BC Librarian Participating in Fulbright Specialist Program in Taiwan
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Ariel Dyer, Associate Professor and Librarian at Bakersfield College, was selected to participate in a specialist program taking place this summer in Taiwan. She will be joining a group of scholars through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to share their insights on several topics to an audience of Taiwanese librarians, scholars, and students.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program was established in 1946 and conducts educational and cultural exchange activities in over 160 countries around the world. Ariel applied to the program and was selected to participate as a specialist for a collaborative, educational project in Taiwan.
“The whole thing started, because I really wanted to find something to do with my time off in the Summer,” Ariel said, “I wanted something where I could go somewhere for a couple weeks, participate in something associated with libraries, and put my skills to use.” At the suggestion of a BC colleague, she applied to Fulbright for a short-term project which eventually led to the opportunity to lecture in Taiwan. “This project came up and it looked great,” she said, “it had to do with public libraries and everything I was into.”
In July, Ariel will travel to the National Library of Public Information in Taiwan where she will be speaking to professionals who work in the public library system. During her two-week trip, she will be discussing a wide variety of topics. “I am going to talk about some of the trends in AI literacy, the media literacy certificate that we put together at BC, reference services,” she said, “and some topics related to the work we have done at the Shafter library.” Beyond sharing her knowledge and expertise, she will also get to tour some of the local sights and parks. She is excited to experience a different country and community. “I am looking forward to experiencing Taiwanese culture and food,” Ariel Says, “and seeing how the culture informs the local library services - even learning about how their funding structure works will be fascinating.”
Even though this is a one-time project, it is Ariel’s desire to have it open the door for future collaborations. “It is a one-time project, but I really hope it fosters other stuff,” Ariel said, “I would love to do a conference with [Fulbright] or host something at BC – I hope it will spark more opportunities.”
Congratulations to Ariel Dyer on being selected to participate in this project through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Your willingness to take part in an educational project overseas serves as a shining example of how Bakersfield College staff are making a difference in our community and communities abroad. We appreciate your hard work and dedication to BC and are excited to have you represent Kern County in Taiwan.
