It may not be as glamorous or dangerous as portrayed in the “Indiana Jones” movies, but the fact remains that many professors at the U travel to the corners of the globe to do research.
“These days, anyone working in higher education ends up spending a considerable amount of time abroad, regardless of the field,” said Fernando Rubio, an assistant professor of Spanish who often travels to Spain.
“Traveling abroad is absolutely essential,” said Susie Porter, an associate professor of history who is currently studying in Mexico. “There is no substitute for what you find digging around in the archives.”
Faculty members believe that being in a foreign environment can bring forth new insights about their work.
“Being immersed in the country sometimes helps you understand a particular aspect of history or culture,” said Wesley Sasaki-Uemura, an associate professor of history who will spend Fall Semester in Japan.
Professors also say traveling overseas brings personal growth.
“Your abroad experience is kind of an exploration. It’s to open up your boundaries as much as possible,” Sasaki-Uemura said.
“A lot of people fall in love with cultures and languages as a result of their travels,” Rubio said.
However, the professors emphasize that although they study in exotic foreign countries, they don’t always have time to be tourists.
“When you’re doing research, you have to be focused,” Sasaki-Uemura said.
“I have very little time to accomplish my task, so there is little time for pyramids, churches, museums and the like,” Porter said.
But for a traveling academic researcher, the work itself can be an adventure.
“Being a historian of India is a lot like being a treasure hunter,” said Benjamin Cohen, assistant professor of history. “I am often visiting remote towns, palaces, tombs and other sites to see what is left from the past.”
However, it can be a challenge balancing the need to travel with the need to be with family members.
“If it’s an extended period, people try to make arrangements so they can take their families, if possible,” Sasaki-Uemura said. “My daughter is of an age where we can still take her, but older kids usually don’t want to go.”
“My husband loves the opportunity to be abroad as well,” Porter said. “I don’t think all women academics are as fortunate. Studies show that women are more likely to follow a man than a man is to follow a woman.”
Any absence from the U has to be approved in advance by a professor’s department. Researchers typically apply for grant money to help pay for their travel expenses.
“There are funds available both from the U and from other sources,” Cohen said. “The History Department is extremely generous in allowing me to travel when necessary. I am grateful for that.”