Alicante / Alacant, Spain – October 30 – November 2, 2024
The Mediterranean Research Seminar will challenge Fulbright U.S. Researchers (at all levels) in Mediterranean countries to engage with each other on critical issues affecting the Mediterranean, drawing from a wide range of academic perspectives and disciplines. This three-day seminar will provide grantees with the space to discuss and debate their conceptual, constructive, empirical, experimental, and/or theoretical work. Additionally, this unique forum will allow Fulbrighters hosted in Mediterranean countries to establish regional dialogue and linkages transcending disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries.
Please reach out to Sara Abad (sara.abad@fulbright.es) with any questions.
Objectives of the Seminar
- Plan and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, both formal and informal, focused on Mediterranean-related issues,
- Foster interdisciplinary engagement and cross-cultural dialogue, and
- Provide space for grantees to reflect on their grant thus far, both academically and personally.
Opportunities for Academic, Professional, and Cultural Engagement
- Grantee-led workshops: The interdisciplinary workshops are an opportunity for grantees to facilitate dynamic group conversations about a wide-range of topics, whether they are related to a grantee’s research, or related to broader topics connected to Fulbright, such as being a U.S. cultural ambassador. Workshops can be led by more than one grantee, and they encourage active discussions that create a space for participants to interact in small groups and brainstorm new ideas. They often go beyond the academic, offering exciting reflections that can inspire new approaches to both professional and personal endeavors.
- Individual presentations: The individual presentations are a chance for grantees to present their research to all seminar attendees through brief presentations: 12 minutes for the presentation and 8 minutes for Q&A. The selection will be based on a diversity of topics, program, host country, and alignment with general Fulbright objectives and values. Priority will be given to presentations about climate change and sustainability, comparative cultural studies, human and animal migration, and other topics related to the Mediterranean.
- Poster presentations: The poster presentations are a great way to visually present your research, regardless of your current stage in the research process, in a dynamic and conversational setting. Approximately 10-20 posters will be selected for the 2023 Fulbright Spain Mediterranean Research Seminar in Alicante. The selection will be based on a diversity of topics, program, and host country. The U.S.-Spain Fulbright Commission will facilitate the printing and delivery of all posters, printed in an A0 format (84,1 x 118,9 cm).
- Cultural activities: True to its name, the Mediterranean Research Seminar will introduce seminar participants to the Mediterranean culture of the seminar’s host city: Alicante. Participants will enjoy a group lunch sampling local Mediterranean cuisine, visit the MARC archaeological museum, and take in the spectacular views from the Castle of Santa Bárbara, the defining landmark of Alicante. Participants will also engage in seminar sessions on the premises of the Casa Mediterráneo, a beautifully restored former train station, whose space now serves as a cultural center that promotes collaboration among the countries and cultures of the Mediterranean.
To get a feel for the Seminar, take a look at video from the 2023 edition!
Alicante / Alacant: A Mediterranean City
Venue: Casa Mediterráneo
Map of Mediterranean Research Seminar locations
