ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan Knight-Wallace Fellows program has named eight international journalists for 2008-2009 in addition to the 12 national journalists selected in April.

While on leave from regular duties, Knight-Wallace Fellows pursue custom-designed sabbatical studies and attend special, twice-weekly seminars at Wallace House, a gift from CBS newsman Mike Wallace and his wife Mary.

The group of journalists named for the coming academic year is the 35th to be offered fellowships. Charles Eisendrath, U-M communications studies associate professor who directs the program, is a former Time Magazine foreign correspondent with broad experience in print, broadcast and online journalism.

U.S. fellows and their study projects are:

–Darrell Bowling, senior video producer, MSNBC.com: Does diversity in the newsroom influence diverse news coverage?

–Laurie Copans, Jerusalem correspondent, The Associated Press: Prospects for Palestinian -independence.

–Stephanie DeGroote, television news producer, Sky News (London): Carbon trading – Can greed save the world?

–Richard Deitsch, special projects editor, Sports Illustrated: China and beyond – Exploring the relevancy of the Olympics in the 21st century.

–Kathleen Galligan, staff photographer, Detroit Free Press: Federal funding of child welfare.

–John Hill, senior writer, The Sacramento Bee: Federal relinquishment of managing free markets.

–Erica Johnston, assistant metro editor, The Washington Post: Newspaper coverage of gay social issues in American culture.

–Rona Kobell, Chesapeake Bay reporter, The Baltimore Sun: Economic approaches to environmental sustainability.

–Kimberly Kozlowski, health/human service reporter, The Detroit News: The race for stem cell cures.

–Geoff Larcom, columnist, The Ann Arbor News: The psychology of leadership.

–Peggy Lowe, staff writer, The Orange County Register: The intersection of politics with civil and criminal law.

–Jonathan Martin, staff writer, The Seattle Times: Civil liberties in a time of fear ? the detention of sexual predators.

The international fellows and their study projects are:

–John Cary, editor, “Drive,” BBC Radio 5 Live: How children are educated–Does a teacher’s gender make a difference?

–Sung Woong Kang, deputy editor/social affairs, YTN-TV (Seoul): United States 2008: Presidential election and journalism.

–Patricia Kolesnicov, editor/culture, Clarin (Buenos Aires): North American women’s literature in the 21st Century: What are women talking about?

–Joanna Mills, assistant editor, BBC World Service News: How is the way crime is covered in the media impacting society?

–Robin Pomeroy, Rome correspondent, Reuters: The influence of environmental degradation on conflict and war.

–Maria Poveda, health/science reporter, La Raz