Professor Golam M. Mathbor Elected President of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS)

Dr. Golam M. Mathbor, a tenured Full Professor in the School of Social Work and Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences has been elected as President of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies (AIBS) for the period 2012-2016. He previously served as vice president of AIBS from 2008-2012.

AIBS is an association of institutions of higher learning in the United States aimed at promoting scholarly understanding between Bangladesh and the United States.  Incorporated in 1988, AIBS provides senior and junior fellowships as pre-dissertation grants.  Other programs include research and development seminars and workshops offered by U.S. faculty for improving the educational sector in Bangladesh and an undergraduate research grant for U.S. students to visit Bangladesh and observe first-hand the problems facing a developing country.  A final program permits Bangladeshi scholars to visit the United States for joint research projects with U.S. scholars.  Since its inception, affiliated scholars have investigated a wide range of research topics in fields including but not limited to demography, politics, sustainable development, bureaucracy, anthropology, archeology, history, gender and minority studies, religion, rural and urban migration as well banking and good governance.

Professor Mathbor was born and brought up in Kutubdia Island of Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh. He obtained his BSS (Bachelor of Social Science), MSS (Master’s of Social Science) and LL.B (Bachelor of Law) degrees from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dr. Mathbor then obtained his second master’s degree MSW (Master of Social Work) from McGill University, Canada; and a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degree in Social Policy Analysis from the Faculty of Social Work of The University of Calgary, Canada. Dr. Mathbor is a graduate of Harvard University’s Management Development Program. He was selected and served as a Mentor for the 26^th Annual National Conference on Ethics in America organized by Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic occurred from 16-20 October 2011 at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. Professor Mathbor organized, chaired and delivered keynote address for the 17^th ICSD International Symposium on “Good Governance: Building Knowledge for Social Development Worldwide” held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 3-7, 2011 at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.

Currently, he is also serving as the Vice President of the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD). He is the founding President of the Long Branch Concordance, a 501c (3) nonprofit community service organization in the State of New Jersey serving in the City of Long Branch.  In the past he served as Vice President and President of the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID). Dr. Mathbor served as chair of the Faculty Senate of Monmouth University for the academic year 2003-2004. In addition to his associate deanship, he also served as Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Interdisciplinary Studies at Monmouth University for the period July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010.  Also, Dr. Mathborserved as Coordinator of the MSW Program in International and Community Development Concentration at Monmouth University from July1, 2000-June 30, 2006. During his leadership, this cutting edge master’s program received a national award for being the best program for its splendid record of incorporating global components in the curriculum from the Council on Social Work Education, the accreditation organization for social work education in USA. He worked as Project Coordinator for “Developing International Social Work Education and Curricula: An Educational Partnership between Monmouth University and the Higher School of Social Work and Social Pedagogics ATTISTIBA, Latvia” a project financed by the U.S. Department of State. In 2007, he was awarded the Outstanding Leadership award by the Global Understanding Project at Monmouth University. Also, Professor Mathbor served as a Commissioner of the Global Social Work Education Commission of the US Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) from July 1, 2004-June 30, 2010. Also, he served as Vice President and President of the Bangladesh Canada Association of Calgary for 1998 and 1999 respectively.

He has taught in Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Latvia, Kosovo and USA, and his teaching areas include qualitative and quantitative research methods, program evaluation, social welfare policy and planning, issues in international development, management of non-governmental organizations, migration and intercultural cooperation, and international social work. Areas of research include community participation and coastal community development, disaster relief and management, international social development, and international social work. Dr. Mathbor has published extensively on disaster relief, community preparedness, social development, coastal zone management, migration, health, economics, and international social work education. He is the author of Effective Community Participation in Coastal Development (ISBN 978-1-933478-54-8) published by Lyceum Books, Inc. Chicago, Illinois, USA. His theory on social capital for mitigating the consequences of disasters is recognized internationally and being used widely. He has been awarded a Partnership Grant along with five other international research scholars to Support Disaster Recovery in USA, Canada, Australia, India, and Pakistan for Rebuilding Lives Post-Disaster: Innovative Community Practices for Sustainable Development. Awarded $199, 938 over three years form 2012-2014 by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Rebuilding Lives Post-Disaster Partnership will bring together researchers, government departments, and community partners from five countries to advance knowledge in long-term community-based disaster mitigating strategies in small cities and rural communities in Canada, USA, Australia, India and Pakistan affected by natural disasters.