Faculty Report

 

 

 

 

Name: Dr. Richard M. Gersberg

 

Faculty/Rank: Professor

 

Department: Graduate School of Public Health

 

College: College of Health and Human Services

 

Office phone: 4-2905

 

Other phone

 

E mail address: rgersber@mail.sdsu.edu

 

Proposal title: “International Research and Education Project at the University of Applied Sciences in Magdeburg, Germany”

 

Country/ies visited: Germany

 

Institution visited: University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) Magdeburg

 

Dates of travel: May 31, 2001- June 10, 2001

 

Number of student participants: 1 Graduate Student

 

Previous IP proposals submitted and grants awarded

(list titles, countries and dates): “International Exchange Experience at the Fachhochschule Magdeburg, Germany”, May 26, 2000-June 11, 2000.

 

Have all required reports been submitted? Yes

 

Other funding for this activity available/applied for: No

 

Proposal Abstract (75 word maximum):

The University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Magdeburg, Germany offers 4-year degree courses and also a Masters degree in selected programs in applied sciences. The main objective of this international exchange project was to strengthen and expand the international cooperative program between SDSU and UAS, Magdeburg to include the fields of environmental sciences and environmental health.  A major purpose of Dr. Gersberg’s international activity was to develop new international internships for SDSU students at UAS Magdeburg in the field of environmental sciences, as well as to participate in international team teaching in the new Masters program at UAS Magdeburg in ecological engineering. 

 

 

 

Travel report:

           

I.                   Opening/overview of intentions/activity

 

Since 1994, there has existed an Intercollegiate Agreement for Cooperation between  San Diego State University and the University  of Applied Sciences (formerly called Fachhochschule Magdeburg) in Magdeburg, Germany. The University of Applied Sciences (UAS) now offers 4-year degree courses and also a Masters degree in selected programs in applied sciences. In July of 1999, the President of SDSU, Dr. Stephen Weber, met with Dr. Andreas Geiger, the Rector of the UAS Magdeburg, in order to reaffirm and enhance the existing exchange agreement between the two Universities.  The existing agreement between the two Universities has been very successful in promoting international understanding and developing both academic and cultural ties. Indeed, this cooperative program with the UAS in Magdeburg, already has established a successful record of cooperation with SDSU in the field of social work and health behavior.

 

The main purpose of this exchange visit is to strengthen and expand this international cooperative program to include the fields of environmental sciences and environmental health. To date, faculty and student exchanges have been rather limited  (or nonexistent) in the environmental area.  Moreover, although a number of students from Germany have come to participate in field practice/internships at SDSU, there have been no students in the environmental health area who have traveled to Germany to participate in either field practice /internships or more formal coursework.  Consequently, a major objective of this international exchange proposal is to support activities by Dr. Gersberg at UAS Magdeburg, Germany  in order to generate new international internships for SDSU students at UAS Magdeburg in the field of environmental sciences,  as well as to participate in international team teaching in  the new Masters program at UAS Magdeburg in ecological engineering. Coincident with Dr. Gersberg’s visit in June 2001, his graduate student, Darryl Yorkey, in the MPH program at SDSU also began a one-month international internship at UAS, Magdeburg.  

 

 

            II.        In preparation for the trip abroad

 

Dr. Gersberg began his collaboration with faculty at UAS Magdeburg in 1995 in the Department of Social and Health Services. However, it wasn’t until a recent trip to Germany in May, 2000 that such exchange was first extended to the field of environmental science. At this time, Dr. Gersberg presented a series of seminars in the Department of Water and Waste Management and began a fruitful collaboration with be Dr. Volker Luederitz, who is the Head of the Masters Program in the Department of  Water and Waste Management. Dr. Luederitz was a Visiting Professor at SDSU in both September, 1999 and September, 2000. Through this exchange, hosted by Dr. Gersberg of GSPH, Dr. Luederitz taught lectures in Engineering 320 (Control of the Human Environment), lectured in PH 639 (Water Quality Investigation), presented seminars in the Department of Biology  and College of Engineering as part of their weekly seminar series, and lectured in Dr. Lyndelle Fairlies’s couse on European Politics in the Dept. of Political Science. Dr. Luederitz is one of the most well-funded researchers at UAS Magdeburg. He and Dr. Gersberg have jointly published  a research paper on constructed wetlands technology  entitled “Nutrient removal efficiency and resource economics of vertical flow and horizontal flow constructed wetlands” (see copy of manuscript attached), and are now collaborating on a  research paper on the ecohydromorphology and pollution status of the Tijuana River. Such collaboration in research projects of mutual interest, will no doubt facilitate the expansion of field placement experiences for SDSU students.

 

 

III.             Upon arrival/specific activity

-                     What/who are the contacts made at the prospective partner university? Upon arrival, I first met with Dr. Luederitz on Monday, June 4th, to review the field sites and research projects of my graduate student (Darryl Yorkey) who would be arriving later in the week (June 7th, 2001) in order to do an international field practice for credit (PH 650 and PH 750) as part of the requirements for the M.P.H. degree. Also we reviewed my lecture schedule (5 one-and-one-half hour lectures) for the coming week, and set up appointments to review our joint research project on the ecohydromorphology of the Tijuana River. .

-         On Tuesday June 5th, besides my lectures, I met with Dr. Luederitz to review out data to date on the Tijuana River, and begin the preparation of a scientific paper on this topic. I also met with one of Dr. Luederitz’s Masters  students (Frauke Gerlach) who will be coming to SDSU in the Fall to work on our international research project on the Tijuana River as part of her Masters research.

-         On Wednesday, June 6th, I presented two lectures and also met with another Faculty member, Dr. Robert Jupner, who indicated a serious interest in our work on the Tijuana River from his perspective as a hydrological engineer. He is now making plans to collaborate with us on the Tijuana River Project and visit SDSU with Dr. Luederitz in the Fall semester 2001. On this day, I also met with Dr. Prof. Bretschneider, Dean of the Department of Water and Waste Management at UAS, Magdeburg.

-         On Thursday, June 7th I presented two lectures. I also met with the Rektor (President) of UAS, Magdeburg-Dr. Andreas Geiger. Dr. Geiger, who has made at least two visits to SDSU, was impressed with both the scope and quality of our research and educational exchange between SDSU and UAS, Magdeburg to date. He also outlined several mechanisms that his University is developing to foster more opportunities for such exchange, including student lodging on campus, more lessons in English, and an expanded Masters program for graduate student exchange. On this day, my graduate student, Darryl Yorkey, in the MPH Program at SDSU arrived for his international internship. He will be staying at UA, Magdeburg for one month.

-                     On Friday, June 7th, I talked with my graduate student, Darryl Yorkey, to review the plans for his international internship at UAS, Magdeburg, and also review the details of our international research project on the Tijuana River. Darryl Yorkey would be learning invaluable field techniques that will soon be applied to the Tijuana River system.       

-         What particular major/minor is of interest?

A major objective of this proposal therefore is to expand such programs at UAS, Magdeburg into other research areas of mutual interest in the field of environmental health, such as constructed wetlands for water purification and riverbank bioremediation. If I can expand support for SDSU students in these areas, it will greatly facilitate SDSU students (from GSPH or other Departments such as Environmental Engineering or the Ecology Program in the Department of Biology) in participating in field research and internships/field placement experiences in Germany.

 

 

IV.              Conclusion, recommendation, and next step?

-         Why is this particular institution valuable for SDSU?

There is an increasing need to train our graduate students of today for the challenges, opportunities and markets of the future. With the increased globalization of business and research, such an international exchange would facilitate such training. Specifically in the environmental arena, the European Union and Germany are leaders in a number of emerging technologies, including life cycle analysis, waste reduction and recycling, and greenhouse gas reduction. Moreover, in the former East Germany (where Magdeburg is located) there is still the legacy of improper disposal of both hazardous and radioactive waste by the former Soviet forces and East German military. Our U.S. experience with the Superfund Program, as well as with human and ecotoxicological risk assessment within the sphere of ecological engineering for pollution remediation, may be most helpful in this context of international exchange.   

-         Sustainability of project (is there a high likelihood that students in the department will be interested in studying the proposed subject area at

the prospective partner university and vice versa)?

Such international  practicum experiences allows students to apply their knowledge and qualifications in a cross-cultural work setting, as well as learn teamwork and co-operation in an international framework. As a direct result of my last exchange visit supported by this program, I have had one of my graduate students in Environmental Health spend a one-month field practice at UAS, Magdeburg. I have also built an international  research program  in stream and river renaturalization, at both SDSU (on the Tijuana River watershed) and UAS, Magdeburg that will accomodate many more  graduate students in the coming years.

-         How will this exchange program (or expansion) increase participation by students in international activities, or enhance international learning environments for students?

This exchange program has already greatly accelerated and expanded the international cooperation between the two Universities into the environmental arena. By developing student access to projects in Germany that provide field placement experiences, and by participating in the international team teaching of the new Masters Program at UAS Magdeburg in Ecological Engineering, such an exchange will help realize the great potential for mutual collaboration in applied environmental sciences between these two Universities.

 

-         What students will benefit?

There are over 40 full and part-time graduate students in the environmental health M.S and MPH programs at SDSU. All of these students do have to take field practice (PH 650) and advanced field practice (PH 750). In addition, it will greatly facilitate SDSU students from  other Departments such as Environmental Engineering or the Ecology Program in the Department of Biology in participating in field research and internships/field placement experiences in Germany.

This project will potentially result in international field practice experiences at UAS Magdeburg  for up to 4-6 students per year.

-         What will be their activities (e.g. course work, international internships, field research, etc.)?

Activities under this exchange program are aimed at identifying specific environmental research projects in Germany that will support international internships for SDSU students. These internships will include placement in research projects in a number of areas including water quality, constructed wetlands, ecological engineering, and risk assessment. I have also developed specific international research projects (e.g. the Tijuana River watershed) which serve as a focus of cooperative international efforts on research and publication that will allow students to collaborate and participate in international research exchanges at their partner University.  

-         What will be your role in promoting and supporting these activities?

It wasn’t until a recent trip I made to Germany in May, 2000 that such exchange beteen SDSU and UAS, Magdeburg was first extended to the field of environmental science. The visit covered by this Faculty Report has greatly accelerated such environmental cooperation, by developing student access to projects in Germany that provide field placement experiences, and by participating in the international team teaching of the new Masters Program at UAS Magdeburg in Ecological Engineering. Such an exchange will help realize the great potential for mutual collaboration in applied environmental sciences between these two Universities.

 

 

V.        Additional Information

 

 

 

                                   

All information should be sent to The Office of International Programs via e mail:

 

oip@mail.sdsu.edu