Ronald Wixman

Professor Ron Wixman was one of the founders of the Asian Studies Program at the University of Oregon where he taught courses on culture, ethnicity, nationalism, religion, and geopolitics. As such, he has done research on the people and cultures of South East Asia, which included numerous trips to throughout this diverse culture region. As a specialist on these topics he has been a lecturer and tour leader to all of the countries of South East Asia. His research focused on the diversity of cultures, religions, and ethnicities of all of Southeast Asia, which included not only the majority peoples that form the bases of the current countries of the region, but also on the numerous minorities in the highlands. Vietnam is one of the most diverse and interesting of these countries and has played a major role in the cultural history of its neighbors as well. Included among the topics he will discuss with you are: ethnic and religious diversity of Southeast Asia; traditional versus modern agricultural development; the impact of colonial rule by the Chinese and the French; and modern geopolitical issues in Vietnam. Not only will you enjoy the friendly and welcoming people of Vietnam, but also the fabulous cuisine of this country, which is becoming a world-wide phenomenon with restaurants now becoming popular throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Jonathan GoldbergBelle

Jonathan GoldbergBelle serves as Director of Study Away Programs at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He holds a Ph.D. in South Asian Language and Literature from the University of Wisconsin with a focus on the study of the great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, both in their classical and present-day forms. Jonathan remains a student of South Asian Literature, particularly contemporary fiction, and of Asian Philosophy and Religion with an interest in the development and spread of Buddhism from India throughout Asia.

His most recent university courses include “Colonial and Post-Colonial Identity in South Asia," “The Pacific War: World War II in East Asia,” “Nationalism and Identity in Vietnam” and “Spaces of Encounter in East Asia.” He has also collaborated on courses focusing on Japan, China, Thailand and Vietnam with other faculty at his university.

Jonathan has served as a Smithsonian Journeys expert on programs to India and Vietnam and will be returning to both countries in this capacity in 2020.

He has a broad interest in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. He is particularly fascinated with the way the region was influenced by South and East Asia while developing its own separate and unique cultures. He is currently teaching an Honor’s course on Vietnam and preparing a short term study abroad program there for his university. His experience with Smithsonian Journeys study program has informed his decisions regarding both the course and study abroad program and, at the same time, he will bring his current research on Vietnam to the Discovering Vietnam program. He has also been enjoying the opportunity to explore Vietnam’s varied cuisine which will be a highlight of the Smithsonian Journeys program.

Jonathan has been in the field of International Education for over 30 years. He has organized and led study programs to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Most recently he has taken groups to China, Korea, Japan, India, England, Rome/Malta, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Lawrence Butler

Dr. Butler received his BA and MA from Oberlin College and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.  Trained as an art historian of Medieval Europe, the Mediterranean and Islamic world, Butler’s teaching and scholarly interests now range across pre-modern Eurasia, including the Silk Road connections between the Mediterranean world and East Asia. While at George Mason University he served as director of the Art History program, and as Coordinator of the Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology minor.

Dr. Butler has taught at GMU and Hiram College and has also held research positions at a number of museums. He was a Fulbright Research Fellow in Turkey in 1982-83. He has been an active participant in the Semester at Sea program, taking students on academic study tours around the world.  He was the visiting lecturer in Art History on the Fall 1999, Summer 2004, and Fall 2009 voyages.  On the Summer 2011 voyage, he was the Global Studies lecturer.

In 2004, Dr. Butler was awarded George Mason University’s Teaching Excellence Award and in 2005 he was elected to Phi Beta Delta, the honorary society for international education.  He lectures frequently for the Smithsonian Associates on the arts and cultural history of Spain and Portugal, Turkey, China, and many other places in between.

Sharon Ullman

Professor Ullman is a professor of American history at Bryn Mawr College. She received her PhD at the University of California at Berkeley in 1990.  She specializes in 20th-century America with an emphasis on media and memory, gender, and the social history of American Cold War policies in Asia after WWII. After publishing two books on the history of gender and sexuality in the U.S., her more recent research has turned to the ways in which the Korean and  Vietnam Wars impacted American society from 1950-1980, particularly focusing on the often forgotten prisoners of war from the Korean conflict. Her courses at Bryn Mawr College include such topics as  “Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War,” “Political Culture of the Cold War,” and “Movies and History: The Past Lives Forever.” Professor Ullman has taught in China for the Bryn Mawr College summer program and has been the study leader on multiple trips for the Bryn Mawr College Alumni Travel Program, including to Vietnam.

Elvira Masson

Elvira Masson, College Professor of History and Director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, teaches courses in Asian history and Chinese literature and language. Elvira holds a Master’s degree in Chinese from Stanford University, has traveled widely in Asia, and lived for many years in Beijing. She returns often to Asia, (especially China, Korea, and Vietnam) as you will recognize when she discusses contemporary issues. You can also count on her to recommend a favorite restaurant or specialty market and invite you for morning walks through the local neighborhoods.