Stephen Wooten, a University of Oregon professor of international studies and anthropology since 2001, has been hired as associate vice provost and director of the UO's Study Abroad Program in the Office of International Affairs.

Wooten, who served as interim director of Study Abroad for the past five months, brings prior research as well as administrative and programmatic experience to the new position. He has conducted research in rural, developing-country settings; published a book on agrarian change and expressive culture; received two Fulbright research awards; and launched a new project on the global appropriation and commodification of indigenous arts in North America, Europe and Africa.

Additionally, he served as associate director in two Title VI National Resource Centers at research universities (Illinois and UCLA); directed and played a role in establishing the African Studies and Food Studies programs at the UO and built new study abroad and international internship programs in Europe and Africa.

Under the leadership of Wooten, the Office of International Affairs and Study Abroad aim to expand their international education experiences for students by providing access to families of modest means, majors formerly deemed too crowded with requirements and students not yet attuned to global education. In the coming years, OIA aims to reach those new constituencies while maintaining and enhancing its already-established base in traditional, long-term, language-intensive programs.

One of Wooten’s first ventures in his new position is a “listening tour” that brings him to faculty meetings of departmental partner units, one-on-one meetings with faculty colleagues and with all of the staff in the Study Abroad unit. Information gathered from the tour will influence a reorganization of the Study Abroad unit scheduled for early this year.

Those interested in setting up a time to discuss personal or unit interests in and vision for global education should contact Wooten at swooten@uoregon.edu or Dennis Galvan at dgalvan@uoregon.edu.

- by Katherine Cook, UO Office of Strategic Communications intern