Johnny C. Woods, Jr

Member profile:

To ensure delivery of programs from a global perspective, I believe research is one way to inform our perspectives for practice. As a second-year doctoral student, my core research area is STEM education as it relates to international students and African-born immigrants, specifically the barriers and challenges. I am a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) in the Department of Engineering Education, working with a team of researchers led by Dr. Homero Murzi in the Engineering Competencies, Learning, and Inclusive Practices for Success (ECLIPS) Lab at Virginia Tech. As an international student from Liberia, West Africa, international students’ research is important for me. I believe my research speaks to the importance of internationalization of higher education for university administrators and policy makers in creating supportive campus climate that enriches the experience of international students. My educational journey incorporates studying in Uganda, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Germany. These experiences coupled with my professional experience in higher education for a period over 11 years manifest my interest in international research. My goal is to use my research to inform practitioners on diversification of resources in the interest of international programs that support internationalization of higher education.