Irbid is the second largest city in Jordan, a teeming metropolis with a population of more than half a million, and home to Dr. Mahmoud Al-Kailani, head of the Department of Marketing in the city's Yarmouk University.

During any other summer, Dr. Al-Kailani, a professor of business and marketing, would be in the city with his wife and four children, preparing for the fall semester. Instead, he is 8,000 miles away in the relatively small town of Bridgewater, where he is a visiting lecturer at BSU.

Two BSU representatives who attended the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) International Convention in Boston made connections with industry leaders in hopes of opening more research, internship and employment possibilities for undergraduates.

"Everything we do goes back to increasing opportunities for our students," said Dean Arthur Goldstein of the College of Science and Mathematics, who attended the event with Dr. Joseph Seggio, assistant professor of biology.

Dr. Lee Torda, assistant professor of English, and four students are spending nearly three weeks in Israel this month. The young writers are working on creative nonfiction pieces focusing on different aspects of life in Israel.

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Dr. Skip Fennell, former president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, delivered a talk in the Math and Science Center focused on how teachers can best incorporate Common Core State Standards into their curriculum.

The common standards initiative is a state-led effort that provides a consistent framework for teachers to prepare children for college and the workforce. Massachusetts joined 46 other U.S. states and territories in adopting the common standards in 2010.

For the better part of a decade, Dr. Diana Fox has been examining issues related to water in faraway places like Trinidad and Jamaica. The professor of anthropology and three-time Fulbright scholar, has looked at water from a variety of angles; including the effect gender and culture have on patterns of usage and problems associated with government policies and infrastructure.