International Dual PhD Program Established Between CWRU and Brazil


 

Building upon an ongoing university-wide academic collaborative agreement, which made CWRU a primary destination for undergraduate and graduate students from premier Brazilian universities, two new dual PhD programs have been established between CWRU and the Coordenação de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), the agency that oversees higher education within the Brazilian Ministry of Education. The formal agreement, signed in December 2014, is the result of three years of collaborative course and program articulations and visits between CAPES and CWRU to solidify the relationship.
 
João Maia, Associate Professor of Macromolecular Science & Engineering, spearheaded the prestigious program. “This program is designed to provide the best possible academic training,” Maia explains, “as the students will be receiving degrees at the best universities in their respective disciplines.”
 
Brazilian students will be able to spend time, both in Brazil and at CWRU, studying and researching.  At the end of their studies, the students will receive PhDs in Macromolecular Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering from CWRU and in similar areas from their home institutions.
 
The two programs, in the areas of Polymer and Colloid Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, are scheduled to begin Fall 2015 and Fall 2016, respectively, and should result in up to 160 PhD students sponsored by CAPES obtaining their degrees from CWRU over the next seven years.  CAPES has expressed interest in using this initial dual PhD as a template for future programs in other disciplines.
 

Fully Funded Summer Experience in China Offered by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
 

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is once again offering an exceptional opportunity for selected CWRU students to receive a fully-funded trip to China this summer through their Emerging Leaders program.  Last year, two CWRU students were chosen to participate in the U.S.-China Study Delegation. You can read about one student’s experiences here.

The program provides a two week journey to China in which participants learn about Chinese culture and history, US-China relations, the Chinese economy and Mandarin language. Highlights include visits to Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai where students can climb the Great Wall, explore the Summer Palace and discover the Xixi Wetland Museum. Other opportunities include workshops on Chinese painting and Chinese culinary art, and much more.

The program is open to students who are majoring in a STEM field (travel dates June 25 to July 13) or a Business or Trade field (travel dates July 9 to July 27).  Applicants must also be African-American, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, completing their sophomore or junior year this May, hold a valid U.S. Passport, and be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent U.S. resident. The program covers travel between Washington, D.C. and China, as well as housing, meals, and travel within China.

The only expenses incurred by selected participants are travel to and from Washington, D.C. for a one-day orientation, and money for souvenirs. Applications are due by April 15^th, 2015.

Please share information about this unique opportunity with your students.  Those interested in applying should contact studyabroad@case.edu as soon as possible to set up a meeting with a study abroad advisor.