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Innerviews: Fulbright Scholarship new feather in math professor’s cap

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INTERVIEW

Fulbright scholarship is one of the most prestigious award you can get

(interview with professor Dr. Sonya M. Armstrong, Ph.D., Fulbright professor for research and teaching)
Professor Armstrong is a member of Department of Mathematics and Computer Science in West Virginia State University. After finishing her university studies, she worked as a statistical consultant, later prof. Armstrong focused on theory of teaching mathematics. The primary interest  of her research is achievement in mathematics. Prof. Armstrong also worked as a consultant in an international program aimed at work with autistic children in Nigeria. What she appreciates mostly within her work is the opportunity to improve the quality of mathematics teaching at schools. Thanks to the Fulbright program, prof. Armstrong has been a member of Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica since January 14th 2016. 

You have been a member of Department of mathematics at Matej Bel University thanks to the Fulbright scholarship. What does it mean to be a Fulbright professor in general? What is expected from the members of Fulbright program for research and teaching?

You are somewhere between a diplomat and a citizen. You are expected to present your ideas and to advance your program. It is advancement for the university receiving the scholar, so Matej Bel University will appear on a Fulbright list as a recipient of a Fulbright scholar. My institution can use that in terms of recruiting students to show the quality of professors we have in our university.
During Fulbright program you supposed to be a cultural ambassador, to not only do things within the university but get around the local community. And I think I’ve done that very well. I have explored different parts of Slovakia, I’ve been from the eastern parts to western parts, I’ve been to small villages and to bigger cities. I’ve met the major of Banská Bystrica, I’ve been invited to many cultural activities. I took the course in the language, Slovak for foreigners. Thank to that I can say basic words and phrases in Slovak and I am proud to say I received an A in the course.
I have exposed other people to Slovakia and I tell my friends about Slovakia. I have friends and family all over the world, and they are all learning about Slovakia.

What does it mean to you to be a Fulbright professor for research and teaching personally?

I don’t know if I can even sum it up in a sentence or phrase. It is just an overwhelming, exciting, all encompassing experience, because Fulbright scholarship is one of the most prestigious award you can get.
My experience is really special. First of all, quite a lot of Fulbright scholars a history or political science professors. Moreover, the Fulbright commission usually send mass email to universities to talk about a Fulbright. But I was asked by Austrian embassy and I am really grateful for that.
At the beginning we had the orientation for the new Fulbright scholars. It was really an extraordinary experience to see all these scholars. There were few people who were repeat and they talked about what it means to be a Fulbright and how we were such a selected group and you’ve felt so humbled that you were a part of this group. I hope my stay will be a boost to my career, boost to my personal life. It has been a very unique and very special experience, it is a lifetime of memories.
Most of all, I have been an example for others. Since I’ve received Fulbright, one of my younger colleagues applied for Fulbright scholarship for research in Italy and received it. Which is one of the things I want to do, to extend it. I would like people to know that Fulbright is a two-way program. They have Fulbright to the US and the students and members of this faculty can apply to go to the US for Fulbright.

You have already mentioned that you were asked to participate in Fulbright program by Austrian embassy. What led you to your decision to stay in Slovakia, at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica?

In the moment when Austrian Embassy send me an invitation to apply for Fulbright to Austria, it seemed to be a perfect solution, because as a head of the department for seven years I could not do many things scholarly. So I was all set to apply for Fulbright to Innsbruck, Austria. In that time I got information from other countries through webinars. One week there was an announcement of a webinar to explore other places in Eastern Europe, including Slovakia. So Slovakia came up. I’ve known something about Slovakia, because prior to that I had been a host mother for four Slovak international culture exchange students in West Virginia. It was really because of that international exchange students program that opened my eyes towards Slovakia.
For Slovakia you have to have an invitation letter. Thus I sent my CV and information about me to three universities in Slovakia and the two universities sent me an information. However, in case of Matej Bel University, not only the department, but the dean and the major’s office sent me an invitation letter. Because Charleston in West Virginia is a sister city of Banská Bystrica. And they also sent information to make sure that invitation was strong. So that’s how I ended up here.

What were your expectation from your stay at Matej Bel University? Have they fulfilled so far?

I expected that I will be received well and that they would want to learn from me as much as I would want to learn from them. I also expected I would get to learn the country. However, I think the cultural part was fulfilled more that the teaching part. I think I could have been more utilised.
During my stay I taught one subject and led doctoral seminar, I had several lectures at various faculties. I observed several classes, I was at some of the department meetings and I was also present at final exams. I do not know the language but I know Math. Thus I could pick up some words and I could understand it even though the exams were in Slovak. Sometimes students prepared presentation in English and I could ask questions and make some helpful remarks.
I’ve participated in quite a lot of things with the autism program and schools. I’ve been invited to teach at those schools. Another of the things I did here as a member of the african-american community was a presentation. During February we usually celebrate african-american history month and contribution our group have made to the nation and to the world. And I was really just blessed and considered the privilege that I was asked to give a presentation by the Department of English and American studies. And I gave it in the auditorium of over hundred students and some university members. That was good for me.

Are there any spesifics you have observed in system of education at Matej Bel University? Some factors that are different from the ones in West Virginia? 

The big difference is that university is not free, students have to pay for it. And it is remarkable in their attitude and higher involvement during the lessons. Another thing is that our students have to have books for all subjects. They have to buy them even though they’re expensive.
For the most part, our students do not have to do the double major like they do here. They have the option and some more advanced students do the double major. But there’s hardly any room for our teaching students to be doing double major, because the educational part of the curriculum is so heavy that they wouldn’t have time to do the another major.
The examination is different too here. At our university each course has a final exam at a set exam period. All classes meeting at certain time will have their exams at that time. And sometimes, if students have more than two exams on a given day they are to inform their instructor and they work out where they will have them. However, they still have to do those exams on that particular day. So sometimes they have two or three exams in one day. Students have an idea before they register for their classes when the final exam is going be given, so they can arrange to take their classes at certain time. Moreover, we do not have the second chance, which I actually like, I think it is a good idea, mostly if the student’s performance during the year was good.

What do you consider to be your greatest success in your career so far? Something you are proud of?

This is probably one of the highlights, to have received the Fulbright scholarship. I’ve also received Excellence in Teaching For Women in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics award. As a result of that I was invited to dinner with John Nash, a Nobel laureate.
I am actually proud of my students who have graduated and going on to work on their PhD. That is a personal satisfaction for me. And I always remember one student, who came to my class and told me that he did not know the math. I worked with him individually every Tuesday and Thursday. Finally, he was successful in the class and the next semester I saw him with a College algebra book. He didn’t have it in his bag, he had it in his hand walking proudly on the campus. I was happy for that. Those types of things are things that I find fulfilling. When I see my former students who had problems in my class and then went in to the next level class and were successful there.
I had a similar experience here. I have had a lots of interaction with other faculties. I worked with Department of English and American Studies and one of the English students came and had me to help her edit her thesis. Later I found out that she got an A from her defence. That is what it is about.

Thank you for the interview.