Collaborative Events (2017 onwards)

Fulbright Alumni Association of Nepal (FAAN) and Star Scholars Network jointly organized an online interaction program to initiate collaboration between Fulbright Scholars and STAR Scholars.

Ms. Jony Mainaly (General Secretary) and Dr. Purna B. Nepali (Executive Member) participated in the interaction on behalf of FAAN. Likewise, on behalf of STAR Scholars Network, Dr. Uttam Gaulee (President of STAR Scholars Network | Associate Professor, Morgan State University) and Dr. Krishna Bista (VP of Education Services, STAR Scholars Network | Associate Professor, Morgan State University) led the discussions.

 

FAAN supported the organization of a talk program featuring the work of Maggie Doyne, CNN Hero, and Ar. Prabal Thapa at Kopila Valley School in Surkhet, a rare example of green architecture.

Spaces Magazine and NAFA organized the event.

 

On August 9, 2019, USEF-Nepal and Fulbright Alumni Association of Nepal (FAAN) jointly organized an idea sharing session with US and Nepali Fulbrighters.

Four US Fulbrighters presented their works during the session:

  • “Gendered dimensions of human-tiger conflict” – Samantha Helle
  • “Training of teachers” – Jacole Douglas
  • “Emergency dispatch services in Dhulikhel hospital” – Claire Jacobson
  • “Water scarcity in Kathmandu Valley” – Madison Wrobley

On February 1, 2019, the United States Education Foundation – Nepal (USEF-Nepal) and Fulbright Alumni Association of Nepal (FAAN) jointly organized a workshop on “Environmental Law”.

The workshop started with a keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Bijaya S. Sijapati, Dean, Faculty of Law, Tribhuvan University.

The keynote presentation was followed by overview presentations, case studies, and perspectives with Q/A sessions in between presentations:

  • “Environmental law in federal Nepal” – Ms. Jony Mainaly, Assistant Prof., National Law College, TU
  • “Environment and climate change law” – Mr. Padam Shrestha, Coordinator, Environmental Law Committee, Nepal Bar Association
  • “Capitalizing on a reactive trafficking case” - Mr. Michael J. Heyman, Resident Legal Advisor, U.S. Dept. of Justice, U.S. Embassy
  • “U.S. environmental law” – Dr. Tom Robertson, ED, USEF-Nepal
  • “Legal framework in Nepal on genetic resources and benefits sharing” – Dr. Dinamani Pokharel, Advocate
  • “Role of judiciary in environmental protection in Nepal” – Mr. Prakash Mani Sharma, Sr. Advocate/ Executive Chair, Pro-Public
  • “Utilization of natural resources in federal Nepal” – Ms. Rupa Basnet, Lecturer, Nepal Law Campus
The speakers and participants also took part in a group discussion. Dr. Tom Robertson, Executive Director, USEF-Nepal delivered the closing remark.

Fulbright and Hubert H. Humphrey alumni in Nepal, and Fulbright Nepal (Fulbright Commission in Nepal) jointly organized an alumni experience-sharing workshop on “Urban Issues in Nepal.”

The workshop started with an overview presentation on "National Urban Development Strategy for Nepal" by Mr. Padma Mainalee, Deputy Director General of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC).

The overview presentation was followed by a series of presentations by alumni members:

  • "Cities for Whom, by Whom?" by Kirti K. Joshi, Assistant Professor (Urban Planning) at Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University (Fulbright Alum);
  • “Urban Road Widening: With or Without Compensation” by G. P. Gorkhaly, Freelance Consultant, Urban Infrastructure Planner (Humphrey Alum);
  • “Pro-Poor Urban Regeneration Pilot Project: Findings & Relevance for Historic towns of Kathmandu Valley” by Umesh Malla (Humphrey Alum);
  • “What I learned in the US” by Nilima Shrestha, Assistant Expert, City Planning Commission (CPC), Kathmandu Metropolitan City (Humphrey Alum);
  • “Cleaning up the Mess: How American Cities Have Addressed Air Pollution” by Thomas Robertson, Executive Director, USEF (Fulbright alum);
  • “Understanding Disaster Risk in the Urban Context” by Anil Pokhrel, Sr. Risk & Adaptation Specialist, PLAN8 Risk Consulting (Fulbright Alum);
  • “The Problem of Urban Flooding in Kathmandu Valley” by Meen Poudyal Chhetri, President, Nepal Chapter for Disaster Management; & Professor, Institute of Crisis Management (Humphrey Alum), and
  • "SmartPaani and Merging Traditional and Modern Techniques for Sustainable Water Management" by Tyler McMahon, SmartPaani Pvt Ltd. (Fulbright alum).

On August 6, 2018, FAAN had the pleasure of hosting a talk by Dr. Beth Pratt-Sitaula on Nepal-USA collaborations in geohazard education and research. The talk presented an overview of ongoing collaborations between geoscientists in Nepal and the USA.

SIT Study Abroad and Tribhuvan University (TU) Tri Chandra Campus Geology Department have jointly designed and run the program “Nepal: Geoscience in the Himalaya” since 2015. Undergraduate students from TU and around the USA learn together in this 7-week summer field course. The emphasis is on fundamental geoscience skills, geohazard assessments, and successful collaboration with international colleagues.

Since 2008, TU has worked with USA researchers on a GPS network to measure tectonic motions and provide insights in earthquake hazard. More recently the collaboration expanded to the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). Other data come from Nepal Department of Mines and Geology and colleagues. GPS data from the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake provided critical information about ground movement before, during, and after the earthquake.

The event took place at USEF Auditorium, Gyaneshwor, Kathmandu.

Nepali students are the fastest growing international student population studying at colleges and universities in the United States. Studying abroad offer many exciting opportunities: to dive deep into a subject of one’s passion, to refine language, to make friends from around the world, to live in a society that organizes daily life very differently, to explore career options, and to both appreciate and question the assumptions of one’s home culture. But many challenges also exist: how to pick the right school, how to navigate the overwhelming number of classes and programs, how to succeed academically and socially, what/how to learn outside the classroom, and how to bring home and share the benefits of overseas study.

In collaboration with USEF-Nepal EducationUSA Advising Center, Fulbright Alumni Association of Nepal (FAAN) organized a panel discussion on "Life in and after US", featuring Fulbright alumni Ms. Prerana Marasini, Mr, Sujan Rana, and Ms. Rashmi K.C. as panelists, who shared stories from their own experiences.

The event took place at USEF Auditorium, Gyaneshwor, Kathmandu.

 

In collaboration with USEF-Nepal, Fulbright Alumni Association of Nepal (FAAN) organized a talk program featuring Dr. Sean F. Gallen, Geological Institute, ETH-Zürich who spoke on "Earthquakes, Landslides and the Critical Zone in Tectonically Active Mountains".

The program was held at USEF-Nepal.

In association with USEF-Nepal and Biotechnology Society Nepal, Fulbright Alumni Association of Nepal (FAAN) organized a talk program featuring Dr. Raju Adhikari, Adjunct Professor of RMIT university, Australia. He spoke on "Sprayable Biodegradable Polymer Membrane for Crop Production Systems".

In collaboration with USEF Nepal, FAAN conducted monthly enrichment sessions for young students on effective writing, speaking, and delivering presentations from August 18, 2017 to February 16, 2018. Executive Director of USEF Nepal Dr. Tom Robertson led the sessions.
In collaboration with USEF-Nepal, FAAN organized a talk program featuring Allyson Beach, a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar. She spoke on “Deconstructing Disaster: Understanding Grassroots Urban Resilience in Chennai, India". The program was held at Innovation Hub Kathmandu.
In collaboration with USEF-Nepal, FAAN organized a talk program featuring Fulbright scholar Professor Sri Ramanjaneyulu Kolla. He spoke on "Smart Grid: Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Power System Protection". The program was held at Innovation Hub Kathmandu.