Cambodia (2015-2016) 


McMaster Fellows

JoAnn Burkhardt, Faculty, Education – This research project goals are to assist in building the capacity of professionals in Cambodia by enabling them to design and implement programming and training for clients and students with disabilities.

Research Project Objectives are to (1) continue to learn about disability law in Cambodia; (2) refine the data collection instrument created determine the Cambodian definition of disability and to determine the training needs for community partners in Cambodia; (3) gather data to determine the training needs for community partners in order for these community partners to best provide services and programming for clients and students with intellectual disabilities; (4) determine the training needs of community partners in order for them to provide services and programming for clients and students with intellectual disabilities; and (5) develop, translate, and deliver to my community partners a report of the findings from my data collection and data analysis.

Fred Coulter, Faculty, Education – The purpose of this research project is to expand the measure of impact training projects have on teachers and professionals in Cambodia. In past trips, training sessions for teachers and professionals were conducted by McMaster scholars in Phnom Penh, Battambang, Kep, Siem Reap, and rural school districts. This year’s research project will provide formal results on the impact of trainings for professionals.

McMaster Scholars

Jordan Blank, Sophomore, Integrated Language Arts – This project addresses the request put forth by our Cambodian Learning Community partner, asking for assistance in teaching about cross-cultural communication. I plan to create a session that would include the teaching of basic communication, cross-cultural communication, and how this knowledge may be applied.

Nathan Height, Junior, Accounting – This research project analyzes and identifies the extent of which leaders of businesses and Non-Government Organizations in Cambodia are familiar with contemporary leadership techniques such as positive and negative tactics, and their application of influence in the workplace. My teachings will serve as the linkage institution between what organizational leadership concepts are currently grasped and what areas remain underdeveloped.

Elizabeth Pienoski, Senior, Forensic Science and Criminal Justice – This project is aimed at providing proper training, training materials, and tools to professionals that work in environments where sexual harassment occurs as well as to professionals that handle rape cases. By providing the proper training materials, in the native language of the professionals in Cambodia, proper preventative techniques, and proper assessments, it can help to decrease the risk for women and men to encounter sexual harassment or situations that may result in rape as well as increasing the health and safety of the women and men working within the professional settings.

George Roth, Senior, Accounting – This project will be to provide training sessions with businesses, non-governmental organizations, schools, and universities that cover micro and macroeconomic principles and theory, as well as material details about the ASEAN agreement. The training sessions will be catered to each community partner as to provide the most effective benefit.

Arlen Stoller, Junior, Molecular Biology – The aim of this project is to improve the quality of water accessed by our community partners. Testing will be conducted to identify the contaminates and steps will be implemented to educate the communities on mechanisms to insure better water.