UNIVERSITY CANADA WEST
UCW welcomes inaugural Fulbright Canada Research Chair

University Canada West (UCW) is excited to announce its first Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning - Dr. Ally Zhou.

Dr. Zhou, Director of Professional and Cultural Education and Professor of TESOL in the Office of Academic Affairs Innovative Education and Partnerships at Florida Gulf Coast University, will conduct research, deliver guest lectures, collaborate with faculty and staff, and engage with the UCW community.

"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Ally Zhou to University Canada West as our inaugural Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning," said Dr. Bashir Makhoul, UCW President and Vice-Chancellor. "This appointment reflects the deep value of cross-border academic collaboration, and we look forward to the insights and innovation Dr. Zhou's scholarship will bring to our university."

During her time at UCW, Dr. Zhou's research will explore effective and ethical uses of AI by multilingual English as a second language (ESL) graduate writers through genre-based pedagogy. She aims to develop strategies that enhance writing proficiency, promote ethical AI integration, and establish pedagogical frameworks tailored to diverse learners.

"I am thrilled to join UCW as a Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning," said Dr. Zhou. "This prestigious opportunity allows me to advance innovative teaching practices in second language and academic writing research in the era of AI, with a focus on fostering ethical and effective integration of AI in education." 

The Fulbright Canada Research Chair position was created following UCW's partnership with Fulbright Canada in 2023. The agreement aims to foster mutual understanding between the people of Canada and the United States of America by providing support to outstanding individuals.

During her residency at UCW, Dr. Zhou will engage with faculty and students, as well as the broader community. By participating in activities such as research, project collaboration and student mentorship,, she will contribute to the UCW academic community while continuing to advance the Fulbright exchange goals of greater inclusion and diversity.

Fulbright Canada is a bi-national, treaty-based, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization with a mandate to identify excellence and engage people in Canada and the United States of America in international educational and academic exchange. The organization is committed to elevating the value of education, specifically learning abroad, collaborative research, and the importance of fostering mutual cross-cultural understanding.