Two Win National Competition To Conduct Research In Germany

4-18-96
University Park, Pa. -- Two Penn State graduate students in philosophy, Andrew P. Carlson and Franklin T. Perkins, have competed nationally to win German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austausche Dienst or DAAD) Annual Grants to conduct research in Germany during the 1996-97 academic year.

"We are delighted that Andrew and Frank have been recognized for their scholarship in philosophy," says Mary Gage, Fulbright Program adviser and director of the University's Fellowships Office. "The DAAD grants are highly competitive and it's wonderful to have Penn State so well represented in this program."

Successful candidates must have a well-defined research project that requires residency in Germany. The 10-month grants cover air fare, insurance, living and research or tuition costs.

Andrew Carlson's research project is "The Divine Ethic of Creation in Leibniz." He plans to spend the year working on his dissertation at the Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz working with Professor Thomas Seebohm, head of the Philosophy Faculty at Mainz. He will study the theological writings of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, the German mathematician, philosopher and theologian, and how his writings anticipate some of the work of G.W.F. Hegel and Edmund Husserl.

Carlson was a teaching assistant in the philosophy department from 1992 to 1994 and is presently an instructor. He attended Dartmouth College and graduated from the University of Denver with departmental honors in philosophy and English. He received a master's degree in philosophy from Penn State in 1994, and expects to receive his Ph.D. in 1997. His book review on the metaphysics of Karl Popper, "The Myth of the Framework," is forthcoming.

Franklin Perkins will conduct dissertation research on "Chinese Philosophy in the Thought of Leibniz" with Dr. Rita Widmaier and Dr. Herbert Breger at the Leibniz Archive in Hannover. With an interest in early modern philosophy, Chinese philosophy, and the issues surrounding cultural interaction and change, Perkins will focus on Leibintz's interpretation of Chinese philosophy and his work as an early comparative philosopher.

Perkins is a second year graduate student and teaching assistant in philosophy at Penn State. He received assistance from both Richardson and Citizen Foundation Scholarships and graduated summa cum laude with honors from Vanderbilt University in philosophy and English. He substitute taught for the Indian River County Schools in Vero Beach, Fla., in 1993-94, and taught composition for the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing in 1992-93. Perkins received a Sparks Fellowship at Penn State for 1994-95, and is focusing on American Pragmatism, early modern philosophy and Chinese philosophhy for his doctoral work.

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Editors: Andrew P. Carlson is the son of Charles and Nancy Carlson of Denver, Col., and Franklin Perkins is the son of Frank and JoAnn Perkins of Vero Beach, Fla.

Contacts:
Christy Rambeau
(814) 865-7517 (office)
(814 237-9046 (home)
cmr7@psu.edu

Alan Janesch
(814) 865-7517 (office)
(814 867-3621 (home)
axj12@psu.edu