OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi English professor
David Galef has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to
teach in Japan.
Galef plans to travel to Tokyo in April to spend four
months, accompanied by his wife, Beth Weinhouse, and
12-year-old son, Daniel. He is scheduled to teach at Sophia
University and Japan Women’s University, lecturing on
20th-century science fiction and the modern America short
story.
“The Japanese are eager to learn everything they can about
American culture, so I’m really looking forward to teaching
over there,” Galef said.
Galef, who has been teaching at UM for 18 years, earned his
bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from
Princeton University in 1981. He then spent a year in
Osaka, Japan, teaching English as a second language. In
1982, he returned to the U.S. and completed his doctorate
in English at Columbia University in 1989.
“I’ve always wanted to go back to Japan, but it’s always
been one thing or another,” he said. “Now just seems like
the right time.” Galef said that he and his family look
forward to learning about the country’s culture. In
preparation for the trip, they are taking lessons in
Japanese.
“I am delighted that David Galef has received a Fulbright
grant,” said Ann Fisher-Wirth, professor of English, who
traveled to Switzerland and Sweden as Fulbright Scholar. “A
highly accomplished professor and writer, and a very
congenial colleague, David will offer his students a lot,
and I know he and his family will have a great time.”
“As someone already knowledgeable about Japanese culture
and the Japanese language, David is ideally suited to
teach students there, as well as to learn a great deal
from them,” said Kathryn McKee, associate professor of
English and former Fulbright Scholar to Germany. “Several
other English department faculty members have also
received Fulbrights, and I think we all returned to Oxford
energized by our international experiences and excited to
share them with our students.”
Galef has published 13 books, including two books of
Japanese translations: “Even Monkeys Fall from Trees, and
Other Japanese Proverbs” and “Even a Stone Buddha Can Talk:
More Wit and Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs.”
Some 800 U.S. faculty and other professionals travel abroad
each year through the Fulbright Scholar Program.
Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the
late Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program is
intended to build mutual understanding between Americans
and the rest of the world.
Sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
at the U.S. State Department, the program has exchanged
more than a quarter-million scholars in over 150 countries
worldwide. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic
and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated
leadership potential in their fields.
For more information about the Fulbright Scholars Program,
visit
http://www.cies.org/about?fulb.htm.
For more information about the UM Department of English, go
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