In my opinion, what does it mean to trust?

  Although I recognize this is a tough question, I wanted to address it up front, so we could get a better idea what this means for everyone. For me, I think trust means that you can rely that someone will do what they say they will do. I think there it also means that I know someone is not selfish - by that I mean it is easier for me to trust someone who I know has my best interest in mind, they care about me and want me to succeed.

Why do I want to be a part of this research team?

  I want to be a part of this research team because I believe that much of the work of the future will be done by international, cross-cultural virtual teams. I believe that I will learn a lot from each of you and from the experience of being a part of this research team. I also believe we will be able to publish valuable research that can help others with similar efforts.

What are my personal goals for what you would like to have accomplished by the end of this research period (in December)?

  Well, I think I have outlined pretty clearly what I think are two good objectives for this research initiative: To study and better understand:
1. Global virtual collaborative teams
2. Cross-cultural online instruction

I hope to learn more about each of these research areas as we read, discuss, experiment with, and write about them. 

What I would really like more than anything, however, is to be able to contribute in some way to the success of each of you personally and professionally. I want to do all I can to help each person who has committed time to this research to succeed, and in whatever way is most valuable to them (e.g. publishing, networking opportunities, personal growth, etc).