Fulbright U.S. Loving OSU

A record nine Oregon State University faculty have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards for the 2022-23 academic year, earning OSU a distinction as a “top producing” university, the program has announced. 

Each year only about 20 universities nationally in the research institution category attain that recognition. To be considered top producing a university must have a minimum of six faculty scholars. 

Oregon State’s nine honorees are Jerri Bartholomew, who will do fish parasitology work in Spain; Randy Bell, science education, Vietnam; Kelly Biedenweg, social science, Chile; John Dilles, green-energy metals, Australia; Stephen Good, water resources, Chile; Robert Hughes, freshwater bioassessment, Brazil; Greg Rorrer, sustainable energy, Austria; Melissa Santala, materials science, Israel; and Bogdan Strimbu, forest modeling, Romania. 

“We are pleased to see these outstanding scholars recognized for their global engagement and impact,” said Rick Settersten, vice provost for faculty affairs at OSU. “A Fulbright is a wonderful opportunity to extend ideas to new environments, and to gain experience and develop collaborations that deepen the perspectives and expertise of everyone involved.” 

Oregon State’s previous high for number of honorees was eight, which happened in 2019-20 and 2012-13. OSU has had 27 Fulbright scholars in the past five years. 

The OSU contingent is among more than 800 U.S. citizens who will conduct research and/or teach abroad during the 2022-23 academic year through the Fulbright program. 

The program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is also supported by partner countries around the world. It is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. 

Since being established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program has given more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. 

The list of Fulbright alumni includes 61 Nobel Prize laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize recipients and 40 people who have served as a head of state or government. 

In Other Fulbright News: 

Oregon State University has had a record-tying seven applicants earn placement into the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the 2022-23 academic year. 

Oregon State’s selections are Stan Cates (study/research grant, Norway), Jeremy Chu (English teaching assistantship, Taiwan), Jackie Delie (study/research grant, Uganda), Julia Kim (study/research grant, South Korea), Christina Linkem (study/research grant, Costa Rica), Saki Nakai (study/research grant, Luxembourg) and Jane Vinesky (study/research grant, Mexico). 

OSU also had seven student Fulbright scholars in 2018-19. The latest seven give Oregon State 40 for the past decade. 

The U.S. Department of State, the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and host country Fulbright commissions select the honorees for the Fulbright student scholar program, which offers recent graduates and graduate students opportunities for advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school English teaching in more than 140 countries. 

LeAnn Adam, director of National and Global Scholarships Advising at OSU, attributes this year’s Fulbright success to student optimism and persistence. 

“Many of these new scholars pursued their Fulbright proposals during the height of the pandemic, when it was difficult to imagine spending a year abroad,” she said. “Instead of giving up on their dream to study, research and teach abroad, they persisted in forming international collaborations and submitting successful proposals. I couldn’t be more proud.”  

The OSU Honors College hosts Adam’s office but its staff works with honors and non-honors students, as well as alumni and graduate students. 

The seven from Oregon State are among more than 800 U.S. citizens who will conduct research and/or teach abroad during the 2022-23 academic year through the Fulbright program. 

The program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is also supported by partner countries around the world. It is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. 

Since being established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program has given more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. 

The list of Fulbright alumni includes 61 Nobel Prize laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize recipients and 40 people who have served as a head of state or government. 

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