
UC Blue Ash professor visits Vietnam as a Fulbright Specialist
Stocker is joined by attendees of the seminar on creating an e-Learning and Professional Development Center. Photo courtesy of Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
Dean Stocker, PhD, spent the final weeks of 2024 leading seminars half a world away while enjoying his first experience as a Fulbright Specialist.
Stocker, who is an associate professor of physics at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College, spent two weeks in December at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Hanoi, Vietnam. He led four separate seminars for faculty and graduate students on best practices for teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses.
The seminars were well-attended and covered topics that included resources for STEM teachers, scientific reasoning labs, supporting STEM students with special needs and how to establish an e-learning and professional development center. Stocker also called on a few U.S. colleagues to provide their expertise for the presentations, including UC Blue Ash professors Lynn Ritchey, PhD; Joseph Baumgartner, PhD; Brenda Refaei, PhD, and Krista Wood, PhD.
Stocker said he was pleased with the response from his Vietnamese colleagues. “I believe the most important outcome is simply building the relationships across geographical and cultural lines, but that is hard to measure,” he noted. “Each seminar seemed to have positive outcomes; there was a great deal of interest, especially in some of the open educational resources that were discussed.”
Stocker was excited to get the opportunity to serve in the Fulbright program. He successfully applied to become a Fulbright Specialist in 2021 and has pursued a few other opportunities, but this was the first time he was selected. It was also his first trip to Vietnam.
Stocker at the entrance to the “Temple of Literature,” which is considered to be the first national university of Vietnam. Photo/provided.
Stocker leads one of the four seminars he provided at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Photo courtesy of Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
“It was a great experience, personally and professionally, and I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in cross-cultural work. I think the best part was being able to share a meal with Vietnamese colleagues, talk about work and just life in general,” Stocker added.
He notes that the timing worked out well since his tenure as a specialist will end later this month. He hopes to continue working with the Fulbright Program as a specialist or possibly as a scholar. The primary difference between the roles involves the amount of time spent overseas. A Fulbright Specialist will typically spend 2-6 weeks conducting research, studying or teaching abroad, while a Fulbright Scholar might spend a few months or up to a year on assignment.
The Fulbright Program is an international academic exchange program founded in 1946 to increase mutual understanding and support friendly and peaceful relations between the U.S. and other countries. The program is managed by the U.S. government and oversees an extensive suite of fellowships and scholarships in partnership with more than 160 countries.
Featured photo: Stocker joins faculty from the Hanoi University of Science and Technology at the opening ceremonies of an HUST festival. Photo courtesy of Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
About UC Blue Ash College
UC Blue Ash College is a regional college within the University of Cincinnati. It offers one of the best values in higher education with access to a nationally recognized UC education in more than 50 degree and certificate programs, as well as tuition that is about half of most colleges and universities. The college is located on a scenic 135-acre wooded campus in the heart of Blue Ash, Ohio. To learn more, call 513-558-9495, visit us online, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
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