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Assistant professor teaching in Russia through Fulbright Scholar Program |
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Chelsea-Lynn Carey |
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Jan 16, 2008 |
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| Dr. David Erben posed for a photo in Akademgorodok, Russia, where he’s living while teaching at Novosibirsk State University this year. |
Dr. David Erben, UT assistant professor of English, is lecturing at Novosibirsk State University in Novosibirsk, Russia, this academic year through the Fulbright Scholar Program.
The Fulbright Scholar Program, sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, matches U.S. professors with universities around the world. Erben is one of approximately 800 U.S. faculty and professionals who will visit universities all over the globe through the program this year.
Erben said that he was invited by some of his Russian colleagues to lecture at Novosibirsk State University.
“Previously I had been to European Russia, but I was interested in visiting Siberia and trying to establish contacts with the indigenous peoples of Siberia,” he said. “With the help of some Russian colleagues, I was able to make contacts with universities in Tomsk and Novosibirsk.”
Erben first visited Russia in 2001 and has made two trips per year to Russia; however, he had never visited Siberia.
There are many differences between lecturing at The University of Toledo and Novosibirsk State University, according to Erben.
“The biggest adjustment has been the lack of technology in the classroom and the impossibility of ordering books. However, I brought my [computer] notebook and bought a projector so I can use almost the same PowerPoint here that I use at UT,” he said. “Technology and books are impossible to get — Amazon does not deliver in Russia.”
Erben explained there is little difference between students in Russia and students at UT, but the university system is different.
“Classes here prepare students to take yearly exams; each student must take a series of exams to go on to the next year. Students also go through the university in groups; each student has a group with a leader and these groups are responsible for a lot of things, like distributing handouts, organizing presentations, etc.,” Erben said. “However, the yearly exam system causes students to put more emphasis on passing the exams than on individual classes. In other words, students often miss classes.”
While at Novosibirsk State University, Erben taught 20th Century America, Native America, and Non-Western Cultures and Literature during fall semester, and is teaching a home reading course on the Holocaust this spring.
Erben has taught short classes and workshops abroad before, but this is his first experience lecturing for a full academic year abroad.
“It has not been difficult for me to adjust so far because I have been to Russia many times in recent years and so I was prepared for most of the differences. However, I still have not experienced the ‘real’ Siberian winter — currently it is only about -8 degrees Celsius [17.6 degrees Fahrenheit],” Erben said.
“I’ve been warned that the real Siberian winter will arrive after New Year’s and to expect temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius to -40 degrees Celsius [-4 degrees Fahrenheit to -40 degrees Fahrenheit].”
While he’s ready to weather the cold, he wasn’t prepared for the time difference.
“By far the biggest adjustment for me was the time difference. Novosibirsk is 11 hours ahead of Toledo, and I have had a very hard time sleeping and eating. I still tend to feel hungry at night and want to stay up all night and sleep in the day,” Erben said.
He is living in Akademgorodok, a university city built during the Soviet period about 30 kilometers — a little more than 18.5 miles — from Novosibirsk. Erben said the town has many academics and is very comfortable to live and work in. He resides in a building with international students and faculty members. It usually takes 40 to 90 minutes to go by bus or van to Novosibirsk.
“In Novosibirsk, there is also a big interest in China — Peking is only four hours away by plane — and the university has a lot of relationships with Chinese universities and so many students here study Chinese and visit China,” Erben said. “It has been very interesting to listen to them talk.”
Erben plans to return to the States in May.
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