afternoon conference sessions | 1:45 to 3 p.m. career-smart: professional development through experiential education abroad for sTeM students Katja Kurz (Cultural Vistas), Cheryl Matherly (University of Tulsa), Julius E. Coles (Morehouse College), Peter R. Kerrigan (German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)) Employers are increasingly looking for graduates with international experience, and STEM students are one of the most underrepresented groups in education abroad. This session explores innovative strategies for international programming with a focus on career and professional development to engage more STEM students in experiential education abroad. The critical incident database: what is it Telling us? Natalie A. Mello (Forum on Education Abroad) The Forum’s Critical Incident Database (CID) is a tool that serves as a method for tracking incidents that happen on education abroad programs, including information that should be reported for an institution’s Annual Security Report as required by the Department of Education in compliance with the Clery Act. The CID will provide for the first time aggregated national data on the range and types of incidents that occur in education abroad. What have we learned from the CID so far? co-curricular experiences abroad: Building successful program Models and institutional infrastructure Amy Conger (University of Michigan), Jessica Loh (University of Michigan), Steven Skerlos (University of Michigan), Sita Syal (University of Michigan), Joseph Trumpey (University of Michigan) Students are increasingly leveraging co-curricular options for international experience. This movement challenges educators to rethink education abroad models and create policies that accommodate student-driven initiatives. Learn how a diverse and decentralized institution built infrastructure for co-curricular experiences abroad and connected this emerging area to institutional goals for student learning. ethics and Theory in undergraduate research abroad Mark Beirn (Washington University in St. Louis), M. Prisiclla Stone (SIT Study Abroad), Scott Pentzer (Tulane University) Research abroad offers new avenues of engagement and potential risks for undergraduates and their host communities. While increasingly valued by students and their universities, this area remains largely unregulated and under-theorized. This panel will address ways to enhance the study abroad research environment to ensure quality oversight, preparation and ethical implementation. faculty-led programs abroad: The unsung heroes of student, faculty and institutional development Jennifer White (Goucher College), Mandy Brookins Blinn (DePauw Univeristy), La Jerne Cornish (Goucher College), Aaron Dziubinskyj (DePauw University) Faculty-led programs abroad have become increasingly popular as institutions seek ways to integrate study abroad into the curriculum, generate cost-savings and develop innovative delivery models. This presentation discusses short-term program models at DePauw University and Goucher College, including pre- and post-courses, sustainable approaches to host country resources, and institutional impact. 20