Dr. Viman-Miller Named Romanian Land Forces Academy Honorary Senator
This past summer, Dr. Raluca Viman-Miller participated in a series of research conferences and panels in Europe alongside other PSIA faculty members. Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Viman-Miller provided insights into three significant events, including her recognition as an Honorary Senator.
One notable event was a course organized by the Brussels-based European Security and Defense College, a network college composed of more than 100 National Training Institutes from across the European Union. The event took place May 21-24 and was hosted at the Romanian National College of Home Affairs and the Romanian Naval Academy in Constanța, Romania and supported by the Romanian Border Police and the Bulgarian Naval Academy “Nikola Y. Vaptsarov”.
The course, titled "Challenges of Securing Maritime Areas in the European Union," aimed to prepare military officers and civil servants from EU member states, institutions and agencies to be assigned to positions dealing with maritime security policies, strategies and missions/operations at executive staff level. Dr. Viman-Miller, accompanied by Department Head Dr. Greathouse, lectured during the fifth edition of this course. Together, they co-authored a presentation titled “Contemporary EU Security and Defense Challenges: EU Defense and Security Cooperation Policies and Strategies.” Attending these events significantly contributed to Dr. Viman-Miller’s professional development and provided valuable opportunities for her students back at UNG, allowing her to engage in research and foster new academic collaborations. This partnership with the Romanian Naval Academy opens doors for UNG students in study abroad programs and internships, expanding their opportunities overseas.
At the end of May, Dr. Viman-Miller participated in Erasmus+ faculty exchange, a European Union initiative that funds exchanges among universities. An established and long-term partner with PSIA and UNG, the University of Oradea is in north-western Romania, in the heart of Transylvania. Faculty and staff exchanges between the two institutions produced various projects, one of which is the publication titled “The War on Ukraine and Its Impact on Global Politics”. The faculty-staff exchange's purpose is to discuss and debate ways to enhance academic and student collaborations.
Making another visit to the Land Forces Academy in Sibiu, Romania, where she taught during the spring semester of 2023, Dr. Viman-Miller attended a research conference in mid-June called “Knowledge-Based Organizations (KBO).” She noted that participating in previous KBO conferences provided a great opportunity to exchange knowledge, meet new collaborators, and develop innovative research ideas. This year, she delivered the opening remarks on the topic of knowledge, power, and freedom. During the same conference, the Land Forces Academy honored her with the title of Honorary Senator.
Upon receiving her award, Dr. Viman-Miller expressed her gratitude, noting it was an honor to be recognized for her efforts in fostering collaboration between PSIA, UNG and the Romanian Land Forces Academy. This recognition opens new opportunities for both faculty and students, demonstrating that her hard work has not gone unnoticed.
Her experiences underline the importance of collaboration not just between these the two institutions, but between US and foreign institutions in general. Through these efforts in collaboration she learned hard work pays off, and putting forth your best effort—despite challenges—leads to progress. Additionally, building friendships and collaborations is essential for opening doors to research, travel, and exchange opportunities.