The fall semester is upon us, and here at NACA, we are gearing up for our upcoming fall activities. Stay tuned for the announcements regarding our activities. Additionally, we are in the process of reorganizing our committees, and we warmly welcome more volunteers to join us. If you are interested in contributing, please don't hesitate to reach out. You can choose to serve on any of the following committees: Membership Excellence, Institution and Partnership Development, Programs and Events, and Communications.

In this new edition, we are thrilled to present you with some fresh and exciting updates. This issue features a reflective piece by Neelam C Poudyal on his experience as a Fulbright Scholar in Nepal, shedding light on his ongoing research regarding the performance of the Bufferzone Program in Nepal. Alongside this, we continue to provide our regular features, including member spotlights, awards and updates, recent publications, and various announcements.

Enjoy!

Open the Newsflash Vol 3 Issue 4

In this edition of NACA Newsflash, we are delighted to present to you research highlights, profiles of our life and general members, and some exciting news of awards, publications and events. We anticipate even more exciting updates in the upcoming fall semester. Stay tuned.

Check out the Newsflash in PDF by clicking the thumbnail or button below:

Access the Newsflash Vol 3, I 3

Writing Retreat for NACA Members

July 30 - August 05, 2023
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

The Nepali Academics in America (NACA) is pleased to announce this writing retreat opportunity for its members hosted by Prof. Shanta Pandey at her home in Boston. There are five seats available for this retreat.

This retreat opportunity is made possible by our gracious host Prof. Shanta Pandey (Boston College, School of Social Work) who is also a member of the NACA Advisory Council. We are grateful for her generosity and leadership in this unique opportunity.

About the Writing Retreat

This retreat will offer six nights and five days of uninterrupted hours to write, read, reflect, and interact with scholars from varied disciplines. The rooms have a chair and table, but you may use other spaces on the first floor, including the patio and the swimming pool area, for your writing. The house has high-speed Wi-Fi. If you need to use the library, the Boston College library is within walking distance (0.6 miles). The house has a printer but no copier or scanner. If you plan to print out more than a few pages, you may need to use Copy Centers (e.g., FedEx Office) around Boston College. The house is smoke-free, and smoking is not allowed inside the house.

There are no fees for the retreat; however, writers are responsible for transportation to and from the retreat venue. Writers should arrive on Sunday, July 30, 2023, after 3:00 pm. From then on, you will be Professor Pandey’s guest until 10:30 am on Saturday, August 5. She will generously provide rooms and meals, starting with dinner on Sunday evening. Every day, continental breakfast will be available from 7:00 am to 8:30 am and light lunch between 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm. Coffee and tea will be available all day. Cocktails will be served at 6:00 pm, and dinner will be served at 7:30 pm. You can take a break from your writing after 6:00 pm and help her prepare dinner and clean.

The retreat is your free writing time, with very little structure. Writers will meet as a group and have dinner together every evening. Occasionally, Professor Pandey may invite a colleague or two from Boston’s higher education institutions to join the group for dinner. Please do not bring family or pets during the retreat, but you are encouraged to invite them and enjoy the New England area before or after the retreat.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest to Dr. Gyan Nyaupane at gyan@asu.edu. The applicant should be a member of NACA. If you are not a member yet, be sure to join us before submitting this application. The application should include a paragraph with your writing plan for the retreat, such as writing a book, book chapter, article, grant proposal, or anything, and how this opportunity advances your scholarship. If the retreat helped your scholarly publication, please acknowledge NACA and the host’s generosity in your publications. There are no additional expectations for attending this retreat.

The application deadline for the Writing Retreat is May 25, 2023. Applications will be reviewed by a committee commissioned by NACA. If you are selected, we will notify you by June 5 and request your decision by June 10.

If you have any questions about the retreat, please contact Dr. Gyan Nyaupane.

Please find the April-May 2023 Issue of Newsflash, an e-newsletter of the Nepali Academics in America (NACA).  NACA Newsletter Vol 3 Issue 2.pdf

We are thrilled to announce the new Executive Council for 2023-2025, and we cannot wait to see what they have in store for our organization and its members.

First, we would like to express our gratitude to the outgoing Executive Council for their dedicated service to NACA over the past two-three years. Their hard work and commitment have helped shape our organization and move us forward towards our mission.

Without further ado, let us introduce the incoming Executive Council for 2023-2025:

President: Gyan Nyaupane (Arizona State University, Phoenix)

Vice President: Milan Shrestha (Arizona State University, Tempe)

Secretary: Arati Maleku (Ohio State University)

Treasurer: Pradeep Sapkota (University of North Texas)

Member: Dinesh Paudel (Appalachian State University)

Member: Neelam C Poudyal (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)

Member: Soni Pradhanang (University of Rhode Island)

Member: Sadeep Shrestha (The University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Member: Brijesh Thapa (Oklahoma State University)

We are confident that this talented and diverse group of academics will bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to NACA, and we cannot wait to see their vision come to life. They have a wealth of experience and expertise in various fields, and we are excited to see how they will use their skills to benefit our organization and its members.

As we look towards the future of NACA, we are excited to continue building on our mission to provide a platform to connect, engage, and collaborate for our members. We know that with the guidance and leadership of our Advisory Council and new Executive Council, NACA will continue to grow and thrive.

Please join us in welcoming the new Executive Council for 2023-2025, and we look forward to working together towards a bright future for NACA and its members.

Sincerely,

On behalf of the NACA 2023 Election Committee

It is official! The Nepali Academics Conference Association (NACA) is thrilled to announce the release of the conference program for our 2023 conference. Get ready for an unforgettable experience, as we host our very first onsite (in-person) conference with several exciting online/hybrid roundtables and presentation sessions. Head over to our website http://nepaliacademics.org/conference to check the full conference program.

From April 14th to April 15th, the NACA conference will bring together some of the most brilliant minds from Nepal, Nepali-focused research, and Nepali diaspora. This year's conference promises to be our best one yet, as we feature over 75 speakers and presenters.

Conference-At-A-Glance 

Register

Keynote speakers:

• Dr. Kumud Acharya (President, Desert Research Institute). Intersections of Climate Change, Urbanization, Water Security and Public Health: Emerging Challenges

• Dr. Jeremy Spoon (Professor, Portland State University). Awkward but Fitting In: Complexities, Adaptations, and Opportunities as a Foreign Disaster Researcher and Ally in Nepal

Featured Speakers

Thought-provoking webcast sessions on the most pressing issues faced by Nepal

• Dr. Biswo Poudel (former Vice-Chair of the National Planning Commission, currently Kathmandu University). Political Economy and Geopolitics of Infrastructure Building in Nepal

• Dr. Anup Subedee (Kirtipur Hospital) and Dr. Reshma Tuladhar (Tribhuvan University). Dengue Epidemics in Nepal: Reflections on the Lessons and Challenges for the Healthcare System

• Dr. Hemanta Ojha (University of Canberra, Australia) and Dr. Tara Sigdel (University of California, San Francisco)

Nepali Diaspora Academics: Our Contributions to Nepal and Challenges

These thought leaders are sure to inspire you with their insights and leave you with a fresh perspective on your own research.

But that's not all. We have also lined up a series of presentation panels that will discuss some of the emerging issues in Nepal, ranging from the household level care economy and the COVID-19 impacts to the national level complexities in managing forests and protected areas and solid waste management, to the regional level climate change processes and food security issues.

For the professional development of our members, we will a series of workshops that will dive deeper into some of the most pressing issues facing academia today. From navigating the academic enterprise administration and research collaboration to the opportunities and challenges in the editorship of journal and edited volumes, there's something for everyone at the NACA conference.

And let's not forget about the networking opportunities! The NACA conference is the perfect place to connect with fellow academics and forge new collaborations. You never know who you might meet or what ideas might come to fruition when you gather with other like-minded individuals.

So let’s get ready by visiting the conference website at http://nepaliacademics.org/conference to check out the full conference program. We can't wait to see you there! Get ready for an experience that will challenge your intellect, spark your curiosity, and leave you with a new sense of purpose.

Let's make 2023 the best NACA conference yet!

Please find the February-March 2023 Issue of Newsflash, an e-newsletter of the Nepali Academics in America (NACA). Newsflash Volume 3 Issue 1.pdf

Dear NACA members,

As we seek to host our third NACA Annual Conference on April 14-16, 2023 (in person in Phoenix, AZ, and online), we hope you are as excited as we are about the opportunity to meet and interact with members and friends of this evolving organization. We would like to thank you for your continuing support of this “non-profit and non-partisan network established to enhance collaboration among Nepali academics and other scholars affiliated with higher education and research institutions based in the United States of America and beyond.” We recognize the need for some of us to participate in this global event remotely and encourage those of us with an ability to participate in-person to do so and optimize our experience and networking benefits. We would like to thank the Program Committee co-chairs and members for their hard work on planning and making this event a success.

As we gear up for this momentous event, the Executive Council is excited to announce our third General Assembly (business meeting) to take place on April 15, 2023 (1:30-4 pm MST) per NACA Constitution and Bylaws (Article 5). This will be on the second day of this year’s annual conference hosted in a hybrid format. While remote (online) participation will be allowed, we encourage attending the General Assembly in person if at all possible.

We would also like to remind you that our biennial election to the Executive Council is to take place at or prior to this Assembly where every registered member will be expected to vote and, as appropriate, nominate appropriate candidates (including self-nomination) for different positions of the Executive Council as well as for voluntary membership to the three standing committees and Newsflash Team. Our organization depends on your enthusiasm, support, and participation for our collective interest and so we expect you to participate and take charge of different activities, initiatives, and bodies of the organization.

The Executive Council is working out the specific process of this election and nomination with the Membership and Member-Support Committee. Please stay tuned for more details coming out very soon.

Sincerely,

Udaya R. Wagle

Founding President

On behalf of NACA Executive Council

Newsflash Volume 2 Issue 6.pdf

Please find the Oct-Nov 2022 Issue of Newsflash, an e-newsletter of the Nepali Academics in America (NACA). Newsflash 2(5).pdf