International Fellows Program Projects

Winter 2025 Projects

Title: Conflict, Commerce, and Cultural Footprints: Legacies of the American Century in Contemporary Japan

Faculty: David Jones (English) and Tomomi Kakegawa (Languages) 
Students: Requel Anglemyer, Justin Hansen, Kylie Lawver, Willa Rogers. 
Abstract: This interdisciplinary research project examines the role of popular culture in mediating post-WWII tensions between Japan and the USA. Building on ideas from the field of Cultural Studies, this project engages students in examining the integrated impact of military occupation, industrial policies, and cultural cooperation on the relationship between the USA and Japan. With the collaboration of two scholars at Osaka Metropolitan University and the University of the Ryukyus (Okinawa), along with two UWEC professors, students will conduct research on important questions surrounding past military conflicts and current trade / consumer relationships with the nation of Japan. Visits to important sites of wartime conflict and postwar commerce are included in the research experience, including visits to the site of the Hiroshima attack and the Battle of Okinawa, interpretive museums that narrate postwar industrialization, and places relevant to contemporary Japanese popular culture.

Summer 2025 Projects

Title: Cross-National Comparative Analysis of Dementia Care and Long-term Services and Supports for Older Adults in the U.S. and Spain

Faculty: Frances Hawes (Health Care Administration) 
Students: TBA 
Abstract: This research aims to undertake a comparative analysis of long-term services and supports (LTSS) for older adults in the United States and Spain, with a particular emphasis on dementia care. This initiative aligns with the imperative in healthcare to draw insights from diverse systems to elevate care quality and guide policymaking, as underscored by recent calls for papers in leading aging journals. This study will investigate healthcare professionals responsible for individuals with dementia and concurrent health conditions, addressing the inherent complexities of such care. The unique healthcare systems, funding mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks in the United States and Spain present a valuable opportunity to unearth best practices and identify areas for improvement, ultimately informing policy decisions and optimizing resource allocation for LTSS.

Title: Summer Internship at the Charles Darwin Research Station; Galapagos, Ecuador

Faculty: Robert Arndt (Biology) and Wil Taylor (Biology Emeritus)
Students: TBA
Abstract: In addition to being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos Islands is the birthplace of modern biology and a mecca for world-class scientists conducting research in evolutionary biology, island biogeography, marine science, and other disciplines. UWEC students will have a unique opportunity to work at the Charles Darwin Research Station, side-by-side with top scientists, in research projects with various specific themes.

Title: Imaging Holocaust and Coastal Environments: Latvia and Lithuania

Faculty: Harry Jol (Geography and Anthropology) and Martin Goettl (Geography and Anthropology)
Students: TBA
Abstract: Many Holocaust, archaeological, and geomorphic site investigations lack a tool that will provide an image of the subsurface in a noninvasive and non-destructive manner. As a leader in educating undergraduate students on the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to better understand the subsurface, UWEC has been invited to collaborate with several Latvian and Lithuanian organizations and conduct original research at multiple sites. This student-faculty international joint research project will obtain non-invasive GPR and UAV data at sensitive and significant Holocaust, archaeological, and geomorphic sites.