Fulbright Faculty Development Program Spotlight: Flaka Pasha
Applying for a program such as Fulbright can be a nerve-wracking experience. In order to ease your mind and provide you with an insider’s look into the Fulbright experience, we decided to catch up with our alumni and on-program scholars. We asked them to reflect on their experience and answer our insightful questions.
We are continuing our series of questions with our Fulbright Faculty Development 2020 grantee, Flaka Pasha who conducted her research at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
The Fulbright Faculty Development Program model is designed for junior faculty, currently teaching in Kosovo. The goal of the program model is to introduce participants to best practices and theoretical approaches to curriculum development in the U.S. and provide them with concrete strategies on how to develop a curriculum for a course, including an overview of academic and research resources. The 2023/24 online application for the Fulbright Faculty Development Program is now open and will be available until October 17, 2022.
To learn more visit: U.S. Embassy Prishtina.
This is a joint program of the U.S. Department of State and the Government of Kosovo.
What is your educational and professional background?
I am a medical doctor and a Ph.D. candidate in the field of Toxicology. I currently serve as a Teaching Assistant in Pharmacology and Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Prishtina. Additionally, I am a second-year resident in the Radiology department at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo.
Why did you choose to apply for Fulbright Program?
I consider Fulbright as the perfect program for academic, professional, and personal enrichment, while it fosters the goal of advancing professional competence, through the exchange of expertise and skills of the grantees and their host institutions.
Tell us about your experience as a Fulbrighter in the U.S.?
My Fulbright experience has embraced all important components for an accomplished clinician actively involved in academia, by providing me with clinical and laboratory expertise, and exposing me to different research projects and teaching strategies. The community at Duke University has been most welcoming, cooperative, and gratified to share their knowledge with me.
What is the most valuable component you are gaining from the program?
Through auditing various courses, I had the chance to adopt different teaching methodologies and course development strategies, that will greatly facilitate my teaching process back home. I also much appreciated the hands-on involvement in various research projects in the Toxicology Department.
How do you plan to implement the knowledge gained as a part of the program at your home institution?
I plan to implement the encountered knowledge, by applying new teaching strategies, like a universal design for learning, project-based learning, rubrics, and course evaluation in the classes that I already teach.
Moreover, my ultimate goal is to establish the Toxicology Research Facility at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, by bringing back home the technical and professional laboratory expertise that I have gained while at Duke University.
How was the application process for you and what tips do you have for prospective candidates?
The application process was transparent and straightforward. The U.S. Embassy staff was very responsive to any questions and concerns I had. The interviewing process went smoothly and was a pleasant experience.
My best tip for prospective candidates is that they should plan on requesting the reference letters well ahead of the application deadline since that is a process, the candidate cannot control.
What is the biggest culture shock you are experiencing in the U.S?
The greatest difference I am encountering in the United States in comparison to my previous experiences is how interdisciplinary every study field is. Every department embraces people from different professional backgrounds, thus improving teamwork and reaching impactful results.
What is your favorite place you have visited while participating in the Fulbright program?
Due to my continuous commitments to the program, I spent most of my weekends in Durham and its surrounding cities such as Charlotte, Raleigh, Cary, and Asheville. I loved exploring local hiking trails and visited Eno River State Park and Falls Lake. I had the chance to enjoy a few musical and theatrical performances at DPAC and Carolina Theater.
In addition, I was so pleased to have the chance to visit the Nasher Museum, Museum of Life and Sciences, and NASCAR Hall of Fame and enjoyed some basketball, American soccer, tennis, and baseball games.
What is your favorite American dish/food?
Durham has a well-deserved reputation for being a food gem, while it offers unique flavors from almost every international cuisine. I have absolutely enjoyed every dish I got to taste, though creamy chicken butter biscuit and ice-cream sandwiches, top my list.