Achievement

We have established a tightly and carefully integrated international component, which requires that all trainees conduct research as part of field experiences in Italy or the Middle East. The program stages pre- and post-field training sessions to ensure that students get the most out of these experiences. These sessions address how to work and collaborate in the foreign environment, as well as how to adapt to the local culture in order to gain meaningful life experiences that will prepare students for the global workplace. Students have gone through the first round of training, preparing them for fieldwork at our IGERT sites in Italy and Jordan and will complete a pre-departure evaluation re: their knowledge of the target culture, language and traveling abroad, as well as their collaborative and technical skills needed for a successful international deployment. The students will then be followed during their research experience abroad, and they will be de-briefed upon return to UCSD.