From high-level diplomatic briefings in Ho Chi Minh City to exploring aquaculture in a rural Delta village, this program demands high levels of physical, emotional, and intellectual stamina. Beyond the 'academic' itinerary, why is this specific brand of immersive, often unpredictable learning experience essential for your growth as an educator right now? What do you hope to find at 'the river’s edge' that you cannot find in a library?
Describe a specific course you currently teach (or plan to develop). How would you integrate a specific theme from Vietnam (e.g., the tension between hydroelectric damming and local aquaculture, bringing traditional medicines into contemporary medical interventions, etc.) into a unit for students who are not Asian Studies majors?
Describe a time you traveled or worked in an environment where you had little control over the schedule, the climate, or the 'creature comforts.' How did you maintain your professional curiosity when things became physically or logistically challenging
You are at a traditional celebration in a rural Mekong village. The food is unfamiliar, the music is loud, and you are expected to participate in a social ritual (like karaoke) that feels outside your norm. How do you engage authentically while representing your institution?
Successful interdisciplinary pedagogy requires more than just back-to-back lectures; it requires a synthesis of disparate methods. Identify a specific tension within the 'River’s Edge' call (e.g.,conservation versus development, upriver hydroelectric dams versus local aquaculture, etc.). How will your two distinct disciplines collaborate to help students navigate this tension? Specifically, what is a 'Vietnam Module' assignment or project that neither of you could facilitate alone?
How will your partnership serve as a sustainable 'bridge' between your respective departments after you return? Beyond a single shared module, describe a collaborative deliverable (e.g., a co-taught seminar, a cross-listed course, or a campus-wide symposium) that leverages your combined expertise. How will you use your shared 'hardy' experience in the field to convince your institution that transdisciplinary study of Asia, and Southeast Asia in particular, is essential for a 21st-century curriculum?
