1. Providing visiting scholars with opportunities to examine sustainable urban planning and design ideas, strategies, and practice at the University of Oregon and private firms and government agencies in Oregon and to investigate the possibility of transferring the knowledge to China’s urban planning and design practice.
2. Offering University of Oregon faculty members involved in this program an opportunity to advance their sustainability research agenda (e.g., access to knowledge about China’s urban development).
3. Offering professionals and firms involved in this program an opportunity to engage in creative collaboration with foreign-trained professionals and knowledge exchange.

This program allows a visiting scholar to reside in Eugene and/or Portland for up to 9 months while conducting applied research with a UO faculty (mentor). The visiting scholar will likely use the following methods to carry out his/her research agenda:

1. Conducting library research, site visits, and fieldwork;
2. Sitting in University of Oregon classes on topics relevant to urban sustainability;
3. Engaging in formal and informal interactions on professional and scholarly matters with UO faculties and students;
4. Interviewing and observing local planning practitioners in public settings and at a local firm or agency.

All these activities will take place under the guidance from a faculty mentor and be facilitated by staff hired by SCI. The visiting scholar will deliver a research paper at the end of the program independently or collaboratively with the faculty mentor. A local practitioner will work with the visiting scholar to conduct interviews and observation at a professional firm.

2016 Program Structure

Spring Term

Campus-based research and exchange, interaction and exchange experience activities include:

1. Conducting library research, site visits, and fieldwork.
2. Sitting in University of Oregon classes on topics relevant to urban sustainability
3. Engaging in formal and informal interactions on professional and scholarly matters with UO faculties and students;

Summer Term

Research based on professional observation and participation activities include:

1. Field trips, Site visits
2. Interviews and observation
3. Participation in planning projects.

Fall Term

Campus-based research and exchange, interaction and exchange experience activities include:

1. Conducting library research, site visits, and fieldwork.
2. Sitting in University of Oregon classes on topics relevant to urban sustainability
3. Engaging in formal and informal interactions on professional and scholarly matters with UO faculties and students;
4. Research paper development and dissemination;
5. Reflection and evaluation.

How to Apply

Any Chinese professional with a Bachelor degree in related disciplines is eligible to apply. Please contact SCI China Program Director Prof. Yizhao Yang (yizhao@uoregon.edu) directly to talk about your preferences (length of stay, research topic, and etc.).  SCI will be glad to design the program details specifically for you. Thank you for your interest in our Visiting Scholar Program!