Fresno State celebrates International Education Week through Thursday, Nov. 17, with a broad spectrum of activities that will acquaint the campus community and visitors with the global community.

Headlining the week will be visits by two members of the consular corps in San Francisco:

  • Nagesh Rao Parthasarthi, the consul general of India, will discuss “India – An Emerging Economic Power” at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Henry Madden Library, Room 2206.
  • Alessandro Segabinazzi, the consulate general of Brazil, will discuss “Brazil: Perspectives and Challenges of a Booming Economy” at 3 p.m.  Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Kremen Education Building, Room 140.

In addition to events promoting cultural awareness, the university engages in international education programs such as study abroad and academic exchange.

One example is Jennifer Zenovich, a communications graduate student, who is working in Montenegro through a Fulbright fellowship on a year of research. Zenovich is studying how Montenegrin women “symbolically create the reality of their gender.”

Faculty participation includes the International Scholars Program, including the Department of Physics’ recent hosting of international researchers including Dr. Ratbay Myrzakulov from Kazakhstan. Myrzakulov collaborated with Dr. Doug Singleton and graduate student Michael Duncan in theoretical cosmological research. Doctoral students from Kazakhstan Olga Razina and Yerlan Mryzakulov came to Fresno State to assist in the research.

In the spring semester, Dr. Nattapong Yongram of Naresuan University in Thailand worked with Singleton and Myrzakulov on research and will return to Fresno State in December to continue the work.

Physics’ most recent guest is Fulbright Scholar Dr. Sergey Sushkov, of Kazan State University in Russia, whose research focuses on the effect of quantum fields in gravitational backgrounds.

International Education Week events are free and open to the public:

Tuesday, Nov. 15

  • 11 a.m.-noon — Seven Kremen School of Education and Human Development professors will discuss “International Educational Research: Presenting and Working Abroad in Latin America and Asia” in the Kremen Building, Room 140.
  • 2-3:30 p.m. — Three students who have studied abroad and three international students who study at Fresno State will discuss their experiences at the International Coffee Hour program “The World Comes to Fresno” at the Henry Madden Library, Room 2206.
  • 3:30-4:30 p.m. — Dr. Annabella España-Nájera of the Department of Chicano and Latin American Studies will lecture on “Is This Peace? Violence in Central America after the Peace Accords” at the University Student Union, Room 309.

Wednesday, Nov. 16

  • 9:30-11 a.m. — “Cultural Influences on International Business Rules and Practices and the Value of Studying Abroad” presentation will be led by Dr. Ali Peyvandi, director of International Business Programs in the Craig School of Business, at the Peters Business Building, Room 194.
  • 12:10-1 p.m. — Anthropology professor Dr. Franklin Ng will lecture on “A Rising China in the Global Arena” at the University Student Union, Room 309.
  • 7:30-8:30 p.m. — A presentation on “Discovering Armenia: A Student and Faculty Perspective” will be delivered at the Alice Peters Auditorium in the University Business Center by Dr. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program.

Thursday, Nov. 17

  • 4-6 p.m. — A multidisciplinary faculty panel will discuss “Creating/Constructing Identity through Words, Stories, Images,” at the Music Building, Room 160.
  • 5:30 p.m. — The film “Entre Nos” will be screened at the Alice Peters Auditorium, followed by a discussion led by faculty members Dr. Cristina Herrera (Chicano and Latin American Studies) and Dr. Paula Sanmartin.(Modern and Classical Languages and Literature)
  • 7 p.m. — A screening of “The Linguists” will conclude International Education Week  at the Leon S. and Pete P. Peters Educational Center (in the Student Recreation Center), which will be followed by a discussion led by David Harrison, one of the researchers featured in the film.

For more information on International Education Week, contact the International Student Services and Programs office at 559.278.2782.

(Copy by University Communications news intern Nicole Maul)