WEST LAFAYETTE — For the third consecutive and fourth time in five years, Purdue University is in elite company, ranking among U.S. universities with the highest number of faculty selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.
The world’s most acclaimed and prestigious international academic exchange initiative, the Fulbright Program recognized Purdue as a “top-producing institution,” with eight faculty members named Fulbright scholars for the 2023-24 academic year.
“We take great pride in making this list again, but we’re equally proud of the outstanding teaching and research conducted by those selected,” said Patrick Wolfe, Purdue provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity. “These prestigious awards exemplify our commitment to excellence at scale and our dedication to being a key contributor to the Fulbright mission.”
Purdue was cited by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for being among the top 10 doctoral institutions in the country to receive the distinction of a top producer. This also marks the fourth time Purdue has received this recognition since the program began in 2009-10.
Nineteen doctoral institutions, including Purdue, are recognized as top producers of U.S. Fulbright faculty scholars. The Chronicle of Higher Education announced the annual list of top producers on Tuesday (Feb. 13).
Purdue’s 2023-24 faculty scholars and their awarded host colleges are:
- Douglass Jacobs is the Fred M. van Eck Chair in Forest Biology, College of Agriculture.
- Nina Mahmoudian is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the College of Engineering.
- Bethany McGowan is an associate professor at Libraries and School of Information Studies.
- Ming Qu is a professor of civil engineering at the College of Engineering.
- Denny Yu is an associate professor of industrial engineering at the College of Engineering.
- Paul Asunda is an associate professor of technology leadership and innovation at Purdue Polytechnic Institute.
- Dharmendra Saraswat is an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the College of Engineering.
- Sarah Renkert is an assistant professor of practice in anthropology at the College of Liberal Arts.
“The eight Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award winners tie the largest number of faculty awardees in a single year at Purdue,” said Christopher Lukasik, associate professor of English and Provost’s Fellow for Faculty Fulbright Awards. “The record of eight awardees was set in 2019-20 and matched again in 2020-21.”
Additional Information
- Fulbright: A Global Network of Changemakers
- Purdue Office of Global Partnerships
- Purdue Office of the Provost National and International Awards
Bethany McGowan, Fulbright project explores dis- and misinformation: “My Fulbright Scholar experiences … have profoundly impacted my career. They gave me a nuanced understanding of how regulatory and ethical principles can mitigate the spread of dis- and misinformation across Finland, the Nordic region, and the European Union.”
Jacobs said the Fulbright award has been deeply impactful, allowing him to travel and spend time in Sweden to advance his research, teaching, and scholarship efforts.
“It gave me an opportunity to live in Sweden and cultivate much deeper research ties with faculty and students than I ever achieved in past years with short stays,” said Jacobs, noting the Sweden Fulbright scholars also were invited to the Nobel Prize ceremony, where they saw the king of Sweden award the 2023 Nobel laureates, including West Lafayette High School graduate Moungi Bawendi.
Jacobs encouraged his colleagues to consider applying for the distinguished program seriously: “The Fulbright Scholar Award opens many doors and creates possibilities for lifelong professional relationships through the Fulbright Alumni Association. The support through Purdue for the Fulbright Program is outstanding, and the staff at the Fulbright Program in my host country of Sweden made the transition seamless and welcoming.”
In conjunction with Purdue’s Fulbright Week activities, all tenure-stream and clinical faculty are encouraged to attend an information session about the Fulbright Faculty Award Program from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23, in Wilmeth Active Learning Center, Room 2051. Faculty and administrators interested in learning more about the Fulbright award programs can contact Lukasik at clukasik@purdue.edu.
Fulbright is a program of the Department of State, with funding provided by the federal government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations worldwide also provide direct and indirect support to the program.
“I would like to commend you and thank you and your entire team for your hard work in promoting the Fulbright Program to the students and faculty on your campus,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a prepared statement. “In particular, I would like to recognize Chris Lukasik for their support of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program as Purdue University’s designated Fulbright Scholar Liaison.”
Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world and have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur fellows, and countless leaders and changemakers who build mutual understanding between citizens of the U.S. and those of other countries.
Faculty awards and recognition
Faculty are encouraged to explore prestigious recognition opportunities on the Faculty Awards and Honors webpage. Faculty may also request assistance with award submissions from the Office of the Provost’s Faculty Recognition Program here.
