About Our Podcast
THESIS is an independent podcast created by a group of international students who are currently in the MPhil in Higher Education program at the University of Oslo in Norway (the podcast is not affiliated with the University of Oslo). We hope this podcast is enlightening and informative for anyone interested in the spheres of higher education and international education.
PODCAST TEAM
Tracy Waldman
Tracy has previously worked for an international education not-for-profit organization in New York, overseeing a portfolio of global scholarship and fellowship programs. Drawing on this background, the internationalization of higher education is a key interest area for her, and in particular the topic of international student mobility at both the institutional and national levels. Her interests include traveling, listening to comedy and pop culture podcasts on daily walks, and vegetarian cooking.
Ayla Xiao Bend Rubenstein
Ayla has experience working in both public and private universities in the USA, as well as a small non-profit liberal arts college in Moss, Norway. She is interested in language policy and practice, the importance of disciplinary differences, organizational socialization processes, as well curriculum development and quality work in higher education. When she’s not working or studying, Ayla enjoys painting, baking, reading, and taking long walks.
Ekaterina Kurinskaia
Ekaterina has experience working in schools and has a pedagogical degree from Russia. She has multiple interests in Higher education, including academic collaboration, academia as a soft power tool, HE organization, internationalization and methods of HE teaching and learning. Her side interests include traveling, hiking, swimming in the fjords and reading different literature from scientific to popular.
Kelly Mae Davis
Kelly has previously worked at a small private college in her hometown in California in an office of two serving students in the capacities of study abroad, international student services, and career services. She has multiple interests in comparative higher education, including higher education’s third mission and role in society (in relation to climate change and democracy), HE organization and management of personnel, funding and financing of HE, internationalization and student competency development. Her side interests/hobbies include podcasting, reading research on podcasting, traveling, and outdoor activities.
Maria Angeles Hidalgo Benitez
Angeles has previously worked for five years as University teacher in Ecuador. Has experience in marketing service consulting. She has multiple interests in policies for higher education, student learning, and internationalization. Her side interests and hobbies include road safety, traffic, painting, and design.
Juliana Sofía Riaño
Sofia is a linguist, educator, policy analyst and researcher specialized in Comparative and International Higher Education Policy Analysis, Research and Foresight. She has more than 8 years of experience working on diverse education missions and issues in Mexico, Colombia, France and the United Kingdom. Her higher education areas of interest and expertise include internationalization, democratization, decolonization and sustainable development. She is a production editor for the Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education (JCIHE). Some of her hobbies and passions include dancing, hiking, reading, and cooking.
Petar Vujacic
Petar has experience working as music teacher in Serbia, Montenegro and Norway. In addition to pedagogical background and teaching experience, Petar also served as student vice-dean and was involved in student parliament activities. His interests in higher education are policy creation on different levels, institutional leadership perspective towards job market and graduate employability, internationalization, management and steering in higher education. His interests include music, art and traveling.