The Division of Global Engagement and Division of Graduate Studies hosted an International Research Funding Opportunities Forum on March 5, bringing together faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students eager to explore funding options for their international research endeavors.
The in-person event provided a platform for scholars to gain insights into securing international grants, developing global research connections, and navigating the international funding landscape.
The forum opened with a welcome from Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Peter Biehl, who emphasized the university’s commitment to fostering global research initiatives. Biehl highlighted the importance of international collaborations in addressing today’s most pressing global challenges and encouraged participants to leverage available funding resources in their research pursuits.
“We do believe that faculty and graduate students, talking about their experiences, and sharing opportunities for funding and international research via Fulbright, Humboldt and DAAD and many others, supports graduate student research and the positive impact that has on a campus community, whether serving as a teaching assistant or otherwise. The experience they bring to the classroom opens up interest in international mobility,” said Biehl.
Biehl moderated the event, guiding a panel of past scholarship recipients through discussions that covered a range of critical topics, including major funding opportunities, proposal development strategies, and best practices for building sustainable international research partnerships.
Panelists
The panel included UC Santa Cruz faculty and students who have previously applied for and received funding to support their international research.
- Katharyne Mitchell, Dean of Social Sciences – Humboldt Fellowship ‘23, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Economic Diversity
- Paul Roth, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy – Fulbright ‘23-24, U of Manchester
- Glenn Millhauser, Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry – UC Alianza Joint Research Funds w/ Center for Research & Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), ‘23-25
- Paola Patroni Castillo, PhD Student, Anthropology, Fulbright ‘22-23
- Hanni Geist, Senior Manager of University Relations – German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) San Francisco Office
- Diego Rivas, Program Manager, The German Research Foundation (DFG) North America (San Francisco)
Funding Organization Spotlights
The event fostered valuable networking opportunities, allowing attendees to connect with key funding organizations and representatives including German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Humboldt Foundation, UC Alianza, Fulbright, and Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS).
“The UC Santa Cruz Strategic Plan for Internationalization is aligned with the mission and vision of the university. Picking just one topic, climate change for example, it is local, it is national, but it’s certainly a global issue. What brings us all together is our commitment to solving global challenges,” said Biehl.
As UC Santa Cruz continues to support global research initiatives, events like this play a crucial role in equipping graduate students and scholars with the knowledge and resources they need to advance their work on an international scale.
Expanding and Enhancing Globally-Focused Research and Engagement is key to the UC Santa Cruz Strategic Plan for Internationalization.