Yangon, Myanmar
A 1962 military coup in Myanmar led to 50 years of isolation—five decades of turmoil and neglect of higher education. To help revive and modernize the Southeast Asian country’s university system, Engineering Professor Daniel Lacks and 12 graduate students headed to Yangon Technological University in December as part of the Fulbright Specialist Program to lead an engineering and entrepreneurship class. The U.S. Department of State hailed it as the first U.S. college course in Myanmar.
"We are very behind. Our entire faculty left the university when it closed in the mid-'90s, so now most faculty are new hires with no experience in teaching or research. With Professor Lacks’ help, we’ve learned to use computers for simulations rather than pencil and paper, and we’ve learned modern teaching techniques to connect better with students. Without him, it would take years for our university to be successful."
Nway Nay Hlaing, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Yangon Technological University
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Yangon Technological University
