Dean's Research Travel Colloquium

The Dean's Research Travel Colloquium furthers NYUSteinhardt's mission by

• Providing focus and opportunity for multi/interdisciplinary study, research and global travel outside of the regular classroom, with faculty and students who may be outside of one's major
• Introducing students to new perspectives on the human condition
• Building community across Steinhardt and among faculty, students, and adminstrators
• Nurturing student development and a sense of global citizenship

Description

The Dean's Research Travel Colloquium, another dimension of the NYUSteinhardt Scholars Program, offers outstanding sophomores, juniors and seniors enrolled in NYUSteinhardt a unique opportunity to explore questions, policy issues, and practices specific to their academic disciplines through study and international travel.

The final project of the faculty-led Colloquium is a research project dealing with an aspect of the Colloquium's organizing theme. Students develop and complete their research under the guidance of Colloquium faculty.

Prior to travel, Colloquium participants enroll in the Dean's Research Travel Colloquium Seminar, and meet several times (5-6) to explore issues to develop their research proposals. Seminar may include lectures, discussions, field trips, and cultural activities. In a concluding session (s) after travel, participants present the results of their research projects and the relevance of what they have learned to their academic program and emerging professional interests.

Travel destinations for the 2009-2010 Colloquia are:

Identities in Context: Perceptions and Realities

Istanbul, Turkey -- January 10-16, 2010

Humans and Nature

Athens, Greece -- March 14-21, 2010

Download the Dean's Research Travel Colloquium Guide for 2009

Download a Dean's Research Travel Colloquium application and a recommendation form.  **Current sophomore scholars may click here for an application.**   The deadline for applications is April 3, 2009.

Click here to learn more about past travel destinations from the 2008-2009 Colloquia

Click here to learn more about past travel destinations from the 2007-2008 Colloquia.

Click here to learn more about past travel destinations from the 2006-2007 Colloquia.

Identities in Context: Perceptions and Realities

Istanbul, Turkey
January 10-16, 2010

Professor of Applied Psychology Selcuk Sirin will explore the questions "How is Muslim identity perceived in the US? To what degree does this perception actually reflect the lives of Muslims?" Professor Sirin has chosen as the travel destination Istanbul, one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan and unique cities in the world; situated at the intersection of European, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures, Istanbul presents a diverse view of "the Muslim world" that range from jazz bars to folk clubs, from the largest spice bazaar in the world to the largest European mall.

Through the use of surveys or interviews, both in the US and in Turkey, students in the colloquium will systematically gather data on how young people tend to view Muslims. Once they generate their findings, students will verify some of their assumptions with data they will gather through their contacts in Turkey. Each student in the colloquium will be paired with a Turkish student who attends a college in Turkey and who is interested in the study of identity. Student pairs will then collaborate in the field gathering data from Turkish youth.

With this dual data-driven approach, NYUSteinhardt students will gain a deeper understanding of identity as a social construct in general and Muslim identity as a contextual phenomenon in particular. Additionally, students will be able to develop empirical research skills that will prepare them for their scholarly work in the future. At the end of this process, students will present their findings both in written reports and in oral presentations to the NYU community. It is the goal of the instructors of this colloquium to encourage students to publish their research both in popular and scholarly outlets.

Humans and Nature

Athens, Greece
March 14-21, 2010

Climate change, habitat loss, declining biodiversity and pollution are global environmental concerns affecting the well being of the planet. Humans and Nature is the theme for our ecological trip to Greece to explore connections between culture, tradition, and the environment. Under the leadership of Professor Mary Leou, who is also the Director of the NYU Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education, students will learn about environmental issues both here and abroad and consider the vital role that education plays in moving individuals and communities towards sustainable solutions. Greece provides a rich historical landscape to study the challenge of balancing economic development with sustainable practices.

Students will observe first hand how people connect and relate to nature in their own communities while learning about local ecology, wildlife, and the role of environmental education in school and non-school settings. We will examine sustainable practices that impact on the environment in both urban and rural areas in order to create a portrait of humans and nature. The colloquium will include a community service project, thus actively engaging participants in environmental stewardship. Students will return with a heightened awareness of the impact of human activity on the environment, a better understanding of their own ecological footprint, and a sense of global citizenship.

Accepted students: download the Travel Release and Medical Info forms by clicking here.