Maness earns HHP’s first Fulbright Specialist award
Dr. Sarah Maness is preparing to travel to Ecuador in January as the first person in the East Carolina University College of Health and Human Performance to earn a Fulbright Specialist Program award with the U.S. Department of State.
Maness will use her expertise in gun violence prevention and emergency preparedness to serve as a visiting consultant at Escuela Superior Politecnica Del Litoral University, her host institution in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Although Maness is an experienced traveler and has led five study abroad experiences at previous universities, this is her first time visiting Ecuador. She will collaborate with her host institution leaders and representatives to discuss and strengthen crisis management skills, psychological preparation for high-risk situations, and emotional and behavioral response strategies.
“I’m very proud to represent ECU and this region in this type of U.S. governmental-sponsored program,” said Maness, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Education and Promotion. “I’m from North Carolina and this is my second year here at ECU, but I have a long history with eastern North Carolina. My parents and grandparents are from eastern North Carolina, so I’m really proud to be at ECU. To be able to use my expertise in a way to raise the international profile of ECU is a great opportunity. I’ve always wanted to do a Fulbright program, so I’m thrilled about that part.”
The Fulbright Specialist Program is part of the larger Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program and was established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The specialist program pairs U.S. experts at their host institution for two- to six-week project-based exchanges.
Maness’ project is titled “Psychological Measures to Respond to Events of Violence.”
“We’re approaching it from a public health angle,” Maness said. “From my perspective, during emergency situations, one way to have more emotional control is to have a plan. I’m going to be working and talking with professors, their student health center staff and security guards about emergency preparedness. I will also be consulting on the development of a crisis management phone app.”
Dr. Sarah Maness will travel to Ecuador in January as part of the Fulbright Specialist Program.
Maness is excited about collaboration and conversations leading to possibly new ideas while she is in Ecuador.
“I’m planning to spend a lot of time listening first, to find out more about the cultural and situational context, because it is not the same as it is here,” Maness said. “I’m gathering a lot of educational resources that may be helpful to the host institution.”
The possibility of developing a phone app for crisis management at the Ecuador university and enhancing effective policies, structure and communication are part of the project goals to provide tools and specialized training to deal with crises calmly and effectively. The global health aspect of this project also made it a great fit for Maness to apply and earn the award.
“I’m preparing myself to get there and learn that the needs are different from the materials I have planned, but at the same time, I want to be as adaptable and culturally aware as I can,” she said. “I love traveling and would really like to move toward more global health research. This is not a research program, but the connections I make could lead to future collaboration. I’m excited about that and hopeful.”