2019 ASHS Annual Conference

Horticulture faculty and students who want to establish collaborations in Africa or Asia should first investigate programs at their home institution. Many universities have agreements with organizations outside of the United States, such as research institutes or universities, for research or teaching collaborations. In addition, there may be existing grant programs at your university that may include opportunities for students or faculty to assist.

The Horticulture Innovation Lab has a “Find a Collaborator” page on its website (http://horticulture.ucdavis.edu/find-collaborator) where you can look for individuals in your country of interest who are interested in collaborations. You can also post your information and indicate the types of collaborations you are interested in and your area of expertise. You should also consider signing up for newsletters from a range of potential funding agencies, including the Horticulture Innovation Lab to stay abreast of funding opportunities.

One of the best opportunities for faculty is the U.S. Fulbright Scholars Program. Fulbright offers nearly 470 teaching, research or combination teaching/research awards in over 125 countries. Opportunities are available for college and university faculty and administrators as well as for various professionals, independent scholars and many others. In addition to several new program models designed to meet the changing needs of U.S. academics and professionals, Fulbright is offering more opportunities for flexible, multi-country grants. In addition, there are numerous opportunities for both volunteer and paid consulting positions to provide short term technical assistance in many countries around the world. Participation in a Fulbright Scholar Program or a short term technical assistance program can open a range of opportunities for future collaborations by cementing relationships with scientists, faculty and students in other countries. Once a relationship is developed and familiarity established, joint grant proposals can be pursued along with other opportunities.

Students should consider study-abroad opportunities as well as consult with their international programs office to learn about other opportunities. Post-degree, the Peace Corps is a great opportunity to learn more about other countries and international work. Many CG centers offer opportunities for students to conduct research on site which provides an opportunity to establish important linkages for collaboration as well as research mentoring. An overview of these opportunities will be discussed during this session.