Four From University are 1996-97 Fulbright Scholars

Four University faculty members in the fields of geography and planning, political science, writing, and social welfare will be, are currently, or have just concluded lecturing and researching as American Fulbright Scholars for 1996-97.

Ray Bromley of the Department of Geography and Planning will be lecturing and researching at the National University of Engineering in Lima, Peru, from April to August. His focus, as listed by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars in Washington D.C, is "Alternative Models for Grass-Roots Planning and Community Development."

"I'll also be working at DESCO, one of Peru's leading think tanks, and I'll be making various trips within Peru, and also one to Santiago, Chile, to conduct seminars," said Bromley. "At each of these spots I'll have opportunities for research, but of course I have to sing for my supper as well. That's part of the bargain."

Bromley said his research will be extensive, and lead to a three-part series of journal articles on the rise and fall of national planning in Peru. "The research will also be included in broader things I've been doing that are more international in scope," he said. "I'm looking at the balance between national and regional planning and community development, and in Peru there have been great changes in that balance over the last 40 years."

Judith A. Gillespie of the Department of Political Science has been at the Hanguk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, South Korea, since September and is scheduled to complete her stay there in March. Her subjects for lecturing and research are American politics and comparative public policy.

Stephen M. North, director of writing in the Department of English, also began his Fulbright in September. Lecturing at both the University of Turku and Abo Akademi University in Finland, he will conclude his work in June. His topic is the "Role of Writing in American Higher Education," subjects within these universities' American studies programs.

Lynn Videka-Sherman, dean of the School of Social Welfare, returned in January from lecturing and conducting research on clinical social work and family planning and clinical services at the Burgas Free University in Burgas, Bulgaria. She began her Fulbright in September.

"It's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience � a terrific opportunity," said Videka-Sherman. "I was telling a colleague only today that for faculty members who do not have expertise in international studies, a Fulbright is an invaluable way to conduct research abroad."

Videka-Sherman not only was aware of the historical significance in seeing Bulgaria today, "a country disintegrating even as we speak," she was privileged to help develop a discipline that may survive the nation's political and economic woes. "Social work is brand new in the countries of the former Soviet Bloc," she said. "I was at the first national meeting of the Bulgarian of Social Workers that was formulating social work policy � a field that in Bulgaria is in its infancy. We made great strides toward developing the first social work curriculum and to establish social work standards for the profession."

Like many Fulbright scholars, Videka-Sherman not only used the opportunity to view her field from new historical and international perspectives, but to establish potential research and instructional collaborations between the University at Albany and higher educational institutions in foreign lands.

Edward B. Blanchard of the University's Center for Stress and Anxiety Disorders was recently awarded a four-year grant for $964,000 by the National Institutes of Mental Health to evaluate psychological treatments for survivors of serious motor vehicle accidents.

Blanchard, a faculty member of the Department of Psychology, stated that "we have previously shown that up to 40% of survivors of serious motor vehicle accidents develop post-traumatic stress disorder and about a quarter of these individuals give up all, or almost all, driving."

"We have been developing short term psychological treatments for these affected accident survivors. Now the Federal Government has given us the funds to evaluate these treatments."

Blanchard and his colleagues hope to recruit about 100 accident survivors from the Capital District over the next three years. Eligibility is limited to accident survivors who are three months to two years post-accident and who received medical care for their injuries in the accident.

All assessments and treatments will be free of charge. The therapy will be conducted by licensed psychologists and will last for about ten weeks. Blanchard added that "Much of the grant goes to pay for the assessments and treatments so that it costs the accident survivor nothing but his or her time."

Two University alumni and staff have been appointed administrative assistant for the 1997 Summer Planning Conference for incoming students and their families, it was announced by Mary L. Schimley, director of orientation in the Division of Student Affairs.

John Baynes, B.A. '93, M.S. '95, is currently a residence hall director on Dutch Quadrangle. He has been an instructor of two education counseling and psychology courses which focus on counseling and community building techniques.

Shai Brown, B.A. '93, M.S. '96, is currently a residence hall director on State Quadrangle. Last summer she was program assistant coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, where she helped plan and implement the Summer Bridge And Connections supplemental orientation programs.

"We look forward to both John and Shai bringing their knowledge of the University as former students and as employees with strong experience in programming and training to bear on this year's Summer Planning Conference programs," said Schimley.