PhD level studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara
André Årnes spent the academic year 2005-06 as a Fulbright grantee at the University of California, Santa Barbara, as part of his PhD in Computer Science.
- André Årnes
I was a Fulbright grantee at the University of California, Santa Barbara 2005 – 2006 as part of my PhD studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. My wife and I lived in Santa Barbara from August 2005 to May 2006 – we had a great time. During the preparations for the visit, the US – Norway Fulbright Foundation provided assistance with the visa application process (J-1 visa for myself and J-2 visa for my wife), as well as useful advice. Upon arrival, the immediate challenges included practical issues such as housing and finding a car, as well as administrative issues such as getting a drivers license, social security number, and insurance. Most of these issues were resolved in less than a month, although housing in Santa Barbara proved to be very expensive. Academically, the visit was a great success. The research group that I visited was very inclusive, and we coauthored several papers that have contributed to my PhD thesis work. The local Fulbright representatives in Southern California also provided a very interesting cultural enrichment program. Highlights from the Fulbright events include a tour at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a visit to the RAND Corporation, and a brief meeting with Stephen Hawking at Caltech.
- Årnes
