Yang Zhang, a Fulbright Visiting Student Researcher, has joined the University of Central Florida community for the 2009-2010 academic year. A native of China, Zhang is visiting the United States for the first time.

“When I arrived, I kept thinking to myself that everything is so neat and clean, and there is so much natural open space,” Zhang said. A Ph.D. candidate at Northeast Normal University in Changchun, she will conduct research, visit classes in various colleges and departments, and make presentations on and off campus.

Zhang was attracted to UCF – and selected it over her other two top choices, Georgetown University and the University of Virginia – for two key reasons. One was UCF’s Stephen Sloan, a pioneer in the field of academic terrorism studies in the United States. Zhang’s main area of research is the evolution of U.S. counter-terrorism policy.

“I knew Dr. Sloan by reputation,” she said, “and I had read many of his books. I am so happy he agreed to be my adviser.”

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