Traynor receives Fulbright Specialist Award to Colombia

The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced that Anne Traynor received a Fulbright Specialist Program award for a project at Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia in Colombia.

Anne Traynor standing at in front of a projection screen, leading a presentation on Nodes and Edges.
Traynor teaching network psychometrics (All photos provided by Anne Traynor)

The project aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities both in the U.S. and overseas through a variety of educational and training activities within Public/Global Health.

Traynor, an associate professor of educational psychology and research methodology in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Studies, spent April 23 to May 6 in Colombia collaborating on the project. She is also a faculty member in the Purdue University Psychometric Investigation Lab (PUPIL), which offers consultation about educational assessment, data analytics, and research design.

“In Colombia, I led workshops about contemporary psychometric models – multidimensional item response theory models, network models – and their application to public health data at Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia-Pasto, in collaboration with Universidad de Nariño,” Traynor said.

Traynor (seated, near middle) with students in master's data science and undergraduate psychology, Universidad de Nariño
Traynor (seated, near middle) with students in master’s data science and undergraduate psychology, Universidad de Nariño

Traynor is one of over 400 U.S. citizens who share expertise with host institutions abroad through the Fulbright Specialist Program each year. Recipients of Fulbright Specialist awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad.

Traynor (center) with Campus Director, Dr. Victor Hugo Villota Alvarado (second from right), administrators, and 
faculty of Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia-Pasto
Traynor (center) with Campus Director, Dr. Victor Hugo Villota Alvarado (third from right), administrators, and faculty of Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia-Pasto

Traynor wrote these reflections at the request of her Colombia partners:

“Winding up the mountain road to the airport in the morning darkness, I hoped I might return soon to the ‘Surprise City.’ We accomplished a great deal during my Fulbright Specialist exchange to the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia-Pasto and Universidad de Nariño, and I considered the prospect of more time. 

“From the day that I arrived, I worked with faculty at the two local universities (Drs. Ana Cristina Mafla, Cooperativa, and Mauricio Herrera-López, Nariño) to deliver a series of workshops about psychometric statistics for the health sciences — multidimensional item response models and network models. To teach undergraduate Psychology students, Statistics master’s students, and faculty a systematic decision-making process for applying these models, we linked the foundational concepts across the two topics, then guided the participants to investigate several use case examples. The sessions were scheduled for a lecture format, but shifted toward a running discussion after the first day, as participants raised deeper questions about appropriate uses of the models. The students were particularly excited about network models and their potential applications in psychology and other fields.

“When we came to software application of the techniques, I was glad that I had invested time in producing a Spanish-English translation of the lab materials, which made them more readily accessible for participants, and also paid off by helping students who were more experienced with software applications to quickly assist their peers. Participants told us that they learned new ideas and planned to share the lab materials with others in their research teams. More immediately, one faculty team that had little programming experience used materials from the workshop to produce a complete analysis of their data in one working day, with only minor guidance by me. And several undergraduate participants shared creative (and quite practical) research ideas that they hoped to carry out using the modeling methods.

Traynor (center) with collaborators Dr. Ana Cristina Mafla, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia; Dr. Mauricio Herrera-López, Universidad de Nariño;, and a traditional murga band
Traynor (center) with collaborators Dr. Ana Cristina Mafla, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia; Dr. Mauricio Herrera-López, Universidad de Nariño;, and a traditional murga band

“Completing our research planning meetings ahead of schedule left time to explore the delightful city of Pasto and surrounding region! My thoughtful hosts arranged a Saturday boat trip on Laguna de La Cocha, with a lunch of seared lake trout, plantains with avocado, and fresh blackberry juice as our main destination. We took in the Carnaval Museum, jogged in the mountain foothills, and sampled the smooth local coffee bean roast at neighborhood cafés. As I met Colombian people, I was most struck by their optimism for the future of their country and youth, which seemed so different from the current social climate in the United States.

“Faculty at both universities were enthusiastic to learn about Purdue University’s research exchange programs for students and faculty to/from Colombia. As my hosts and I expand our collaboration beyond their oral health project, I am confident that it will be fruitful for research work because we are building a relationship of trust and support, as well as exchanging intellectual ideas.”

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Specialist Program is a unique opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week, project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe.

More information about the Fulbright Program: http://eca.state.gov/fulbright; or contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office at 202-632-6452 or ECA-Press@state.gov.

Source: Anne Traynor, atraynor@purdue.edu