Launching partnerships in teaching and research

11 January 2013 meeting of the Segou physicians, administrators,
both local and state, with the VFOM/VCU team members to
discuss ethical protocols for the research project.

In January 2013 VFoM members led a group of VCU professors to Ségou and Bamako, to launch new partnerships in teaching and research. The delegation of professors and colleagues (with their Malian names and research interests) included the following:

Dr. Helen Ruth ASPASS, geographer interested in transferring knowledge of Africa to early childhood and elementary education students

Dr. Christopher BROOKS, VCU Head of Anthropology interested in social problems related to AIDS, Malian music and the historical Virginia-Mali connection 

Dr. Patricia CUMMINS (Rokiatou TRAORÉ), VCU French professor interested in comparative university systems and in innovative French language teaching 

Ana EDWARDS (Aminata TALL-SISSOKO), VFoM President, interested in Mali-Virginia cultural relations through history, the arts and women's affairs

Dr. Michelle ELCOAT-POULTON, (Oumou KONÉ), former Vice-President of Child Fund International, working with early childhood 

Marcia FONTES-HELLMAN, VCU professor of Portuguese interested in youth and women’s self-empowerment through intercultural exchange and technology, and the 2014 project to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Aboubakr II's 1314 crossing from Mali to Brazil. 

Brahima KONÉ, VCU French professor interested in West African history, culture and economic development, and also working on the 2014 project to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Aboubakr II's 1314 crossing from Mali to Brazil 

Dr. Bernard MOITT, VCU History Professor interested in Malian history, French colonial history and Mali's links to Virginia and Haiti.

Dr. Robin POULTON (Macky TALL), VFoM vice president interested in peace research and practice, civil society and sustainable development in Mali 

Dr. AJ SHRIAR, geographer interested in regional planning, irrigation systems and the sustainability of Sahelian production systems 

Dr. Shawn UTSEY, psychologist and VCU Head of African Studies, interested in urban youth and their expression of relationships in their lives