When Adnan Alrubaye was contacted by the American Councils for International Education to host a Ukrainian scholar at the U of A, Alrubaye didn't hesitate to say yes.

"Being from Iraq and surviving three wars, I know exactly what he's going through, and wanted to do every single thing I could to help him," said Alrubaye, who is an assistant professor of poultry science and associate director of the Cell and Molecular Biology Program. "The American Councils was happy because they didn't have to spend too much time convincing me."

Alrubaye welcomed Vasyl Koziy, a department head in the School of Veterinary Medicine at Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, to the U of A through the BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program. The program, administered by the American Councils, seeks to build links between Ukrainian and U.S. scholars for long-term collaboration in areas such as joint research, shared pedagogy, course development and publication. The program's long-term goal is to help Ukrainian universities educate and train professionals critical to the country's recovery and reconstruction through lasting, productive collaboration with U.S. institutions of higher education.

While at the U of A, Koziy is auditing classes taught by Alrubaye, touring facilities and conducting research of his own while also exploring opportunities for collaboration between the U of A and his home institution.

Specifically, Koziy is interested in collaborative research that combines microbiological, physiological and behavioral study. With the help and inspiration of Alrubaye, Koziy has met with fellow researchers of animal behavior, machine learning and animal welfare issues that use behavioral and physiological indexes to evaluate animal health and potential productivity. Koziy completed required trainings using the CTI program to have access to and work in laboratories and in the field.

At his home university, Koziy is a member of a university committee on proper animal use, and his interest in animal welfare has led him to collaborate with the U of A's Poultry Science and Animal Science departments to familiarize himself with the basic work principles of a similar committee at the U of A.

Koziy is also exploring best practices for modernizing teaching curriculum, enhancing research conduction and optimizing the administrative structure of his home university.

 "This is my fourth visit to the United States, and this is the best campus I've visited here," Koziy said. "The people here are friendly; there's a large international student community where we can share our culture, and the professors are very cooperative and hospitable. What more could you want?"

"I find so many commonalities between myself and him," Alrubaye said. "As a war survivor myself, I want to bring both worlds together here in a country that welcomes everyone. Our goal is to have him leave our campus with the best experience possible, and he and I are talking about multiple follow-up projects once he returns to Ukraine."

"We are deeply honored to welcome Vasyl Koziy, department head in the School of Veterinary Medicine at Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, to the University of Arkansas," said Lindsey Aloia, associate dean of international education in the Graduate School and International Education. "This opportunity not only strengthens our academic collaborations with Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, but also contributes to Ukraine's redevelopment. We remain committed to supporting global scholars through programs like the BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program and firmly believe that Vasyl's perspective enriches our campus community and contributes to our global mission."

American Councils for International Education is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., that administers various programs designed to foster cross-cultural understanding and facilitate educational opportunities worldwide through international education, academic exchange and research.

The BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with additional funding provided by U.S. host institutions.