|
|
-
International connection
After being focused on this country, political sciences' Ardith
Maney now concentrates on the world.
- Early in her academic career, Ardith Maney's research efforts were focused
on Washington, D.C.
That seems natural for a political scientist, especially one with training
in public administration.
"I have always been interested in how to connect Iowa State to other
resources outside the institution," she said. "When my focus was
on Washington, D.C., it was important for me to bring back information from
the nation's capital that enliven and enrich the courses we offered in the
Department of Political Science.
"As time went on, I started seeing a broader community," she continued.
"The boundaries I was interested in became international not just national."
Over the past several years, Maney, a professor of political science, has
initiated a number of funded programs to enhance the civic education and
democratization in several countries of Central and Eastern Europe, notably
the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and the Ukraine.
In addition, she has also been instrumental in developing and making the
International Women in Science and Engineering (IWISE) a highly successful
initiative at Iowa State.
Under IWISE auspices, Maney has brought a significant number of women in
these scientific fields to campus for training and development.
All of these accomplishments came after Maney had spent almost 20 years
at Iowa State as a researcher and teacher.
Her international work began in 1992 when Maney and other political science
colleagues became involved with a College of Agriculture project to help
the former Czechoslovakia make the transition to democracy and a market
economy. During the project, a mayor of a small Slovak city had a question.
"He was interested in how to manage a forest," she recalled. "As
a political scientist we think we ought to share our insights on big issues,
but these mayors wanted practical answers.
"To me that was an eye opener."
As a result of that encounter and other factors, Maney won a Fulbright lectureship
to teach public administration in a new university in the Czech Republic
in 1994. After returning to Iowa State, she asked for and received a change
in her professional responsibilities to design and develop international
learning and outreach programs. Financial resources to develop these programs
have come from funding available in the last decade from U.S. government
agencies, foundations, UNESCO, and Iowa businesses.
From Washington, D.C., to Eastern Europe and now to Africa, Maney has continued
to establish two-way connections with educational, civic and professional
organizations in countries where her programs have operated.
Her latest project involves a network of African researchers and educators
from more than 20 countries who are collaborating on a project funded by
USAID. The project will develop and disseminate science education learning
materials around HIV AIDS in collaboration with African universities and
community-based organizations on that continent.
Regardless of the country that her projects are based, Maney ultimately
sees a benefit back to campus and the State of Iowa.
"This work has taken over my teaching, my research," she said.
"These programs can help Iowa State students get experience working
with counterparts in other countries. They also provide my colleagues and
myself with wonderful opportunities for research with academics in these
countries.
"It enriches my activities back on campus and helps Iowa State and
Iowa strengthen international connections."
Around LAS
January 28 to February 3, 2002
|
|
