Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) Archives

Nageswari Shanmugalingam

rof. Nageswari Shanmugalingam is a distinguished research professor (STEMM) in mathematical sciences at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. She obtained her PhD in mathematics in 1999 from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her research forms part of the foundation of the emergent field of analysis in metric measure spaces, and her current research interests include nonlinear potential theory, Dirichlet and Neumann boundary value problems in non-smooth setting, and non-local energies, with applications in geometry and quasi-symmetric mappings in non-smooth spaces, including fractals. She has more than 100 research publications in highly ranked mathematical research journals, and has coauthored a book (Cambridge University Press, 2015) on Newton-Sobolev mappings between metric spaces. She also has an extensive mathematical research network both in the U.S. and abroad. Her current research interests include the exploration of how Gromov hyperbolic geometry impacts the behavior of harmonic functions and how the dissipation of heat behaves.

In addition to conducting research in mathematics, Prof. Shanmugalingam is an educator, teaching courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels at the University of Cincinnati. She has also supervised the PhD research of six students and is currently supervising the dissertation research of three other students. She has also been a mentor to postdoctoral scholars.

The development of analysis in non-smooth spaces was motivated by the need to understand how quasi-symmetric classes of regular metric measure spaces share analytic behaviors. This development highlighted the crucial role played by geometric objects called “uniform domains”. On the other hand, recent developments in geometric group theory and fractal analysis indicate a need for discrete analogs of uniform domains. Prof. Shanmugalingam’s Fulbright-Nehru project is developing such analogs in collaboration with Prof. S. Ponnusamy at IIT Madras. The project is also introducing the field of non-smooth analysis to students by conducting a course on analysis in metric spaces.

Surabhi Sahay

Dr. Surabhi Sahay is a scholar of organizational and health communication whose work centers on participatory processes during periods of change and crisis. Her research explores how individuals and institutions navigate uncertainty; it pays particular attention to the intersections of communication, organization, and healthcare. She has published widely in leading journals such as Management Communication Quarterly, Health Communication, Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, and Communication and Democracy.

Dr. Sahay is the author of an upcoming book with Johns Hopkins University Press that examines the transformation of nurses’ work roles and professional identities from the pre- through the post-COVID-19 era. She is also a special issues associate editor for Management Communication Quarterly, contributing to ongoing scholarly conversations about adaptation and recovery in complex systems. An engaged and dedicated educator, Dr. Sahay teaches courses on organizational communication, crisis and change, and research methodologies. She is deeply committed to experiential learning and has led student groups to Japan and Iceland, thereby broadening their global perspectives. In addition to research and teaching, she has held various leadership roles within her university and professional community. Outside of her academic work, Dr. Sahay enjoys traveling with her husband and their two daughters, embracing opportunities for exploration and connection around the world.

For her Fulbright-Nehru project, Dr. Sahay is examining how cesarean section decisions are made in rural, small-town, and semi-urban India, focusing on women, families, and healthcare providers. Using qualitative interviews, it is exploring how communication, trust, cultural norms, and socioeconomic factors shape maternal agency and informed consent. The study is also attempting to highlight both the overuse of cesareans without medical need and the lack of access when they are necessary, thus putting the spotlight on inequalities in maternal healthcare. Drawing on sensemaking, sensegiving, sensebreaking, resilience, and social support theories, it is analyzing decision-making dynamics and power relations. The findings will inform community-based interventions and communication toolkits to promote equitable, patient-centered childbirth practices, and improve maternal health outcomes.

Aruna Kilaru

Dr. Aruna Kilaru is a faculty fellow for interdisciplinary innovation in the biosciences and a distinguished professor of biological sciences at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), USA. She earned her master’s degree in biotechnology from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India, and her doctoral degree in biology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She subsequently completed her postdoctoral training in plant lipid signaling at the University of North Texas and in storage lipid metabolism at Michigan State University before joining ETSU in 2011. Dr. Kilaru has served in national science policy and leadership roles as an AAAS science and technology policy fellow at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service and as a program director at the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Dr. Kilaru is an internationally recognized plant biologist whose research focuses on lipid metabolism, stress signaling, and metabolic engineering in plants, with applications in crop improvement and sustainable biomanufacturing. Her work spans diverse systems, including mosses, avocado, oilseed crops, and synthetic biology platforms. She has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and invited reviews in leading journals like PNAS, Plant Physiology, and the Plant Journal. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other federal agencies, as well as BioMADE. She currently serves on the editorial board of Plant Physiology and has held several leadership roles in the American Society of Plant Biologists, where she was named a fellow in 2025.

In addition to research, Dr. Kilaru is deeply committed to mentorship, interdisciplinary education, and workforce development in biotechnology and bioengineering. She leads initiatives at ETSU focused on synthetic biology, biomanufacturing, and international collaborations, particularly between the United States and India. Her broader interests include science policy, global scientific engagement, photography, travel, and promoting inclusive pathways into science and innovation.

For her Fulbright-Nehru project, Dr. Kilaru is developing plant cell biomanufacturing platforms for the sustainable production of curcumin and related bioactive compounds using turmeric cell cultures as a model system. Working in collaboration with the National Agri-Food and Biomanufacturing Institute (NABI), India, the project is integrating plant biotechnology, metabolic engineering, and analytical approaches to establish reproducible production systems for high-value phytochemicals. The project also involves training workshops and short courses in plant and microbial biomanufacturing in order to strengthen workforce development and foster long-term research collaborations between U.S. and Indian institutions.

Emilie Raymer

Dr. Emilie Raymer teaches in the Harvard College Writing Program and holds a doctorate in the history of science and technology from Johns Hopkins University. Her teaching and scholarly interests include life and human sciences, environmental history and ecology, the philosophy of science, and the relationships among, art, science, and literature. She is a recipient of the Anya Bernstein Bassett Award for Excellence in Teaching by Non-Ladder Faculty from Harvard University; the Certificate of Teaching Excellence from Harvard’s Office of Undergraduate Education every semester that it was awarded during her tenure; and the Dean’s Commendation for Distinguished Teaching Performance for her work at the Harvard Extension School, where she taught both writing and introduction to graduate studies in biology. She is also a recipient of the Arthur J. Quinn Memorial Fellowship from the Bancroft Library; an Alfred M. Landon Research Grant; and a junior fellowship from the Library of Congress. She has also served as a Eugene Garfield Fellow at the American Philosophical Society; a senior visiting fellow at the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research; a fellow in values engagement in Harvard’s Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics; and as a visiting scholar in the University of Cambridge’s Department of the History and Philosophy of Science.

Dr. Raymer’s Fulbright-Nehru project is highlighting India’s pivotal contributions to global human ecology by centering on the social scientist Radhakamal Mukerjee and contemporary environmental scholars who moved research away from hierarchical and utilitarian interpretations of the biophysical environment toward an emphasis on entanglement, reciprocity, and regional specificity. The project is conducting archival research to examine how ecological ideas circulated internationally, and how ethical, political, and methodological commitments shaped environmental knowledge.

Catherine Heinlein

Dr. Catherine Heinlein is an associate professor in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Azusa Pacific University (APU) in California, where she serves as the lead faculty for the nutrition minor program. A highly specialized clinician and educator, she holds an EdD in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne, an MS in nutrition science from the University of Southern California, and both an MSN and BSN from APU. Her multidisciplinary expertise is further defined by her credentials as a family nurse practitioner, registered dietitian nutritionist, and as a certified diabetes care and education specialist.

Dr. Heinlein’s professional work is deeply rooted in transcultural nursing and global health equity. Since 2008, she has been spearheading clinical immersions in Kolkata, India, maintaining long-term partnerships with the Mission of Mercy Hospital & Research Centre and the Missionaries of Charity. In 2018, as a Fulbright Scholar in India, she conducted research on community-based diabetes prevention and mentored local nursing students. Her current international research work extends to Rwanda, focusing on strengthening rural healthcare delivery through competency-based training for community health nurses.

In addition to her global leadership, Dr. Heinlein is a recognized expert in transcultural pedagogy and holistic wellness. She is a certified yoga teacher and creator of the “Walk & Talk” initiative, a program designed to support the mental health of nursing students through movement and dialogue. Her accolades include the APU Teaching Excellence Award and the APU Community Engagement Faculty Award. Meanwhile, as an active member of the Sigma Theta Tau International, Dr. Heinlein continues to advocate for a more compassionate approach to healthcare, focusing her efforts on training the next generation of healthcare providers to lead with cultural humility and empower patients through sustainable, community-led wellness programs.

Inspired by her 2018 Fulbright stint in Kolkata, Dr. Heinlein’s current Fulbright-Nehru project is investigating how incivility and “oppressed group behavior” act as silent killers of the empathy and compassion defining the nursing profession. This pilot project is exploring how nursing students perceive and encounter such challenges in their field. Her research is tracing the evolution of foundational humanistic values as students transition from the classroom to the high-pressure reality of hospital duty. By documenting this shift, Dr. Heinlein aims to identify ways to protect and sustain the spirit of caring among those entering the healthcare workforce.

Manisha Javeri

Dr. Manisha Javeri is professor and chair of the educational technology program at the Charter College of Education, California State University, where she has served for over two decades. She holds a PhD in educational technology from the University of Northern Colorado, and advanced degrees in physical chemistry and education from the University of Mumbai.

Her work focuses on the integration of emerging technologies, particularly AI, in teaching and learning across K–12 and higher education. She has designed and taught an early graduate-level course on AI in education and has led curriculum development in areas like online learning, instructional design, virtual and augmented reality, and data-driven decision-making. In her role as program chair, she oversees academic planning, accreditation, and strategic initiatives for graduate programs in educational technology.

Dr. Javeri’s scholarship is complemented by a strong commitment to international and interdisciplinary education. At California State University, she developed one of the first undergraduate courses on peace and conflict resolution by integrating digital tools, data, and global perspectives to examine conflict, sustainability, and humanitarian challenges.

Dr. Javeri’s research and professional contributions extend globally, with projects linking technology to humanitarian and sustainability efforts in Africa and Asia. A Rotary Peace Fellow, she has worked on international initiatives involving peacebuilding, environmental sustainability, and technology-enabled community development. She has also collaborated with the Clinton Global Initiative and UNESCO-related efforts, and has led projects ranging from solar energy interventions in Mozambique to technology integration programs for educators in Botswana.

She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Rotary International World Peace Fellowship and recognition as a Global Peace Ambassador. Her current scholarly interests include AI in education, human performance technology, interdisciplinary applications of technology, and equitable access to digital learning in diverse and multicultural contexts. Through her teaching, research, and collaborations, she continues to advance innovative, ethical, and globally informed approaches to educational technology.

Dr. Javeri’s Fulbright-Nehru project is examining the integration of AI in graduate educational technology programs through a comparative study between California State University and SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai. The project is combining teaching and research, including delivering AI-focused courses and conducting mixed-methods research on curriculum design, student outcomes, and institutional contexts. By analyzing similarities and differences across the U.S. and India, the project aims to develop innovative, ethical, and culturally responsive AI curriculum frameworks while fostering long-term academic collaboration and advancing global best practices in AI in education.

Radha Jagannathan

Dr. Radha Jagannathan is professor of statistics at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University, where she teaches statistics, advanced econometrics, and program evaluation. She received her PhD from Princeton University and is an internationally recognized scholar whose research focuses on human capital development, school-to-work transitions, youth labor market dynamics, poverty, child welfare, and educational equity. A recipient of Fulbright Specialist awards to Germany, Hungary, and Finland, she is also the recipient of the Rutgers Global Impact Award, as well as numerous honors for excellence in teaching and research.

Her scholarship has appeared in leading economics, education, and public policy journals, including the Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Economics of Education Review, Cambridge Journal of Education, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Economic Analysis and Policy, Oxford Economic Papers, Social Science Quarterly, and Evaluation and Program Planning. She has also authored four books published by Oxford University Press and Bristol University Press.

Dr. Jagannathan was one of the principal architects of Cultural Pathways to Economic Self-Sufficiency (CUPESSE), an EU-funded 11-country study on youth unemployment conducted between 2014 and 2018. She also cofounded and directed the Nurture thru Nature (NtN) program, a public–private partnership among Rutgers University, Johnson & Johnson Worldwide, New Brunswick Public Schools, and the New Brunswick Education Foundation that delivered STEM educational programs to disadvantaged students from 2009 to 2022.

Dr. Jagannathan is the founding director of the Center for PASCAL Americas at Rutgers, which is part of a global alliance that advances learning for sustainable and inclusive development through partnerships among universities, governments, NGOs, and civic organizations. She currently leads an international consortium of researchers across Europe and North America on a Horizon Europe proposal focused on nature-inspired early childhood interventions aimed at narrowing educational inequities.

For her Fulbright-Nehru project, Dr. Jagannathan is piloting a nature-based STEM program for fifth grade students in Delhi to address persistent gaps in science and math learning, and gender disparities in STEM participation. In partnership with the faculty at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, the project is adapting and replicating the NtN model. It aligns with India’s National Education Policy 2020 and is also aimed at building host capacity and creating a scalable model for broader impact.

Anol Bhattacherjee

Dr. Anol Bhattacherjee is the Exide Professor in information systems and the director of the master’s program in artificial intelligence and business analytics at the University of South Florida. He has authored about 150 refereed publications, including 12 papers in Financial Times, 50 papers in journals, and seven papers in MIS Quarterly, the foremost journal in his discipline. For many years, he was on the editorial boards of MIS Quarterly and the Journal of the Association for Information Systems. With nearly 50,000 citations to his credit, a 2021 Stanford University study ranked him as number 12 in the world in career-wide research impact in the information systems discipline. Dr. Bhattacherjee has also authored a copyright-free book on research methods, Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices, which has been downloaded over 2 million times from 229 countries on six continents, used at over 10,000 institutions, and translated into seven languages. His many awards and honors include the Stafford Beer Medal by the Operational Research Society, UK, the Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Chair in 2019, and the first-place award at the prestigious Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Innovation Cup Competition in 2023.

Dr. Bhattacherjee’s Fulbright-Nehru project is designing AI systems for societal good – such as to reduce societal polarization – and conducting behavioral experiments in terms of the use of these systems by the population and the impacts of such use. The project is collaborating with Indian scholars to conceptualize, design, conduct, and publish research on this topic and related ones. The project also serves several key objectives of the Government of India’s initiatives related to leveraging technology and science for societal benefit and improving human and institutional capacity for scientific research.

Tanvi Banerjee

Dr. Tanvi Banerjee is an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Wright State University, where she also serves as the codirector of the Data Science for Healthcare Lab. She holds a PhD and an MS in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Missouri.

Dr. Banerjee’s core research interest lies at the intersection of computing and medicine, where she focuses on healthcare applications that utilize wearable and non-wearable sensors for chronic disease management, including measuring stress in caregivers of dementia patients. Her work extensively employs machine learning techniques, data fusion, and big data analytics to classify complex sensor data. With an h-index of 27, her publications cover topics such as multimodal data analysis, physiological responses, and predictive modeling for conditions like sickle cell disease, dementia, and chronic pain. Throughout her career, she has secured substantial research funding, with her personal share of grants totaling approximately USD 2.5 million from prestigious institutions such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Energy, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). An accomplished educator, she was honored with Wright State’s College of Engineering and Computer Science’s Teaching Award for the 2024–2025 academic year. Her leadership role in the scientific community is reflected in her position as an associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence and as local chair and program committee member for several international conferences.

An estimated 8.8 million Indians above the age of 60 live with dementia, yet most remain undiagnosed and lack access to essential resources. To bridge this gap, Dr. Banerjee’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is proposing a culturally nuanced, region-specific Dementia Assessment tool tailored for rural communities. This will enable patients to securely share high-frequency cognitive assessments with their care providers. By deploying AI models to forecast symptom progression, the tool can empower clinicians to deliver proactive interventions and personalized treatment courses, thereby ultimately transforming rural dementia care in India.

Udita Gupta

Dr. Udita Gupta is a clinical associate professor in the Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE) at the University of Utah’s College of Education, where she is working in the field of teacher preparation and secondary mathematics education. She began her career as a statistics lecturer in India. She completed her PhD in educational psychology (learning sciences) from the University of Utah. Dr. Gupta brings a cross-cultural perspective shaped by her academic and professional experience in both India and the United States, and is fluent in both Hindi and English. Her research focus is on the cognitive load incurred in STEM learning; reflective practices; global competency development; community-engaged learning; and the integration of artificial intelligence in teacher preparation. She is particularly interested in how culturally responsive pedagogy, global perspectives, and AI-enhanced instructional strategies can strengthen preservice and in-service teacher education. She has published scholarly work and led faculty development initiatives in these areas.

Dr. Gupta’s Fulbright-Nehru project has three major components: strengthening preservice teacher preparation and secondary mathematics teaching methods through direct classroom teaching, workshops, and seminars for both preservice and in-service teachers in India; collaborating with Indian faculty on developing a curriculum that integrates culturally responsive pedagogy, global aspects, and AI into teacher education; and building enduring academic partnerships between Indian and U.S. institutions through sustained mentorship and capacity building in STEM teacher education. Aligned with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reforms that emphasize critical thinking over rote learning, the project is working toward strengthening STEM teacher preparation through inquiry-driven, student-centered strategies, and adopting global practices like COIL – Collaborative Online International Learning.