News from the Director, Dr. Gayle Zachmann, Fall 2003

I am delighted to share the latest news on the new UF Paris Research Center (PRC). A unit expressly designed to create and facilitate international initiatives across campus and across the disciplines, the Paris Research Center is an integral and exciting new component in the University of Florida's commitment to international activities and academic excellence.

First, a warm welcome to all units interested in Paris Research Center membership, to all of those who wish to propose activities, to all who wish to sponsor and co-sponsor activities, and most important, to our UF students, who have long hoped for UF sponsored study abroad opportunities in Paris. The creation of the Paris Research center presents unique opportunities. With a primary mission to foster and facilitate international research and exchange, the Paris Research Centers welcomes ideas for new institutional research and study exchanges, the development of colloquia, workshops, research projects and study abroad programs from all levels and corners of the University of Florida community.

At this early stage of our first semester, the PRC administrative offices are open and the faculty and student initiatives have been forthcoming and fascinating. On November 6-7, 2003, the PRC will welcome its first international workshop in Physics. Led by Physics Professor James Dufty, this meeting will gather researchers and graduate students from countries including Belgium, England, France, Italy, Poland, Russia and Spain. Additional highlights this fall include two scholars-in-residence in the months of October and November. Dr. Richard Conley of the Department of Political Science and Dr. Stephanie Evans of the Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research and African-American Studies will both be in Paris conducting research and interviews for book projects. Their activities also include the development of new courses and program development to be shared with students both on campus and at our new Paris locale. It is a pleasure to work with such positive energy and to see the results of faculty and student enthusiasm so rapidly. In this regard, numerous activities are forthcoming at the Paris Research Center, including a distinguished speaker series to run throughout summers A and B.

More wonderful news for our community: the UF International Center is now accepting applications for an unprecedented number of UF sponsored Study Abroad Programs at the Paris Research Center. We are very proud of the programs presented and the distinguished list of UF scholars at the Paris Research Center this year. Please join me in welcoming our spring and summer '04 teaching faculty, all of whom have designed new and unique courses to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunities offered by this rich cultural and historical site. Many thanks to Professor Richard Conley (Political Science), Professor Robert A. Hatch (History), Professor Sheryl Kroen (History), Professor Scott Nygren (English/Film and Media Studies), Professor Mark Reid, (English and Director of Film and Media Studies), Professor Maureen Turim (English/Film and Media Studies), Professor Bernadette Cesar-Lee (Romance Languages and Literatures) for their enthusiasm and initiative. It is my hope that your experiences at the Center will be as rich as the courses of study you have proposed for our students.

For our students! This year students campus-wide will benefit from unique opportunities for week-long intensive study abroad over spring break. These innovative programs for intensive study abroad in Paris were expressly created to provide in-depth on-site international experiences. Applications are also being accepted for two major Summer Study Abroad programs, terms A and B. These interdisciplinary programs welcome students from all areas majors. All courses include newly designed international opportunities with professors who have distinguished themselves as outstanding teacher/scholars at UF, nationally and internationally. Each class has been enhanced with site-specific activities and excursions, guest speakers, and all have been carefully selected for academic excellence and approved by their academic units. There is no language requirement for these programs. We welcome your questions and interest and look forward to offering course of study and international experiences that will serve you for a lifetime.

I am joined by many in thanking the Provost, David Colburn, the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Neil Sullivan, the Dean of the UF International Center, Dennis Jett, Professors John Leavey (Chair, English), David Pharies (Chair, Romance Languages and Literatures), Julia Kristeva (Université de Paris VII), Marshal Olds (University of Nebraska), Gerald Prince (University of Pennsylvania), Danielle Haase-Dubosc (Columbia University) and Brunhilde Biebuyck (Columbia University) for the enthusiastic support that brought the Paris Research Center to our campus and UF to Europe. Their recognition of the importance and the potential of this interdisciplinary initiative exemplifies a commitment to excellence and internationalization and a vision whose significance for our students, our campus and our community, cannot be underestimated.

In great anticipation of many years of innovation, let me now welcome our newest unit members. A glance at this list already exemplifies the intellectual cross-fertilization and campus-wide enthusiasm that brought this opportunity to UF. Welcome to: the Center for European Studies, the Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research, the Department of African American Studies, the Department of African Studies, the Department of English, the Department of Landscape Architecture, The Department of Pathology at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center, Jacksonville, the Department of Physics, the Department of Political Science, the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, the France-Florida Research Institute, and the Warrington College of Business. I share your excitement and look forward to facilitating the many international initiatives you have proposed.

Finally, I would like to thank two individuals who were instrumental to the earliest conceptions of this Paris Research Center. Many thanks to Associate Provost Sheila Dickison for the encouragement to think Àout of the box” and to Professor Julia Kristeva, who knows above all the signifiance of this endeavor.

Please do not hesitate to send ideas and requests for information, and best wishes to all for a pleasant and productive semester.

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