Promoting Undergraduate Research through

International Partnership – Undergraduate Research Abroad Program

at Bridgewater State University

Jing Tan (Social work), PhDTeresa King (Psychology), PhD

Benjamin Carson (English), PhD

The Undergraduate Research Abroad Program at BSU

• A collaborative effort of BSU's Center for International Engagement and the Office of Undergraduate Research.

• One faculty mentor collaborates with a small group of three or four students on a focused research or creative project, working together for three weeks at one of BSU's partner institutions around the world.

• The grant covers airfare, university housing, and most meals, plus stipends of $1,200 for each student and $1,700 for the faculty member.

• Available for the winter intersession and summer.

Objectives• Provides a unique opportunity to promote

an intensive student learning experience through international partnership. 

• Provides students and faculty great research and travel experience.

• Enhances the collegiality between BSU and its international partner universities.

Examples• In the summer of 2009, Dr. King led four psychology

students to Jordan to study body image in a Middle Eastern culture.

• In the summer of 2011, Dr. Tan of Social Work traveled with four students to China to research its aging population and conduct needs assessments of elder care.

• In the winter of 2012, Dr. Carson of English took four students to Cambodia to research Cambodian literature.

• Dr. Tan will focus on proposal writing and student mentoring for this type of research.

• Dr. King will discuss both the challenges and opportunities that her team encountered conducting psychological research in the Middle East.

• Dr. Carson will focus on the importance of Undergraduate Research Abroad for humanities.