National Geographic Explorer and Students Go to the Mountain to Do Scientific Research

VinUni does not have an anthropology major, but Professor David K. Harrison said he believes that studying and researching culture will create a solid foundation for any student, regardless of their major, to succeed.

Students must be "immersed" in reality.

Cao Hai Lam is a student majoring in Mechanical Engineering at VinUni University. His major is not related to culture, but as soon as he heard about the Ba Na ethnic culture research project in the Central Highlands, Lam immediately registered and quickly “seized” the opportunity.

“ The project is truly an opportunity for me to gain new knowledge that is not available in my field of study. This is also a special thing at VinUni when students are not limited to a single field of study but are always encouraged and open without limits ,” Lam shared.

Professor David K. Harrison (center) and his students conduct a cultural research project in the Central Highlands.

Arriving in Kon Tum , every day Lam and his friends woke up at 5am, ate together, lived together, went to the fields together, made pottery, weaved, brewed wine, beat gongs, made poles, and drank rice wine with the Ba Na people.

“ Real-life experience is very different from sitting in class listening and watching. I am really impressed and admire the way Mr. David K. Harrison did it. He believes that the best way to inspire students to learn and research in the field of culture and anthropology - a very specific field - is to bring students there to experience it in real life. That is a great idea, creating opportunities for students that are rarely available in Vietnam ,” Lam excitedly said.

For Nguyen Xuan Huy, a student majoring in Business Administration at VinUni, the trip to Kon Tum not only helped him immerse himself in the life of the Ba Na people and experience their unique culture, but also gain a deeper understanding of the value of preserving the nation’s cultural heritage for future generations. Huy also learned many skills, from preparing for a long trip, communication skills to create closeness and trust with strangers, and teamwork skills...

Professor David K. Harrison personally filmed the footage for his research project.

“ The trip also made me think more about what I should do for the future, whether it is better to study anthropology or do business, the connection between the two fields ,” Huy said.

The feelings, knowledge and changes in the way of thinking of Lam and Huy are also what Professor David aims for. According to him, in liberaleducation , university students should not only go to get a good job but also have a good education, should learn knowledge beyond their major instead of just being limited to their major.

“ And cultural education is one of the important elements in liberal education. When students learn more about culture, they will be prepared to become global citizens, able to function well in many different cultures, knowing how to learn and respect different cultures and values.

Therefore, even though the school does not have an anthropology major, I still opened this project so that students from other majors have the opportunity to participate, ” Professor David K. Harrison shared.

Choosing to send students on field trips means choosing a more difficult and complicated path. The professor must contact the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Kon Tum province in advance to apply for a permit, go on a reconnaissance mission to work with local authorities, arrange accommodation for students, and discuss with local people in advance.

Professor David K. Harrison is an inspiration to students.

“ The preparation took a lot of effort, but it was worth it. The students not only got to see and hear, but more importantly, they got to ‘immerse’ themselves in that culture. What was especially favorable was that the teachers and students received a warm welcome from the gentle Ba Na people. This is the best ethnic minority community I have ever come into contact with ,” Professor David K. Harrison happily said.

Enthusiastic Vice Principal

Sharing about his “fate” with VinUni University, Professor David K. Harrison said: “I love working in a higher education environment with people who are passionate about knowledge. With experience working at a leading liberal arts university with less than 2,000 students, I understand the benefits that selective classes bring, ” Professor Harrison shared.

Proudly sharing about his students, Professor Harrison said that VinUni students are very talented, with the same level of ability as students from top universities in the US that he has taught. “ I also learn a lot from my students, such as new film and photography techniques, how to make videos for Tiktok… ” Professor Harrison excitedly said.

Professor David K. Harrison has always been an inspirational teacher for VinUni students.

According to Professor Harrison, Vietnam is a nation with a very rich and diverse culture with 54 ethnic groups and over 100 different languages. “ The Vietnamese have a very good saying: First learn etiquette, then learn literature. VinUni is an international university but I still have great respect for Vietnamese culture and I want to bring that respect into every class so that students can feel it ,” said Professor Harrison.

Prior to joining VinUni, Professor David K. Harrison served as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of Linguistics and Cognitive Science at Swarthmore College (ranked No. 1 among the best liberal arts colleges in the United States by Academic Influence 2021).
The professor has a master's and doctorate from Yale University, is a vice president of a prestigious university, a researcher, an educator, but he is also an explorer of the National Geographic Society, a member of The Explorer's Club, a member of the Daylight Academy (Switzerland) and an honorary researcher of the New York Botanical Garden's Center for Economic Botany.
Professor Harrison is also a filmmaker. Throughout his career, and as a National Geographic Explorer, Professor Harrison has traveled the world making films and writing books about endangered languages and indigenous cultures.

Bao Anh

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