Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad

One faculty member from The Ohio State University has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright-Hays grant by the U.S. Department of Education. Morgan Liu, an assistant professor in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, is the recipient of the Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad grant. The Fulbright-Hays grant awards represent over $120,000 in research funding for 2008-2009. There are only 25 faculty awards and 140 Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad awards given annually nationwide.

Liu is only the second Ohio State faculty member to receive this highly competitive Fulbright-Hays grant since 2000. He is a cultural anthropologist who plans to travel to Kyrgyzstan for three months to conduct research on the theme of "Central Asian Islam and Post-Soviet Societal Transformation." Liu will examine the beliefs of Muslims in Central Asia about how Islam solves systemic societal problems. The fieldwork involves Uzbek language interviews with religious and community leaders, and observation of mosque life.