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International Insights
Fulbright Scholars Return with New Perspectives on Research and Culture
United States Fulbright Scholar program fellowships not only provide exceptional research opportunities for American academics abroad, but they also afford them cultural opportunities and a chance to expand networks across borders that build future collaboration.
Two faculty members from Illinois Institute of Technology’s College of Computing completed Fulbright fellowships this year, bringing a wealth of new experience back to campus with them.
Cynthia Hood, associate professor of computer science and engineering, traveled to Poznań University of Technology in Poland, where she collaborated with fellow academics on research that explored wireless spectrum management for smart cities through the Fulbright Scholar program, which is granted by the United States Department of State. Hood studied the differences between spectrum management in Poland and the United States and developed graph-based models to improve understanding of spectrum usage.
“We traveled all over Poland,” Hood says. “I enjoyed exploring the history and culture of Poland and learning about its higher education system. It broadened my perspective and gave me ideas that I’ve brought back to Illinois Tech.”
Hood says along with visiting various universities, historical sites, and museums, she was able to attend a speech given by U.S. President Joe Biden in Warsaw, who spoke on the importance of supporting Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion.
“I was standing right behind him, and it was a super cool experience,” she says. “It was especially meaningful since I have family in Ukraine and my Fulbright award was relocated from Ukraine to Poland due to the war.”
Maurice Dawson, assistant professor of information technology and management, recently wrapped up a two-week seminar in cybersecurity at AAB College in Pristina, Kosovo, through his fifth award from the Fulbright Scholar program.
“The experience was enlightening as I learned about the region, its historical importance, their concerns, and how Illinois Tech can assist,” Dawson says. “My expertise of this particular area has increased as a result of this experience. Civil wars, dictatorships, and political turmoil have all occurred in the Balkans. The panorama of human migration and technological adoption is, however, altering dramatically in nations from Albania to Montenegro.”
Dawson says cybersecurity needs in Kosovo are not too different from those in other nations, specifically the need for trained cybersecurity specialists.
“Cybersecurity education is relatively new, so even developing that talent is an uphill battle,” Dawson says. “Coupled with low wages, retaining that talent will be an issue. Kosovo has to figure out how to build its cybersecurity capacity while retaining the necessary talent to maintain it. My goal is to continue relations and work with faculty to include government entities on paths forward to accomplish this.”
Many of the students that Dawson spoke with at AAB College were highly motivated to enter the cybersecurity field, but were looking to move to countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom to pursue their careers because of the low wages offered in Kosovo.
“This made me consider how things are in the U.S., and how we would be faced with a similar issue if another country were to compete with us in terms of wages,” Dawson says. “This would drive away the necessary talent, which would be sufficient to produce massively disastrous issues on its own.”
Hood says the experience of living in another country for six months has given her greater empathy toward international students who attend Illinois Tech. Navigating a different culture is challenging, whether it means learning a new calendar based on national holidays, finding foods you are accustomed to, or communicating with native speakers.
“Being part of a large Fulbright cohort in Poland helped with the adjustment. It was fun to get to know Fulbrighters in different fields and at different career stages. Fulbright meetings facilitated both formal and informal collaborations,” she says. “As a result, I had the opportunity to work with a political scientist on a NATO project involving content tracking on Cossack websites in Russia. I also participated in a weekly English-language speaking club for displaced Ukrainians with other Fulbrighters.”
Dawson says he was able to develop meaningful connections and relationships that will benefit students at Illinois Tech through a new study away program in Kosovo, a faculty member from Rochester Institute of Technology Kosovo visiting Illinois Tech, and connecting with officials at KOS-CERT—Kosovo’s national Computer Incident Response Team.
Dawson says his main goal was to raise students’ awareness, knowledge, and abilities for new cybersecurity threats through workshops and lectures. Objectives included addressing modern cybersecurity challenges, threats and attacks, and how cybersecurity policies and procedures protect against cyberattacks, as well as increasing internet safety and cybersecurity awareness. Topics covered included security foundations and fundamentals, network defense and security, threats and vulnerabilities, risk management, computer forensics, cryptography, and developing a career in cybersecurity.
Hood was invited to visit six universities across Poland and Estonia during her Fulbright experience. She met with faculty and students at each university and presented her research on spectrum explainability. She also gave an invited talk at the Wireless World Research Forum and presented her work to the International Telecommunication Union working group on autonomous networks. Since returning home, Hood has presented part of the research that she did in Poland at the Research Conference on Communications, Information, and Internet Policy. She is looking forward to leveraging her new perspectives and connections to develop international projects.
Dawson says the introduction of visa-free travel in January 2024 could bring Kosovo enormous potential to deepen business connections with its Balkan neighbors through unrestricted travel. However, this new modification could alter the nature of cyber threats.
“In order for newly independent states to understand what to expect in terms of cybersecurity difficulties, including recognizing errors that could have catastrophic consequences, this would serve as an excellent case study,” Dawson says.
