International Research Opportunities at GVSU

Research with GVSU Faculty: How to Get Started!

• Come to the Undergraduate Research Fair at GVSU (annually on the first Tuesday of October, from 5-7 PM, in the Grand River Room (KC) on the Allendale campus).
• Visit the Padnos International Center (Lake Ontario Hall) to talk with the Advisor who works with GVSU faculty-led study-abroad programs and research opportunities.
• Work with a faculty research mentor to apply to participate in the one of the Summer Scholars Programs - a fantastic foundation for future research abroad.
• Apply for GVSU's Laker Venture Grant funding to do non-credit-bearing research in preparation for your senior capstone project and as a foundation for application to graduate school or to a fellowship such as the Fulbright US Student Program, which could provide a year of research or graduate study abroad.

Study Abroad Organizations with Research Components: 

A number of study-abroad organizations focus on substantive, hands-on research opportunities (in STEM and more); most offer financial assistance to students admitted into their programs:

• The School for Field Studies (SFS) - SFS programs are field-based and research intensive, exploring the social and ecological dimensions of and sustainable solutions to, the complex environmental problems faced by local partners. 
• EuroScholars Program (ISA) - A unique research abroad program (research internships at major research universities in northern Europe) designed for advanced and talented undergraduate students.
• HOME - SIT Study Abroad - all SIT programs include an Independent Study Project; programs focus on Critical Global Issues: Climate and the Environment; Development and Inequality; Education and Social Change; Geopolitics and Power; Global Health and Well-being; Identity and Human Resilience; and Peace and Justice.
• SEA Education Association - Research-intensive programs are based at the oceanographic research lab at Woods Hole Marine Labs, with courses taking place aboard tall ships in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.
• Budapest Semesters in Mathematics
• Home | AIT-Budapest  - Semester-long programs tailored to the needs of North American computer science and software engineering undergraduates in their sophomore through senior years (in English, highly selective program). 
• DIS - Study in Scandinavia - All program options are centered upon discipline-specific core courses in the humanities, social sciences, arts and STEM, including rigorous, STEM-focused programs with lab components (in Copenhagen and Stockholm).
• ISDSI-Sustainable Development in Thailand
• CAPA/CEA Internship programs  - Many CEA program options include courses with research components; you can also apply for an individualized Research Internship.
• IES Study Abroad Many IES options include internships and experiential components; IES programs include foci on humanities, arts, languages and social sciences as well as research-focused STEM and sustainability studies, with key university partners in the UK (Oxford, UCL), Europe (top universities in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and more) and Asia (in Tokyo and Nagoya and more).
• Lex Fellowship | Pre Law Study Abroad
• Atlantis – Shadowing Experiences for Pre-Med Students (joinatlantis.com)
• Child Family Health International (cfhi.org) (CFHI) - Child Family Health International (CFHI), a United Nations-recognized non-profit organization, is a leading authority in Global Health experiential education for undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate trainees (a great choice for pre-med students).

See also the Study Abroad Fellowships Page at GVSU Frederik Meijer Office of Fellowships 

Explore this Fellowship in Germany for international STEM research for undergraduates:

• DAAD-RISE (research internship in Germany in summer or during the academic year)

Of course, your very first step toward GVSU study abroad is to visit the Padnos International Center. Study abroad advisors will help you to receive approval for study abroad on the program of your choice. You will work with Padnos advisors as you select your program, complete the application for approval, and develop your budget for study abroad.

Be sure to check out Student Resources, as well. There's important information here about international research guidelines and protocols.

What to do first:

• Explore study abroad programs with Padnos International Center advisors - pursue the approval process with PIC (advisors can help with timelines, credit-approval and funding possibilities)
• Connect with the Office of Undergraduate Research to find GVSU faculty who are conducting international research with student research collaborators
• Connect with the GVSU Frederik Meijer Office of Fellowships to learn more about external fellowship funding for study abroad and additional resources (for undergraduates and for after you graduate)

These are only a few of the many GVSU faculty members pursuing research abroad:

• Dr. Salvatore Alaimo (non-profit management)
• Dr. Polly Diven (political science)
• Dr. Babasola Fateye (biology and biomedical sciences)
• Dr. Jakia Marie (Africana studies)
• Dr. Kimberly McKee (religion and intercultural studies)
• Dr. Jeff Kelly Lowensteinv (journalism)
• Dr. Rachel Powers (chemistry)
• Dr. Anthony Spencer (communication and media studies)

Reach out to anyone in the list above to learn more about their international research experiences. Talk with faculty mentors and instructors about your interest in an international research experience. Ask questions! 

Make the Most of It! What to do Next:

• Weave your international research experience and outcomes into your senior capstone project or thesis
• Incorporate your international research experience and outcomes into your resume / cv
• Make your international research experience and outcomes a component of your personal statement in graduate school applications 
• Pursue fellowships that enable you to carry forward your international research experiences and connections:  Fulbright, Peace Corps and more
• Consider graduate school beyond the U.S.!

Hafa adai! I am currently a master’s student at the University of Guam studying coral reef ecology. Grad school is awesome, but I have found it to be very self-driven experience. Taking initiative and thinking for myself are two skills that I cultivated during my undergraduate research experiences at GV. One of my mentors, Dr. Laura Stroik, was amazing at delegating tasks to her undergraduate collaborators in her paleoecology lab. She gave us the skills to analyze data and think about our research in the context of the field without giving us all the answers. Having support to explore and make my own mistakes in a safe environment was something that really helped me grow as a young scientist. Not to mention, presenting posters at Student Scholars Day and other professional conferences while at GVSU helped me build confidence in my research and presentation skills. I also studied abroad in South Africa through the Biology Department in 2019 and, of course, it was a life changing experience. But mainly it allowed me to gain real experience in international field biology, something that I had always dreamed of doing. Once I proved to myself that I could do it, I was set on going abroad to study biology. With a strong foundation of research and academic experiences from GVSU, I moved to Guam to start the next leg of my journey as a budding biologist. Si Yu'os Ma'åse', GV!

(Hafa adai means hello and Si Yu'os ma'åse' means thank you in CHamoru, the indigenous language of Guam)

Graduate School Research Leads to International Opportunities!

Katie Hoffswell '22 (M.Ed. in Higher Education) received a Fulbright ETA - Turkey for 2022-2023. She credits the research she did at GVSU for providing a sound foundation for her Fulbright and for her present work. In Katie's words: "the Culminating Experience Project that I completed for my M.Ed. in Higher Education was an amazing opportunity for me to expand my knowledge in the field. Through examining literature on college student mental health and study abroad, I developed a theory-based project for increasing faculty awareness of mental health risks and improving faculty crisis response while leading programs abroad. Working on this project gave me valuable insight on student experiences that have helped me outside the classroom. After graduating in 2022, I served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Türkiye, where I developed curriculum and taught university students. Now, I am a Student Success Manager at Northeastern University where I manage programming and incident response for a cohort of 300+ first-year study abroad students in Thessaloniki, Greece. As I work to support students experiencing mental health challenges related to cultural adjustment, academic stress, and more in my current role, I often reflect on the research reviewed and knowledge gained while completing my project."

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.