International

Visiting International Fellowship

The International Council (IC) of EWRI annually invites applications for Visiting International Fellows. The fellowships provide support for faculty, professionals, or student researchers from developing countries to participate in the annual World Water and Environmental Resources Congresses (typically in May of each year) and in several days of supplementary activities during their visit to the United States. The objectives of the fellowship are to increase the participation of water resources and environmental professionals from developing countries in EWRI conferences, and to promote sustained professional and cultural exchange.

While attending the annual EWRI conference, each Fellow is expected to 1) give a presentation in a technical session on his/her research on a water/environmental resources issue in his/her country, and 2) participate with other international fellows in a panel discussion on international water/environmental resource issues as a representative of his/her country.

Each Fellow must be hosted by a United States- or Canada-based EWRI/ASCE member who will be responsible for submitting the application to the IC. The host will assist in arranging 2-3 days of professional activities for the Fellow in the United States. Example activities include visiting with key agencies, consultants or researchers, working collaboratively on papers, proposals, or projects, and touring facilities or field sites relevant to the Fellow's area of interest.

Fellowships include a one-year membership in EWRI and/or the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and registration fees for the conference. The remainder of the fellowship can be used to partially cover conference travel expenses. The stipend will not cover travel expenses for the technical and cultural activities planned outside of the conference. Matching fund grants (from corporations, government agencies, schools or individuals) are encouraged, but not required.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 26th.

Applications and additional information on the 2013 Fellowship are available at: http://www.cabnr.unr.edu/saito/infovif.htm.

NOTE: EWRI is preparing for the 12th anniversary of the Visiting International Fellowship (VIF) to be celebrated during the World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2013 in Cincinnati, OH. We would like to recognize the accomplishments of the past fellows and hosts, so the VIF committee will be contacting past fellows and hosts for updates and photos, and particularly to learn of ways the program has positively impacted their careers. If you are a past fellow or host and your contact information has changed, please contact Dr. Stacy Langsdale, past chair of the VIF committee.

Invitation Letter Request Instructions

Send requests to Narcy Ibanez at international@asce.org, and your invitation letter will be prepared and sent in pdf format via e-mail.

Letters may be faxed if requested. Please provide us with a fax number and indicate that you would like the letter faxed in addition to the original pdf copy.

Letters cannot be e-mailed or sent to the Embassy or U.S. Consulate. ASCE cannot intervene on behalf of the invitees with the Embassy or U.S. Consulate via fax, phone, surface mail, or e-mail.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: international@asce.org.

U.S. Department of State provides information on traveling to the United States regarding passports, international travel, etc. Their website is accessible via http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1262.html.

If you are unable to obtain a Visa, cancellations must be received in writing at ASCE Headquarters by April 25, 2013, to receive a refund for registration fees. A $100 Processing fee will be deducted from all refunds.

ASCE encourages you to process any required visa documents at least 6 months in advance of the conference date. Please remember that the U.S. Department of State now requires you to appear for a personal interview in order to apply for a visa and requires that you have a machine-readable passport. Some consulates have up to a four-month waiting period for an interview, so please contact your nearest consulate as soon as possible to request an interview date. If you have difficulty getting a timely interview appointment, please contact Narcy Ibanez (international@asce.org) and we will do what we can to help. ASCE cannot refund registration fees after the registration cutoff date due to an individual's inability to obtain a Visa. Please file your paperwork as far in advance as possible in order to be eligible for a refund prior to the registration cutoff date.

Please note a new process for some who travel to the US. All travelers from countries that have a Visa Waiver Program with the US are required to obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The new system is designed to ease travel for those from the visa waiver countries. This web-based system takes only a few minutes to complete. Unlike passport checks, the airlines will not be verifying ESTA registration prior to boarding, so please make sure you have obtained approval before embarking on your journey to avoid being refused entry. To ascertain if you fall within the Visa Waiver Category, please follow the link to the ESTA registration site and complete the application online: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html