Some major objectives are to produce more scholarships and subsidize the cost for students, while maintaining adequate staff levels to meet students' needs. Another goal is to become more entrepreneurial in finding ways to bring in more funding, he said.

Ryser pointed to more equitable funding between colleges within the university as a way to improve financial support for study abroad. She said IPS has created the position of Director of Development for International Initiatives, in charge of developing funding specifically for IPS. Ryser said she hopes this new position will increase the desired fundraising and gift campaigns for study abroad.

Students have also initiated their own efforts to raise funds through an undergraduate study abroad student fee that appeared on the ballot for the 2008 Illinois Student Senate elections, said Brustein. Roughly 67 percent of student voters approved the $5 refundable fee.

The additional money will go to fellowships for students, and may also help to persuade the university to match what the students provide. It will be a shared effort with students and the administration to help offset the high cost for studying abroad, said Brustein.

Ryser said the creation of the fee was a joint effort between students and the study abroad office. After an arduous process of receiving over 2,000 signatures and getting the approval of the Student Senate, another campaign process had to be initiated to get people to not only vote in the elections, but to approve the $5 fee.

"I consider it to be a huge victory for the students," said Ryser. "It is a fairly unique and substantial fund. I think it will really make a difference in students' lives."

Brustein also cited student safety and security as well as faculty knowledge about these risks as a main concern. IPS plans to implement a major task force that handles issues of security and creates reports for Brustein to present to the Council of Deans. Currently, there is not a central office of risk management to receive up-to-date information on issues of safety.

"Our number one concern is that our students do not worry about safety risks when they go abroad," said Brustein. "We want them to have an experience of a lifetime."

The U.S. State Department does not provide enough nuanced information about safety and security for students studying abroad. To better provide for students and faculty, Brustein said students need comprehensive security information about the conditions of regions and cities within certain countries.

Ryser also mentioned some of the improvements Study Abroad wishes to make regarding security information."Instead of the U.S. State Department as an end all be all, it would act as a trigger to a series of conversations about student safety," said Ryser.

Another goal is to assess the proper role of the central Study Abroad office vis-a-vis the individual colleges, most of which have their own Study Abroad offices, said Brustein. One of the administration's challenges is to efficiently communicate between the offices to avoid redundancies

The Study Abroad Administrative Committee (SAAC) has undergone a series of conversations about how the central office can better communicate with study abroad administrators, said Ryser. One improvement that could be made is more communication with the colleges regarding professional development in Study Abroad.

IPS officials also hope to increase faculty participation to design and lead study abroad programs. This year, a new program has been launched to increase faculty development and involvement in the form of a competition. Faculty will compete to design or revise an existing study abroad program. The board is currently reviewing the 20 applications that were submitted.

The faculty who receive awards will not only be provided with the funds to design and develop their programs, but will also have the opportunity to travel and to address personal research and teaching interests.

New programs are also being developed that are multi-country and thematically driven. "Students with interests like climatic change, economic modernization, global health or sustainable development will have a faculty-lead program focusing on that issue from the perspective of two to three countries," said Brustein. "It is a new frontier in study abroad. We want to expand the menu for students to have these kinds of choices."

Brustein noted several ways in which staff can become more involved in studying abroad. One option is for faculty to teach a course at Illinois for a semester and then have the opportunity to create a two, three or four-week add-on where the students will be able to travel with faculty to continue what they had studied during the course. For short-term stays, faculty may also have the opportunity to set up guest lectures with major leaders in their fields.

"For example, a class on social inequality would learn about inequities in theoretical or conceptual terms during the semester," said Brustein. "Students would then have the opportunity to go with the faculty member to see what it is like in Brazil, Argentina, or Colombia."

Buss Named One of Six CAPE Award Recipients

By Stephanie Saladino

Carol Buss, director of the Office of International Faculty and Staff Affairs, has been selected as one of the six recipients of the Chancellor's Academic Professional Excellence (CAPE) Award this year. The CAPE award recognizes excellence by academic professionals and staff at the Champaign-Urbana campus, including off-campus staff of Continuing Education and Public Service, and Cooperative Extension Service.

Working with a small group of faculty and staff, Buss handles green card applications and works with other visa categories such as the O Visa, an outstanding scholar visa, to bring international staff and faculty into the university. Buss also participates in committees and workshops to demystify the immigration process and to give departments sensible information on the hiring process.
Michael Schmelzle works closely with Buss as the assistant director of International Student and Scholar Services. Schmelzle said Buss has a willingness to go beyond the call of duty. Buss gives personalized treatment to individuals, often sacrificing her own time.

"Carol is a wonderful person, a decent human being, a good boss and calm under stressful situations," said Schmelzle.

Buss' ingenuity has brought in faculty and staff that the university would not have acquired without her assistance, said Schmelzle. Since Buss has been director, not one green card application for a potential staff or faculty member has been denied, he said.

The CAPE award honors contributions by outstanding academic professional staff members. Nominees are judged in three criteria: work, personal and professional contributions. Each winner receives $2,000 in cash for personal use and a $1,000 permanent salary increase. In addition, $1,000 will be added to each winner's departmental budget on a one-time basis.

APIA Lauds Illinois Students for Study Abroad Fee Vote

(The following letter appeared in the Daily Illini and the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette)

While the University of Illinois student elections held the last week of February on the Urbana-Champaign campus received a good deal of press because of the non-binding resolution concerning the status of Chief Illiniwek, the results of another very important ballot question have not received the same attention. The students voted to tax themselves $5 a semester to provide additional study abroad scholarships to their peers. The Study Abroad measure passed by a vote of 6,347 to 2,992. The study abroad fee is refundable for any student choosing not participate.

The new study abroad fee is expected to generate some $300,000 a year and will be used to create new scholarship awards.

U of I students should be saluted for their generosity, which will enable a good number of new students to enlarge their world views and expand their cultural horizons. Currently, the U of I ranks fifth in the nation in terms of the number of undergraduates who study abroad. In 2006-2007, the latest year for which statistics have been compiled, approximately 2,000 U of I undergraduates studied abroad. The university continues to invest in creating new study abroad opportunities. Chancellor Richard Herman has challenged the campus to double the number of students who study abroad within the next five years and has said he is committed to eventually making study abroad opportunities available to U of I undergraduates, regardless of financial status.

Such a goal is highly desirable not only for U of I undergraduates themselves but as a "giant step" toward fostering world peace and understanding, one student at a time.

William I. Brustein

University of Illinois

Associate Provost for International Affairs

Illinois Awarded Prestigious National Honor as Elite Global University

Conference Aims to Bring Global Focus to Classroom
by Stephanie Saladino

Somewhere in an American classroom, students right now are memorizing the U.S. Constitution preamble, pledging allegiance before the flag, or reading "Huckleberry Finn." While American school curriculum has always tended to emphasize these traditions, some educators are taking steps to bring a more global focus into their classrooms.

On Feb. 7-9, the 7th Annual International Studies School Association (ISSA) Conference was held in Chicago and Itasca, IL. ISSA sponsored the conference in conjunction with the Illinois International High School Initiative (IHSI). Aimed at teaching K-12 teachers ways to infuse curriculum with international perspectives, the conference included presentations in math, science, language arts, world languages, social studies and fine arts.

During the conference, participants were introduced to content providers that specialize in international programs for K-12 education; participated in presentations on various technologies that can link classrooms across the world; and visited a Chicago school with an exceptional international studies program.

Karen Hewitt, the outreach coordinator for the Center for Global Studies at Illinois since January 2007, has guided the development of the IHSI. The Center for Global Studies is designated a National Resource Center for the study of globalization under a Title VI grant of the Department of Education.

"Topics such as the economy, the environment and disease don't just affect Americans, but all people in the world," said Hewitt. "Questions of international interest are increasingly intertwined."

The itinerary for the ISSA Conference began with a visit to Walter Payton High School in Chicago, designated as an IHSI International High School and the 2007 winner of the Goldman Sachs prize for Excellence in Education. Participants in the K-8 category also had the option of attending a presentation called, "Teaching About the Arab World," which provided teachers with background and methods to teach their students about the historic and contemporary Arab World.

On Feb. 8 and 9, participants engaged in various sessions focusing on global issues. Arabic language learning, online communication tools and globalization, and immigration in the European Union were among the opportunities for educators. Featured speakers included Jimmie Briggs, Goodwill Ambassador and U.N. Special Envoy for Children & Armed Conflict, and Andrew Revkin, New York Times Columnist and acclaimed author.

The conference hosts, ISSA and IHSI, focus on bringing international ideas and globally minded teaching into American classrooms. Because the ISSA Conference was hosted in Illinois, this is the first year that the ISHI has helped in the conferences' development and preparation.

"Teachers that attended the Conference were motivated to teach interesting classes," said Hewitt. "It's a good place for the ISHI to be."

Because of the conferences' success, Hewitt said the ISHI plans on participating in the future.

"We are making connections with other organizations that we can partner with in reaching professional development. We want to know what teachers are interested in and to develop programs for their needs," said Hewitt. "The Conference gave us both of those."

The IHSI, administered by the Center for Global Studies (CGS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, also concentrates on internationally focused teaching methods and community engagement. It provides secondary school teachers and students with the resources to expand understanding of global issues, and improves teachers' ability to integrate curriculum with an international focus. International High Schools throughout Illinois, which have integrated these ideas in their curriculum, provide their students with coursework and extracurricular activities with enhanced international content. The ISSA, administered by the Center for Teaching International Relations at the University of Denver Graduate School of International Studies, is a national network of K-12 schools dedicated to improving students' awareness of the world. Membership includes a variety of schools across the United States and Mexico.

Focus the Nation, Climate Change Teach-In Come Together on Illinois Campus
by Natalie Carino

With unusual and unpredictable weather in North America, and droughts in Asia, global warming is making its presence known. These manifestations of climate change come as a warning, and it is time to take notice.

Engineers without Borders sponsored a brown bag lecture titled "Inconvenient Truths About an Inconvenient Truth" on Tuesday, January 29, at the Illini Union. The event was cosponsored by the Center for Global Studies and the Urbana Free Library.

The lecture, led by Clifford Singer, professor of nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering, is part of Focus the Nation, a national teach-in with the goal of engaging millions of students and citizens with political leaders and decision makers about global warming solutions, according to their Web site.

In coordination with Focus the Nation, a Climate Change Teach-In was held January 30 at the Urbana Free Library Auditorium. There was also a showing of the Academy Award-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" on January 30, at the Natural History Building. The documentary film presented by United States Vice President Al Gore, discusses the impact of global warming.

Karen Hewitt, outreach coordinator for the Center for Global Studies, believes climate change is a pressing issue and the Center for Global Studies wanted to bring community and campus attention to the problem.

During the last week of January, universities, high schools, middle schools and organizations around the country hosted events pertaining to global warming and climate change. These events are held in hopes of informing and educating the public about the problems and solutions to this global issue.

If greenhouse gas emissions are not stabilized soon, there may be a collapse of the West Antarctic and Greenland Ice sheets. This would raise global sea levels, threatening major cities. Climate change also affects weather intensity and duration, according to FocusTheNation.org.

One solution that Focus the Nation presents is the "Two percent solution," which states developing countries need to cut roughly two percent of current emission levels each year for the next 40 years to hold global warming to the low end of three to four degrees Fahrenheit.

The talk, "Inconvenient Truths about an Inconvenient Truth", discussed nine claims about global climate change. One claim, meeting the Millennium Challenge, is most vital in alleviating potential human suffering brought on by climate change, according to Singer.

The challenge calls for working in underdeveloped countries to keep a fifth of the world's population out of poverty. Singer believes that we need to rebalance the focus on carbon emissions.

"The Millennium Challenge and migration need more attention," he said.

He believes the United States has an ethical responsibility when it comes to helping people in developing countries deal with the effects of climate change since we are a major contributor to global warming.

Michael Schlesinger, professor of atmospheric sciences, says global warming and climate change are unique and that we must address the problem now.

"What we have to do is make a transition from a carbon dioxide emitting civilization to a non carbon dioxide emitting civilization," Schlesinger said.

According to Schlesinger, people can lessen their carbon dioxide emissions by simply altering their daily habits. Instead of receiving bills by mail, people can receive them online to lessen paper usage. When traveling, people should inflate tires to the correct pressure and lighten their load. Even 100 pounds in a car increases gas consumption by 1-2 percent.

"Fossil fuels are a great gift to humanity, and if we didn't have them on this planet we would be perpetually in the dark ages," Schlesinger said. However, we are reversing nature's process and accelerating it faster than nature created the fossil fuels."

To Schlesinger, this problem is also becoming more urgent due to developing countries and population growth. In China and India, there are seven times more people than in the U.S. and on average those people use one-sixth as much energy as Americans.

If they develop as the U.S. has, China and India have the potential to emit 10 times more carbon dioxide than the whole world does now, he said. This makes the problem complex since countries wish to grow and develop, according to Schlesinger.

Even though it is hard to predict the future cause and effect of global warming, action needs to be taken, he said.

"Uncertainty is not a reason for doing nothing," Schlesinger said. "This is like buying climate change insurance."

Illinois Professor Honored for Biography of Mohandas Gandhi
by Matt VanderZalm

That body presented Gandhi, a visiting professor for the Program in South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and director of Global Crossroads, with the H. K. Barpujari Biennial National Award on Dec. 28, 2007 at the University of Delhi. He was awarded the prestigious honor based upon "outstanding research work during 2005-06," the IHC describing the biography of Mohandas Gandhi as "an authentic and critical narration."

Rajmohan Gandhi said he feels "more humble than proud" about the award, which was given on the eve of the American edition's publication. The book is due for print in February under the title "Gandhi: The Man, his People, and an Empire."

"It is humbling to be place in the category of this award's recipients," Gandhi said.

The Illinois professor, Mohandas' grandson, indicated that much of the research for the book was done at Illinois. He said he is "glad that the award provides yet another link" between India and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"With its incredible store of works on South Asia, the [Illinois] library was a wonderful resource for me in the more than daunting task of capturing a life that was often thought to be as elusive as it was famous," Gandhi said. "That the challenging subject was also my grandfather added to the size of the task."

According to its Web site, the Indian History Congress was established in 1935, and from its inception has remained the largest academic and professional body of Indian historians. It now has over 9000 members. As defined by its constitution, its primary objective is the "promotion and encouragement of the scientific study of Indian history". It holds annual sessions and publishes their proceedings mainly comprising research papers. It issues various publications, including monographs and collections of papers. It has sponsored the publication of a Comprehensive History of India, many volumes of which have been published.

The Indian History Congress stands for collaboration with historians throughout the world, and promotes the study in India of the history of other countries, according to the site.

CIBER Director Awarded Ordre des Palmes Academiques

by Matt VanderZalm

An Illinois faculty member has been presented with one of France's most prestigious honors.

Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) Director Randall Westgren was formally presented with the Ordre des Palmes Academiques, Dec. 17 in Champaign by Jean Pierre-Toutant, Science Attache from the French Consulate General in Chicago. Westgren, who is also head of the Business Administration Department and a professor in the College of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, was awarded the honor for advancing the culture and history of France, according to Toutant.

"Randy Westgren has been a key component in the collaboration between France and the University of Illinois," Toutant said. "He has been instrumental in furthering these collaborations around the U.S. universities, with Harvard among them. In short, he has been one of our best friends here at the University of Illinois."

Westgren was honored as a chevalier, or knight for his work in bringing French and American scientists and universities together. He said he was touched by the honor the French Consulate bestowed upon him.

"It will be my great pleasure to carry on the great relationship between the University of Illinois and France and its scientists," Westgren said.

Dr. William Brustein, Associate Provost for International Affairs, lauded Westgren for his work with study abroad and CIBER programs.

"This honor is well deserved. What he does for International Studies and CIBER is phenomenal," said Brustein.

The Ordre des Palmes Academiques is an Order of France to academics and educators. The order was created originally by Napoleon to honor eminent members of the University of Paris. It was re-established in 1955 by President Rene Coty and is one of the world's oldest civil awards.


Originally given only to teachers or professors, the scope of the award was widened in 1866 to include major contributions to French national education made by anyone in the world. It may now be awarded to anyone who has made such contributions to the expansion of French culture in the rest of the world.

Rhodes Finalist to Lead Students in Global Entrepreneurship Development Initiative in Croatia

by Matt VanderZalm and Goylette Chami

A group of students and faculty from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are doing their part to boost an emerging economy in Eastern Europe.

The group, members of the Global Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (GEDI), was founded by Goylette Chami, Illinois student and Rhodes Scholar finalist for 2008. Chami will lead 25 students and three professors on a study abroad program to Croatia in January, where the group will participate in a political conference, small enterprise projects, and other collaborative efforts with the micro-credit institution, NOA, and towns' representatives of Barany and Vukovar. The task at hand is to ultimately establish a micro-finance program targeting collegiate entrepreneurs of Croatia "to reduce reliance on governmental routes for development," according to Chami.

GEDI students will collaborate with Croatian students at the University of Osijek to analyze small business plans in the countries emerging economy. The collaboration will involve "examining the faults of the current business structure, methods of improvement and ways in which entrepreneurship can be incorporated to ensure success," Chami said.

Students making the voyage to Croatia were intrigued by the idea for a variety of reasons.

"I believe too often we see economic problems in the big picture. This program in Croatia will allow us to help on a small scale and help the larger problem," said Colin Darragh, Illinois junior in the Institute of Aviation and College of ACES. "It's one thing to donate money to world philanthropies but quite another to dive into a small country and try to help on a micro-financing level. We are helping from the ground up; that is what GEDI is all about."

Fraser Kinnear, junior in accountancy and finance, added that much can be gained from a trip with a purpose like GEDIs. "I love to travel, and have never been to Croatia. More importantly, I am very interested in micro-finance and its potential impact on the world's poor. I felt that this would be an incredible learning experience in both areas," said Kinnear.

Chami said GEDI students will also meet with national government officials and local representatives from Croatia, to allow participants to better understand their mindset, especially since those officials are often blamed for unsuccessful development schemes. She said GEDI hopes to establish Croatia as a "model project for nearby programs in surrounding countries, such as Hungary." As to why she chose Croatia to launch her program, she said it is about helping a country that truly needs the assistance to continue to grow.

"I chose [Croatia] to expand the conventional definition of micro-financing to include emerging economies characterized by poorly functioning judiciary systems and inadequately established property rights," Chami said.

In addition to the Illinois students travel to Croatia, a program is being designed where the Croatian students participate in activities at Illinois in the Fall to complement the UI students' travels to Croatia in the Spring. "The program would be incomplete without the opportunity for Croatian students to learn about development from American culture," Chami said.

The project in Croatia is just one of the Illinois student initiatives overseas. Chami is also working on the Ugandan Well Initiative, which utilizes faculty research on water-borne diseases to establish closed wells in Africa. She will conduct meetings in Ramura, Uganda to foster this grass-roots initiative.

The Cosmopolitan Club: Over 100 Years of Bringing Students Together

by Colleen Kelly

With a sultry middle-eastern beat resonating from their instruments, a group of Turkish men sat in a circle singing folk songs. A few Turkish girls stood up and began twirling and swirling in rhythm to the music, and "I could see that they felt as comfortable and free in the Cosmopolitan House as they would if they were at home at a relative's house during a holiday," said Andrea Shields, executive director of the Cosmopolitan Club at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "There was something of an ancient feeling to it, as if what we were participating in connected us through past centuries of so many others singing the same songs."

The Cosmopolitan Club, located at 307 E. John St. in Champaign, has been a home base for international students and inspired countless intercultural experiences from students from all over the world since its founding in 1907. The goal of the club for the past 100 years has been to encourage social and intellectual exchange and discussion between American and foreign students, and working to avoid segregation into national cliques. It's been a place of fellowship to students whose social welcome to a campus has often been one of indifference.

Cosmo Club continues to encourage sharing of cultural traditions and exchanging of ideas and friendships."We believe that breaking bread together, in an informal, friendly, home-like environment is a good step towards the realization that all people share many common values, Shields said.

This belief, reflected in the club's motto "Above All Nations is Humanity", is the inspiration behind most of the events the club sponsors. From international-themed dinners where groups of students take turns preparing dinners traditional to their home nations, to weekly coffee hours where casual conversations turn into deep discussions, international students forge friendships and understandings of different backgrounds and nationalities.

Fifteen international and American students live in the house each semester, but thousands pass through and consider the Cosmopolitan Club a home base each year, Shields said. One of the most important events, the weekly coffee hour, exposes students to music, homemade food, dancing and a PowerPoint presentation of information about the country and culture of those putting on the presentation.

Another popular event, a game night sponsored by ISSS, also promotes learning. Teams are formed at small tables throughout the house and players must answer questions of an international nature. Winners receive prizes at the end of the evening, and traditional American cuisine (pizza!) is served.

One of Shields' favorite events is coming up this season. The St. Nicholas coffee hour, which is held the first Thursday of every December, brings in students from countries that celebrate this saint's day. They share homemade food, help trim the Cosmo Christmas tree and sing carols around the Steinway Grand piano in the living room.

Shields, who has been part of the Cosmo Club since 1989 and served as its executive director for the past 12 years, said she has seen continuity throughout the years of the club's mission to serve the needs of the international students at U of I. She said she has learned a lot as well, because the events are informal and social, like having people into your room, there is a bit of surprise and something different every week.

And while each culture has special attributes and gifts to share, nothing beats the food. Over the years Shields has had the chance to sample many amazing ethnic dishes, but she enjoys watching its preparation the most: "Being in the kitchen beforehand when the cooks are preparing the food on the trays to set out, and everyone is talking a mile-a-minute in their native languages, whether in German, Japanese, Croatian, Russian, Spanish or Polish, I always get the sense of being in a kitchen at that very moment IN the country of the language being spoken," she said.

Large Crowd Hears Experts Ponder India's Future

by Matt VanderZalm

The future of India has the potential to be very bright, but coming up with solutions to important problems will be critical to the south Asia nation's success and continued economic growth in the 21st Century.

That is the consensus of expert panelists at the recently concluded symposium "India Sixty: The Critical Questions" hosted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Nov. 2-3. One common theme that crept up during the conference was India's economic growth, and specifically how the current eight percent expansion can be sustained through the next decade.

"As Yogi Berra said, it's difficult to make predictions, especially about the future," said the Honorable Ashok K. Attri, Consul General of India. "We must abolish mass poverty and continue to grow at least 8-10 percent until 2020."

One panel, "The Indian Elephant in the Global Marketplace," featured talk of this growth and the increasing economic competition from China. T.N. Srinivasan, Samuel C. Park, Jr. Professor of Economics at Yale University, said China and India are the two fastest growing economies in the world since 1980. However, he sees China gaining the upper hand.

"Under current conditions and trends, China and India will combine for 52 percent of the world's GDP by 2040," Srinivasan said. "But that's with (according to American researcher Robert Fogel) China at 40 percent and India at 12 percent."

Dr. Jagdish Sheth, a former Illinois professor and currently Charles H. Kellstadt Chair of Marketing at Emory University, added that China and the United States are "at loggerheads whether we like it or not. India must develop a global mindset to compete."

He also mentioned that the industrial environment in India must stabilize to attract western investment. "The predictability of government policy is better in places like China or Dubai," Sheth said.

Another panel, "India and Global Security", focused on India's nuclear program and its diplomatic relationship with the United States and its neighbor, Pakistan. The U.S. and India signed a nuclear agreement in 2005, furthering diplomatic ties between the two nations. The pact has a number of benefits to both nations, according to Anupam Srivastava, director of the Asia Program at the Center for International Trade and Security (CITS), University of Georgia (UGA).

"The U.S. wants to maintain influence in Asia, and especially to hedge against future Chinese unilateration," said Srivastava. India needs to expand its nuclear program to provide energy for its continually growing and massive population, he said.

India's relationship with neighbor Pakistan, while often contentious in the past, has also been improving, according to Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, professor and chair of physics at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad.

"We're seeing relations as good as ever before (between the two countries)," Hoodbhoy said. "There has been increased trade; it's relatively easy for people to travel from one to the other."

Other panels explored India's industrial technology industry; India's ability to provide clean water to its massive population; the increasing cultural diversity; and the challenges ahead for supporting well over one billion people.

Dr. William Brustein, Associate Provost for International Affairs, said the symposium was meant to help accomplish a primary part of the university's mission to make Illinois a preeminent global university. He said it is important to have senior leadership committed to this mission.

"Our goal is for every student who leaves this university to leave globally competent and a global and creative thinker," Brustein said.

"India Sixty" marked several decades of campus engagement with India. The university was instrumental in the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur and agricultural universities at Pantnagar and Jabalpur. The symposium was one of the latest connections between the university and India, and was intended to strengthen and expand these connections.

Illinois Ranks First among Public Research Universities in Foreign Enrollment

by Matt VanderZalm

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has more international students than any public research university in the country, according to the highly-circulated Institute of International Education's annual Open Doors report released Monday. Among all research institutions, Illinois ranked fourth for the 2006-07 school year, up from sixth the previous year, with 5,685 foreign students. That figure puts Illinois nationally behind only the University of Southern California, Columbia University, and New York University, all private institutions.

The report also places Illinois fifth for total number of students studying abroad with 1,988, up from eighth last year. Illinois is the only U.S. institution of higher education ranking in the top ten in the three key metrics of international education: international student enrollment, total number of study abroad students, and the number of federally-funded Title VI National Resource Centers for international and area studies, according to statistics compiled by the Associate Provost for International Affairs'office. The improvements in national rank continue the university's progress toward becoming a true"global university."

"By the year 2050, I think the only universities to survive are going to be global universities," said Dr. William Brustein, Associate Provost for International Affairs, who believes Illinois might be a national leader.