Bhati, Abhishek
Abhishek Bhati
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology on the Civil Society Sector |
Field of Study: | Public Administration |
Home Institution: | Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi |
Grant Start Month: | September 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Seven months |
Dr. Abhishek Bhati is an associate professor of political science and director of the Asian Studies Program at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. He holds a PhD in public administration from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, and an MA from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. His research focuses on nonprofit and civil society organizations. Specifically, Dr. Bhati examines how nonprofit and civil society organizations mobilize resources to advance their mission and support public good. He was awarded the Wilson C. “Bill” Fundraising Research Award in 2021 and was a social impact strategy doctoral fellow at the School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Bhati’s work has appeared in top nonprofit and public administration journals such as Public Administration Review and Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. In 2022, his work received the best paper award from Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations. Beyond his academic responsibilities, he serves on the Planning Commission of the city of Bowling Green.
Dr. Bhati’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is focusing on understanding how nonprofit and civil society organizations (CSOs) are using generative AI tools to advance their mission; it is also studying the potential pitfalls or challenges to the use of this emerging technology. The study is using a mixed-method research design by conducting an online survey and interviews with CSOs and other stakeholders in India. This research aims to benefit CSOs and policymakers by helping them understand the impact of “disruptive technologies” on the global civil society sector.
Efurd, David
David Efurd
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | The Caitya Hall at Karle and Its Milieu: Design and Order in Early Buddhist Monuments |
Field of Study: | Art History |
Home Institution: | Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC |
Host Institution: | Deccan College Post-Graduate & Research Institute (deemed-to-be university), Pune, Maharashtra |
Grant Start Month: | September 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Nine months |
Dr. David Efurd is associate professor in the Department of Art and Art History at Wofford College where he also serves as coordinator of Asian studies and co-coordinator of Ancient World studies. He teaches various courses about global artistic traditions which contribute to Wofford’s curricula in Asian studies, Chinese studies, and Middle Eastern and North African studies. He received his PhD in history of art (South Asia) from Ohio State University and his MA in art history from the University of Georgia. Dr. Efurd has also a BFA in painting and drawing from Cornell University where he began pursuing his lifelong interest in darkroom and digital photography.
With South Asia as his research field, Dr. Efurd studies early Buddhist monasteries carved directly into the stone cliffs of western India. His research encompasses interactions among peoples in the ancient western Deccan and the resulting artistic and architectural forms hewn from living rock. His present work focuses on revisiting scholarship from the era of the British Empire to later studies of Buddhist monuments. He utilizes both meticulous examination of archaeological sites and his training in the arts to foster understanding about ancient and contemporary artistic practices throughout Asia. Dr. Efurd’s other scholarly interests include digital humanities and the preservation of cultural heritage sites. He maintains an archive of photographs of caves, architecture, and Buddhist art, which is accessible to scholars all over the world.
Dr. Efurd’s Fulbright-Nehru project is examining holistic design in early Buddhist architecture through data collection via photographic documentation and intensive study of an ancient monastic cave complex in western India. The project aims to offer insights into little-known architectural practices of 2000 years ago, which reflect in the extent and scope of holistic unity attempted by the cave’s creators.
Goulding, Gregory
Gregory Goulding
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Central Borderlands: Literature, Landscape, and Identity in a Multilingual Zone |
Field of Study: | Literature |
Home Institution: | University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA |
Host Institution: | , India, TBD |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Prof. Gregory Goulding is an associate professor in the Department of South Asia Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. His first book, Cold War Genres, was released with SUNY University Press in 2024. His research focus is on mid-20th-century Hindi literature, with a particular interest in ideas of space, aesthetic debates, and conceptions of the international. Some of his recent articles have appeared in Comparative Literature, Modern Asian Studies, South Asia, and the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Prof. Goulding’s Fulbright-Nehru project is posing Central India as a key location in the literary history of modern South Asia, situating it as an area shaped by its political history as a borderland between Maratha, Mughal, and later British power. He is also studying Central India’s position on the periphery of three modern literary cultures, as well as its landscape of forested mountain and scrubby plateau, home to peoples who articulate radically different ideas of space and belonging. The project aims to intervene in both current understandings of modern South Asian literatures as well as in global understandings of modern literatures after the emergence of monolingual linguistic identities.
Kumpel, Emily
Emily Kumpel
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Intermittent but Reliable Water Supplies: Measuring Continuity and Predictability in Water Systems |
Field of Study: | Engineering |
Home Institution: | University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Grant Start Month: | August 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Nine months |
Dr. Emily Kumpel is an associate professor in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research advances sustainable and equitable drinking water systems through innovative approaches to water quality, household storage, and data science applications. With over 40 peer-reviewed publications on topics such as intermittent water supply, disinfection byproducts, water quality monitoring, and small water systems, she has secured more than $15 million in funding from NSF, EPA, Massachusetts agencies, and private foundations. Her current projects include an NSF CAREER award investigating household water storage as a reliability strategy, and extensive partnership work with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). She leads comprehensive drinking water assistance programs for the state of Massachusetts, including support for complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act, research on emerging contaminants among small and disadvantaged communities, lead testing in schools and childcare facilities, and small systems technical assistance. She has received multiple awards such as the College of Engineering Barbara H. and Joseph J. Goldstein Outstanding Junior Faculty Award (2024), Outstanding Teaching Award (2022), and a PIT@UMass Faculty Fellowship (2024). Dr. Kumpel serves as associate editor for AWWA Water Science and has extensive international field research experience, having lived and conducted research for over six years across India and countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Before joining UMass in 2017, she was a senior research scientist at Aquaya Institute in Kenya, where she led water-quality monitoring and evaluation projects across multiple countries. She earned her PhD and MS in civil and environmental engineering from UC Berkeley and a BS in mechanical engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Kumpel’s Fulbright-Nehru project is developing metrics for water supply continuity and predictability, testing new measurement methods, and analyzing the sources of unpredictability. He is conducting his fieldwork in and around Mumbai with the faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. The intended outcomes of the research are at least two co-authored manuscripts, mutual student mentorship, and establishment of networks to enable future research endeavors.
Lodha, Neha
Neha Lodha
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Navigating Global Health: Culturally Relevant Tools for Early Detection of Cognitive Impairment |
Field of Study: | Neuroscience |
Home Institution: | Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO |
Host Institution: | National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Five months |
Dr. Neha Lodha is an engineer-turned-neuroscientist. She is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science and the School of Biomedical Engineering at Colorado State University (CSU). She earned her PhD in kinesiology from the University of Florida, following a BTech in information and communication technology from DA-IICT, Gandhinagar, India.
Dr. Lodha directs the Laboratory of Movement Neuroscience and Rehabilitation at CSU. Her research applies approaches in cognitive aging, movement neuroscience, and neurorehabilitation with the goal of improving functional independence, mobility, and overall well-being of individuals facing age-related or neurological challenges. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges biomechanics, neuroscience, and digital health to better understand and support cognitive and physical functioning in everyday life. Her current work in her lab focuses on identifying early indicators of reduced mobility and cognitive performance. This includes examining how people move in their daily environments, how their cognitive and motor systems interact, and how technology can assist in rehabilitation and health monitoring. Complementing her research, Dr. Lodha leads community outreach through her lab’s initiatives. These include mobility assessments and fall-prevention screenings for older adults, as well as educational programs for students interested in science and engineering.
Dr. Lodha has authored over 50 scholarly publications, including 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, and her work has been cited more than 3,400 times. She has a strong track record in securing external research funding as a principal investigator, having obtained competitive awards from agencies like the National Institute on Aging, the American Heart Association, and the Alzheimer’s Association.
The global rise of dementia significantly affects populations in low- and middle-income countries. In communities with limited access to formal education and healthcare, cognitive impairments often go undiagnosed. Most current assessments cater to English-speaking and literate individuals and are not effective for people in other contexts. Dr. Lodha’s Fulbright-Nehru project is developing a performance-based tool designed to work across language and education levels within the Indian population. The project’s primary aim is to improve early detection of cognitive decline.
Mehta, Ranjana
Ranjana Mehta
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Enabling Trustworthy Human–AI Teaming through Social Neuroergonomics |
Field of Study: | Engineering |
Home Institution: | University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Grant Start Month: | December 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Prof. Ranjana Mehta is the Grainger Institute of Engineering Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she serves as the director of the Neuroergonomics Lab. She earned her PhD in industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Tech in 2011 and her BTech in production engineering from the University of Mumbai in 2004. Her ongoing research program in human factors focuses on understanding and improving human performance and trust in safety-critical work settings, especially when interacting with emerging technologies like robotics and AI, and under challenging psychophysiological conditions, including stress and fatigue. Her groundbreaking research, which examines the intersection of brain and behavior in human–machine teaming, has attracted more than $19.8 million in external funding, resulting in over 200 peer-reviewed publications. She has been awarded several recognitions, including the Early Career Research Fellow award from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the NASA IDEAS Fellow award, and the Award for Technical Innovation in Industrial Engineering from the Institute for Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), as well as multiple innovation and early career honors from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), where she became a fellow in 2023. As a member of the IISE and HFES communities, she has shown exceptional external service at both national and international levels through numerous elected and appointed roles within these professional societies. She currently serves as the editor-in-chief of the IISE Transactions of Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors. She has also served as a member of various technical standards committees, including the American Petroleum Institute, ASTM F48.02 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits, IEEE Human–Robot Interaction Metrics and Test Methods, and ISA84.00.04 on Systematic Failure.
By employing a social neuroergonomics modeling approach, which utilizes the neurobiological foundations of social processes and behaviors in the design, engineering, and evaluation of human–AI systems, Prof. Mehta’s Fulbright-Nehru project is set to enhance understanding about trustworthy human–AI teaming across diverse team cultures and configurations. The project also aims to strengthen trustworthy AI research through collaborative community building.
Mitchell, Lisa
Lisa Mitchell
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | The History of the Government Job in India |
Field of Study: | History |
Home Institution: | University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA |
Host Institution: | English and Foreign Language University, Hyderabad, Telangana |
Grant Start Month: | December 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Dr. Lisa Mitchell is professor in the Department of South Asia Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches courses in anthropology, history, and urban studies. She is the author of Hailing the State: Indian Democracy between Elections (Duke University Press, 2023, and Permanent Black, 2023) and Language, Emotion, and Politics in South India: The Making of a Mother Tongue (Indiana University Press, 2009, and Permanent Black, 2010), which received the Edward Cameron Dimock, Jr. Prize in the Indian Humanities from the American Institute of Indian Studies. She is currently working on two book projects, one titled “The Government Job in India” and the second on translations of transnationally circulating political ideas, provisionally entitled, “The Multiple Genealogies of Indian Democracy: Global Intellectual History in Translation”. She received her PhD in sociocultural anthropology from Columbia University. Previously, she taught history at Queens College (CUNY), Bowdoin College, and the University of Washington, and anthropology at the University of Notre Dame. She has been the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Wenner-Gren Foundation, Mellon Foundation, the European Research Council, and the American Institute of Indian Studies, and has been a visiting fellow at the University of Cambridge, a Mercator Visiting Fellow in Global Intellectual History at the Freie Universität in Berlin, and a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Halle. In 2020, she was a recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Mitchell’s Fulbright-Nehru project is examining the idea of the government job in the history of political imagination in modern India. Using archives from the Nizam’s state of Hyderabad and Indian constitutional debates, cinematic and literary portrayals of civil servants, and oral histories from current and former government employees, it is tracing historical efforts to redistribute employment opportunities, create a new middle class, and offer guaranteed employment as a form of social welfare. Assessing India’s unique social experiments in the redistribution of opportunity, the project will culminate in a book-length anthropological history of the government job in India.
Sitharam, Meera
Meera Sitharam
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Exploring Connections: Rigidity, Flexibility, Complexity, and Applications of Geometry Constraints |
Field of Study: | Computer Science |
Home Institution: | University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
Host Institution: | Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Grant Start Month: | November 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Dr. Meera Sitharam is professor of computer science and affiliate professor of mathematics at the University of Florida in Gainesville. After her BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, she completed her doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in computer science and held positions at Kent State University and Purdue University. She was an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bonn, a Fields Institute Fellow, and an ICERM Fellow. Her research and over 100 peer-reviewed publications range from pure mathematics (discrete geometry) and theoretical computer science (algorithmic foundations and complexity theory) to the development of open source mathematical software (computational geometry) and geometric modeling in the natural and social sciences and engineering (soft-matter and biophysical modeling, algorithmic game theory, computer-aided mechanical and microstructural design). Her research group’s alumni include at least 15 doctorate holders now in academia, industry and entrepreneurial positions. As a vocal advocate for public higher education, Dr. Sitharam is currently chapter president and chief negotiator for the United Faculty of Florida at the University of Florida. Her academic outreach activities include: faculty advisorship of the Asha for Education chapter, where she works closely with grassroots partners in Tamil Nadu working toward education access and quality; and founding STEM women researchers’ development (Steward@IITM) to mentor and address the barriers faced by women researchers.
She is a graded All India Radio veena artist and engages with a broad range of music.
Dr. Sitharam’s Fulbright-Nehru project, “Exploring Connections: Rigidity, Flexibility, Complexity, and Applications of Geometry Constraints”, aims to leverage the host institution’s unique combination of expertise – on parameterized complexity and derandomization of algorithms, configuration space topology, and soft-matter modeling – to conduct research on Geometric Constraint Systems (GCS), a vibrant, intuitively accessible area that bridges mathematical communities. The GCS lens also intends to spur progress on fundamental theoretical science at the host institution. The expected project outcomes include several peer-reviewed articles, an international workshop, grant proposals for joint US–India programs, seminar series at the host institution, and addressing of research underrepresentation.
Sivaguru, Jayaraman
Jayaraman Sivaguru
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Light-driven Strategies for Developing a Sustainable Future |
Field of Study: | Chemistry |
Home Institution: | Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | March 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Jayaraman Sivaguru is a distinguished university professor at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Ohio. His recognitions include the 2008 NSF CAREER award, the 2010 Grammaticakis-Neumann Prize from the Swiss Chemical Society, and the young investigator awards from the Inter-American Photochemical Society (2011) and Sigma-Xi (2012). Besides, he won the 2012 Peltier Award for Innovation in Teaching from NDSU. He was a visiting young professor at the Global Centre for Excellence, Osaka University, and was also visiting fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under the President’s International Fellowship Initiative. He serves as the American editor for the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry and as the co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. In 2021, he was awarded the Honda-Fujishima Lectureship by the Japanese Photochemistry Association for outstanding achievement in photochemistry. In 2023, he received the Olscamp Award from BGSU. In 2025, he was named as the 48th Probst Lecturer at SIUE. Dr. Sivaguru is a member of the International Organizing Committee for the IAPS-2026 meeting in Sao Paulo and will also co-chair the 2027 Gordon Conference on Photochemistry.
His research interests include: uncovering new excited state chemical reactivity; light-induced axial to central chiral transfer; asymmetric organo-photocatalysis; supramolecular photocatalysis with water-soluble nanocontainers; light-responsive materials for polymer circularity; development of high-efficiency photoinitiators; and designing light-initiated strategies for eye protection and ophthalmic applications (e.g. contact lenses and other eyewear).
Dr. Sivaguru is passionate about helping students to gravitate toward STEM disciplines. Toward this, in 2007, he launched an outreach program called PICNICS (Parents Involvement with Children Nurturing Intellectual Curiosity in Sciences).
For his Fulbright-Nehru project, Prof. Sivaguru is collaborating with Prof. N. Jayaraman of the Indian Institute of Science on photochemical aspects within dendritic systems. He is also collaborating with Prof. Ashok Mishra at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras on photophysical studies. Besides, Prof. Sivaguru is holding classes on photochemistry. He is also evaluating the feasibility of adapting PICNICS to an Indian setting.
Talapatra, Saikat
Saikat Talapatra
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Development of Porous Carbon Materials Derived from Biowaste for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage |
Field of Study: | Materials Science |
Home Institution: | Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal |
Grant Start Month: | October 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Dr. Saikat Talapatra is a professor and director of the School of Physics and Applied Physics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He obtained his BSc degree in physics and BEd from RIE Bhubaneswar, India, and MSc in physics from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Thereafter, he graduated from the Department of Physics at Southern Illinois University with an MS in physics and a PhD in engineering science. He worked as a postdoctoral scholar at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, before returning to Southern Illinois University as a faculty. He is a condensed matter physicist/materials scientist, with research interests in the synthesis and characterization of a variety of nanoscale materials and structures materials for multiple applications related to electronics, energy, and environment.
Dr. Talapatra’s Fulbright-Nehru project is investigating the adsorptive surface properties of the porous carbon materials obtained from biowaste products in order to develop them for carbon dioxide capture and storage. The success of the project could lead to applications that are needed for a carbon neutral (net-zero) society.
Verghese, Ajay
Ajay Verghese
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Two Studies of Political Hinduism |
Field of Study: | Political Science |
Home Institution: | Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT |
Host Institution: | Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan |
Grant Start Month: | May 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Dr. Ajay Verghese is an associate professor of political science at Middlebury College, Vermont. He received his PhD in 2013 from George Washington University and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. His research interests include Indian politics, ethnic violence, historical legacies, religion, and methodology. His first book, The Colonial Origins of Ethnic Violence in India, was published by Stanford University Press in 2016, and his articles have been published in Modern Asian Studies, Terrorism and Political Violence, Journal of Development Studies, Politics & Society, Politics and Religion, Sociological Theory, and Journal of Historical Political Economy. He is a winner of the Ted Jelen Award and has been honorably mentioned in the IPSA Award for Concept Analysis in Political Science.
Dr. Verghese’s Fulbright-Nehru project entails two studies of political Hinduism over the course of six months in India. The first study is based in Udaipur, where he is developing a novel theory explaining the rise in the popularity of spiritual teachers (often called “gurus”, “yogis”, or “godmen”) who are explicitly associated with political parties and organizations. The second study is examining a potential backlash to the increasing politicization of religion via the growth of “secular Hinduism” among upper middle-class Hindus in Delhi.
Yethiraj, Arun
Arun Yethiraj
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Research) |
Project Title: | Active Matter in Disordered Materials |
Field of Study: | Chemistry |
Home Institution: | University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI |
Host Institution: | Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Grant Start Month: | August 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Arun Yethiraj was born in India and received his BTech in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He received an MS from Louisiana State University, a PhD from North Carolina State University, working with Professor Carol Hall, and did postdoctoral research at the University of Illinois, working with Professor Kenneth Schweizer. He joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin in 1993. His research interest is in the statistical mechanics of complex fluids, including polymers, surfactants, ionic liquids, and biopolymers.
His hobbies include tennis, guitar, and running.
“Active matter” refers to a class of systems that are composed of self-propelled entities that convert stored energy into directed motion. The goal of Dr. Yethiraj’s Fulbright-Nehru research is to obtain a fundamental understanding of active matter in complex environments. His research project at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is using computational studies with machine learning analyses to reproduce experimental studies on robotic and molecular systems in order to obtain a fundamental understanding of the effect of crowding and noise on active processes, thereby allowing for the elucidation of transport mechanisms in other systems.
Enriquez, Ana
Ana Enriquez
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Copyright Law, Libraries, and Access to Knowledge |
Field of Study: | Law |
Home Institution: | Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA |
Host Institution: | National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | February 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Four and a half months |
Ms. Ana Enriquez is a librarian and lawyer who advocates for copyright law and research practices that enable all people to access and contribute to research. She is the copyright officer and head of the Office of Scholarly Communications and Copyright in the University Libraries at Pennsylvania State University. At Penn State, she manages the implementation of the university’s open access policy and the library services for researchers on scholarly communications and copyright.
Ms. Enriquez has been teaching copyright for 12 years, most recently for CopyrightX: Libraries, a global network of copyright courses for people working in libraries, archives, and museums around the world. She has also taught for the Library Copyright Institute and the Association of College and Research Libraries (U.S.). Her research focuses on making copyright work for libraries and researchers, and on using library expertise to advance access to knowledge. She has published, presented, and submitted comments to U.S. federal agencies on these topics. She holds a JD from the University of California, Berkeley, and an AB in history and literature from Harvard College.
Ms. Enriquez’s Fulbright-Nehru project is attempting to advance access to knowledge by strengthening shared understanding among U.S. and Indian lawyers and librarians. At the National Law School of India University in Bengaluru, she is co-teaching a copyright course with Professor Arul Scaria and also offering a course for librarians. Besides, she is creating course materials to enrich her own future teaching assignments and sharing them for broad reuse by copyright teachers, including those at CopyrightX. In parallel with teaching, Ms. Enriquez is advancing her research on copyright law and access to knowledge, with a particular focus on copyright’s impact on libraries, archives, and museums under Indian and U.S. law.
Guha, Smita
Smita Guha
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Critical and Cultural Study of Children’s Development in India |
Field of Study: | Education |
Home Institution: | St. John’s University, Queens, NY |
Host Institution: | Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Delhi |
Grant Start Month: | November 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Dr. Smita Guha is a tenured and full professor at St. John’s University, NY, in the School of Education. She is also the chairperson of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
She received her PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her research involves preparing teachers in the areas of math and science education, and in child development.
Dr. Guha has written three books: Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Leaders; Healthy Children; and Teacher as Researcher. Her fourth book, Critical Literacy for Socio-emotional Learning is in the print stage. She has also written several book chapters. Forty-one of her articles have been published in scholarly journals, and she has presented at more than 60 international, national, state and regional conferences.
Dr. Guha is also the founder of an after-school program that demonstrates the collaboration of family, school, and community. She has received several grants and has worked with underprivileged mothers and children living in homeless shelters in the U.S. and India. She is also the recipient of honors such as the Talent Award from New York State Assembly, the New York City Corps Artist Award, and the Outstanding Citizen award from the Council of the City of New York. Further, twice she has received the merit award and the faculty recognition award from St. John’s University.
A vocalist of Indian music, Dr. Guha is the founder and president of the nonprofit organization, Anandasangit.
Culture can impact how children build values, belief systems, thinking, and understanding of themselves as individuals and as members of society. The unique cultural influences that children respond to from birth include customs and beliefs around food and artistic expression. While a healthy diet is associated with overall development and improved cognitive function, so also is early exposure to music which ignites all areas of a child’s faculty. Both help the body and the mind to work together. The purpose of Dr. Guha’s Fulbright-Nehru study is to focus on child development across cultural contexts regarding food and music in India.
Handa, Sachin
Sachin Handa
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Research and Teaching on Green Catalysis and Sustainable Synthesis of Pharmaceuticals |
Field of Study: | Chemistry |
Home Institution: | University of Missouri, Columbia, MO |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam |
Grant Start Month: | September 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Sachin Handa is MizzouForward Faculty and a tenured associate professor of chemistry at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Earlier, at the University of Louisville, he had served as an assistant professor before being promoted to the position of associate professor. He earned his PhD in chemistry from Oklahoma State University and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Dr. Handa’s research lies at the intersection of synthesis, material chemistry, energy, nanocatalysis, photochemistry, and electrocatalysis. His work is recognized for its innovative approaches to sustainable chemistry, particularly in the development of environmentally benign catalytic systems. He has authored over 85 peer-reviewed publications, including papers in high-impact journals such as Science, Nature Communications, JACS Au, ACS Catalysis, Advanced Functional Materials, and Angewandte Chemie. His notable research contributions include advancements in micelle-driven electrocatalysis, ligand design for sustainable catalysis, and nanoparticle-mediated transformations in aqueous media. Many of his research products are commercialized by Sigma-Aldrich.
His excellence in research and commitment to green chemistry have earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious NSF CAREER Award and the ACS Peter J. Dunn Award for Green Chemistry and Engineering Impact in the Pharmaceutical Industry. He has also received the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award in Physical Sciences. He currently serves as an associate editor for ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering and holds editorial board positions with Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews and Molecules. He is also a member of the ACS Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference Advisory Committee.
Dr. Handa’s Fulbright-Nehru project is developing a sustainable electrocatalytic-electromicellar method for synthesizing fluorinated heterocycles, which are key pharmaceutical intermediates. By using electrons as clean reductants and aqueous micelles from benign designer amphiphiles as solvents and electrolytes, the research aims to minimize environmental impact and improve atom economy. The project is also exploring the delayed adoption of green chemistry in India’s pharmaceutical sector. The fellowship integrates teaching a graduate course on green chemistry and catalysis, fostering international collaboration, and promoting sustainable practices in pharmaceutical manufacturing through academic–industry partnerships and student engagement.
Kaczmarek, Christopher
Christopher Kaczmarek
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Exploring Tradition, Innovation, and Collective Art Practices in Contemporary India |
Field of Study: | Arts |
Home Institution: | Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Prof. Christopher Kaczmarek is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and academic leader whose work spans sculpture, installation, new media, performance, and socially engaged practice. He holds an MFA in visual art and an MA in modern and contemporary art history, theory, and criticism from Purchase College, SUNY, as well as a BFA in visual art from Appalachian State University. Currently an associate professor of interdisciplinary art at Montclair State University, Prof. Kaczmarek has served as the head of the Visual Arts Program and as chair of the Department of Art and Design.
Prior to Montclair, he was a faculty member and administrator at Purchase College, where he was the director of instructional support for the School of the Arts and general manager of the Center for Community and Culture. Prof. Kaczmarek’s creative work has been exhibited in China, India, Scotland, Italy, Greece, Ireland, South Korea, and the United States. His works engage with themes of contemplation, embodiment, and connection through hybrid processes that combine analog, digital, and participatory strategies.
Prof. Kaczmarek’s scholarly and artistic activities include presentations at the College Art Association, the International Walking Arts Encounters Conference in Greece, and the European League of Institutes of the Arts in Brussels. He has also contributed to the journal Technoetic Arts and the Walking Art – Walking Practices proceedings. He is active in shaping national conversations around arts pedagogy and academic leadership, and his projects often involve collaboration and community participation, exemplified by initiatives like the Student Led International Collective Exhibition course at Montclair and remote performance collaborations across continents.
His interests include experimental and experiential teaching methods, walking as creative inquiry, labyrinths, collaborative exhibition models, and the inner workings of collective artistic practice. He is especially drawn to understanding how creative groups operate as effective collectives – structurally, interpersonally, and ideologically.
Prof. Kaczmarek’s Fulbright-Nehru project is engaging both traditional artisans and contemporary artists, combining research and teaching to explore and share dynamic practices, and fostering lasting collaborative ties and cross-cultural dialogue between Indian and U.S. artists.
Lesieutre, John
John Lesieutre
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Birational geometry and K-stability |
Field of Study: | Mathematics |
Home Institution: | Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | February 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Four and a half months |
Prof. John Lesieutre is an associate professor of mathematics at Pennsylvania State University, working in the field of algebraic geometry. He completed his education from Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, after which he held a postdoctoral position at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research focus is on the geometry of higher-dimensional algebraic varieties, which are sets of solutions to systems of polynomial equations in many variables. He is particularly interested in how symmetries of the solution sets of these systems can shed light on the geometry of the underlying systems of equations. He has published numerous articles in this field.
Prof. Lesieutre’s Fulbright-Nehru project has three major components: to initiate a new research collaboration on the algebraic aspects of K-stability with a researcher at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc); to teach an informal mini course for IISc graduate students on algebraic dynamics; and to continue his studies on algebraic dynamics.
Majeti, Ravikumar
Ravikumar Majeti
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Nanotechnology Approaches for Precision Nutraceuticals |
Field of Study: | Medical Sciences |
Home Institution: | The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL |
Host Institution: | National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Telangana |
Grant Start Month: | December 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Ravikumar Majeti (cited as Kumar MNVR) is a distinguished university research professor, assistant vice president for interdisciplinary research, and founding director of the Center for Convergent Bioscience and Medicine at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. He is internationally recognized as a leading authority on nanomedicine, with a research portfolio spanning drug delivery, therapeutic repurposing, and personalized treatment strategies for chronic diseases.
Dr. Majeti’s academic journey began with a BSc in physical sciences from A.J. Kalasala, Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, followed by an MSc in applied chemistry from SGSITS, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and a PhD in drug delivery from IIT Roorkee.
Prior to his appointment at Alabama, he held academic positions at Texas A&M University, College Station; the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK; and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, India.
Dr. Majeti’s research focuses on the mechanisms of transcytosis at the intestine–blood barrier leading to the development of tunable, biodegradable nanoparticles for the oral delivery of poorly bioavailable small-molecule drugs and drug-like compounds (https://sites.ua.edu/dreamlab/). His patented delivery platforms have shown substantial efficacy in preclinical models of diabetic complications, lupus, and acute kidney injury, offering precision therapies where standard treatments are inadequate or unavailable.
As a dedicated mentor and scientific leader, Dr. Majeti has fostered international collaborations, guided the growth of early-career researchers, and spearheaded high-impact interdisciplinary programs supported by leading global funding agencies. His work has significantly advanced both the fundamental science and clinical translation of next-generation drug delivery systems.
For his Fulbright-Nehru project, Dr. Majeti is investigating the therapeutic promise of plant-based polyphenolic nutraceuticals through interdisciplinary collaboration at the crossroads of biomaterials and medicine. Focusing on oral bioavailability, a central challenge in the field, he is designing nano-engineered delivery systems to improve the efficacy of compounds such as Urolithin A. By integrating fundamental research with applied testing in models of chronic metabolic diseases, Dr. Majeti seeks to bridge laboratory innovation with clinical relevance. His work aims to realize the untapped potential of nutraceuticals and advances them as viable tools in the prevention and management of modern chronic health conditions.
Misra, Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu Misra
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | On the variations of the Indian Summer Monsoon: Varying Length of the Season |
Field of Study: | Meteorology |
Home Institution: | Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, , Odisha |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Vasubandhu Misra is a professor of meteorology at Florida State University, where he earned his PhD. He has over 30 years of research experience and 16 years of pedagogical experience. Dr. Misra has authored over 150 peer-reviewed articles and three textbooks: An Introduction to Large-Scale Tropical Meteorology (Springer, 2023); Regionalizing Global Climate Variations: A Study of the Southeastern US Climate (Elsevier, 2020); and Tropical Meteorology: An Introduction (co-author, Springer, 2012). He has worked extensively on tropical climate variability, both from an observational perspective and using numerical climate models. His research work includes: examining land–atmosphere–sea interactions; interactions between discrete temporal scales of climate variability; the role of land cover and land-use change in hydro-meteorological variations; and the low-frequency variation of weather and climate extremes in the tropics.
Dr. Misra’s Fulbright-Nehru project is exploring the low frequency variations of the diurnal variability of the Indian Summer Monsoon from sub-seasonal to interannual and even longer timescales. He is also teaching a graduate-level/senior undergraduate-level course on large-scale tropical meteorology, as well as a course for undergraduate seniors and graduate students based on his textbook on large-scale tropical meteorology.
Nemali, Krishna
Krishna Nemali
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Reducing Water Wastage and Increasing Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Agriculture Using Smart Sensors |
Field of Study: | Agriculture |
Home Institution: | Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN |
Host Institution: | Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Five months |
Dr. Krishna Nemali has a PhD in horticulture with an emphasis on the physiology, sensors, and automation technology associated with greenhouse crops and their production. After his postdoctoral fellowship from the University of California Davis, he worked as a controlled environment crop scientist at Monsanto Company for nine years. Dr. Nemali joined the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University as an assistant professor in July 2016. He was tenured and promoted to the associate professor rank in July 2022. At Purdue, he is responsible for research, extension, and teaching. He specializes in controlled environment agriculture, which includes producing vegetables and ornamentals grown in greenhouses and vertical farms using hydroponic systems. He also conducts research in the area of digital sensors and IoT (Internet of Things) devices for horticultural crop production. A primary goal of his program at Purdue is to develop new technologies that improve the sustainability (increase productivity, reduce resource waste, minimize environmental impact, and increase profits) of controlled environment agriculture; the program also trains farmers in new technology. Dr. Nemali has published 34 scientific articles in high-impact journals, 19 extension materials, and eight industry articles. He has been invited to speak at multiple national and international conferences and has received several awards. Dr. Nemali is passionate about actively engaging with students and farmers and contributing to science and technology through research. He likes to travel and enjoys spicy food.
Dr. Nemali’s Fulbright-Nehru project is using digital sensors with IoT capability to address agricultural water wastage and nitrate contamination, as well as nitrous oxide emissions from excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers. The project is being conducted at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. As part of the project, smart sensor technology with decision support and IoT capability developed at Purdue University is being tested on greenhouse-grown floricultural crops to reduce water wastage and increase nitrogen-use efficiency. He is also conducting classes for senior-level undergraduate and postgraduate students on smart sensor technology.
Sahoo, Narayan
Narayan Sahoo
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Improving the Efficacy of Proton Therapy by Reducing the Effect of Uncertainties and by Novel Planning |
Field of Study: | Physics |
Home Institution: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
Host Institution: | National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
Grant Start Month: | December 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Five months |
Dr. Narayan Sahoo is a professor in the Department of Radiation Physics of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He received his PhD in physics from the University at Albany, New York, in 1986. He pursued postdoctoral research in physics at the University at Albany from 1986 to 1990 and then completed his medical physics fellowship from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York in 1992. He was part of the medical physics faculty of Albany Medical Center from December 1993 to August 2004. Dr. Sahoo has been with MD Anderson Cancer Center since August 2004 and at its Proton Therapy Center since March 2006. He currently serves as the chief of the Proton Therapy Physics Group. His professional interests are in the areas of radiation dosimetry, radiation biophysics, treatment planning, and quality assurance related to proton therapy. He is a co-author of more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and 10 book chapters, and has co-edited a book on proton therapy. He is an associate editor with the Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics and is also a fellow of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine and the American College of Radiology.
Proton therapy plans are sensitive to setup, range and radiobiological effectiveness uncertainties. There are many novel physical and biological processes in proton therapy that are known to reduce normal tissue damage and enhance tumor control. The aim of Dr. Sahoo’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is to explore innovative designing of robust and molecular image-guided proton therapy treatment plans to minimize the effect of uncertainties on planned dose distribution and to utilize the physical and biological advantages of proton beam dose distribution for improving therapeutic gain by increasing tumor control probability and decreasing normal tissue complication probability.
Yang, Emily
Emily Yang
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching & Research) |
Project Title: | Block Print Futures: Integrating Traditional Craft with Collaborative Design |
Field of Study: | Design |
Home Institution: | The New School, New York City, NY |
Host Institution: | Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
Grant Start Month: | October 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Ms. Emily Yang is a Brooklyn-based artist, educator, and researcher. She holds a master’s degree in design engineering from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design (GSD) and teaches at the New School’s Parsons School of Design in New York City. Ms. Yang’s work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Yale School of Architecture, the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in London, and the Harvard GSD Kirkland Gallery. She completed block print and ceramic residencies from the Penland School of Craft, the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, and the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts. Her academic and professional interests center on preserving historical craft knowledge as a means of navigating uncertain futures of labor, and fostering cross-cultural exchange through participatory design. Her work has been published and presented at design education conferences, and she continues to develop experimental methods that integrate traditional craft with contemporary design research.
Ms. Yang’s Fulbright-Nehru project is exploring Indian block printing as both a cultural tradition and as a speculative design methodology. Based at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, she is collaborating with artisans and students through participatory design workshops that integrate traditional craft with design research. Her project aims to develop an innovative, culturally grounded pedagogy that preserves historical craft knowledge while imagining future roles for labor and making. By merging qualitative research with collaborative making, the project is fostering cross-cultural dialogue and expanding interdisciplinary design education rooted in care, community, and cultural sustainability.
Nayak, Brinda Gaitonde
Brinda Gaitonde Nayak
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Academic & Professional Excellence Award (Teaching) |
Project Title: | Conservation Basics: Evolving Sustainable Methods for Teaching Historic Preservation |
Field of Study: | Architecture |
Home Institution: | At-Large, USA |
Host Institution: | Academy of Architecture, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Grant Start Month: | December 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Five months |
Ms. Brinda Gaitonde Nayak works remotely as a consultant writing nomination dossiers and site management plans for World Heritage Sites in India while being based in USA. She is also the co-founder of The Bombay Heritage Walks, an organization that undertakes architectural walking tours in Mumbai. She holds a master’s in architectural conservation from Sir J.J. College of Architecture and a bachelor’s from the Academy of Architecture, both in Mumbai. After staying away from architecture for several years, Ms. Nayak decided to relearn the profession by completing the George Mason University’s graduate certificate program in digital history, which was where her vision for the Practical Preservation Series took shape. She has written several articles, co-authored papers and other publications, as well as written a book of historical fiction titled The Path. She is currently pursuing her PhD in conservation studies from the University of York, UK.
Ms. Nayak has won several prestigious grants that include the Charles Wallace India Trust fellowship, library research grants from Getty Foundation and Duke University, and has also received the National Diversity Scholar award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Besides, her work on restoring buildings in India have won several UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards.
For her Fulbright-Nehru project, Ms. Nayak, who also teaches an undergraduate elective course, Conservation Basics, in a hybrid format at the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai, is developing this course for broader applicability in other areas in India to promote greater involvement of emerging professionals in the field of historic preservation. The course is also introducing to the students current digital tools in documentation and preservation.
Okuyama, Yoshiko
Yoshiko Okuyama
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Scholar Fellowship |
Project Title: | Interweaving Myths: Teaching the Continuum of Japanese and Indian Mythological Traditions |
Field of Study: | Area Studies |
Home Institution: | University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI |
Host Institution: | Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Delhi |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Yoshiko Okuyama is a full professor of Japanese studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. Her areas of expertise include Japanese mythology, disability studies, second language acquisition, and technology-enhanced pedagogy. She is currently developing a new course on Japanese comics translation that incorporates AI literacy.
Dr. Okuyama is the author of Tōjisha Manga: Japan’s Graphic Memoirs of Brain and Mental Health (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022), Reframing Disability in Manga (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2020), and Japanese Mythology in Film: A Semiotic Approach to Reading Japanese Film and Anime (Lexington Books, 2015).
She has received numerous grants, fellowships, and awards, including the Association for Asian Studies’ long-term research grant and a Japan Foundation research fellowship. She currently serves as a visiting scholar at Cornell University’s East Asian Studies Program and as an affiliated researcher at the Institute of Ars Vivendi, Ritsumeikan University.
Beyond academic publishing, Dr. Okuyama regularly delivers guest lectures at universities and also serves as a cultural consultant for media outlets such as the National Public Radio, National Geographic, and CNN.
Originally from Tokyo, she now resides in Hawaii. In addition to English and Japanese, she can communicate in American Sign Language. A midlife convert to long-distance running, she has completed numerous races, including full and half marathons. When not chasing publication deadlines or marathon finish lines, she enjoys experimenting with vegetarian recipes which are (mostly) well received by her husband and son.
Dr. Okuyama’s Fulbright-Nehru project involves teaching a course on Japanese mythology at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, focusing on film analysis and exploring possible intersections of Japanese mythology with Indian traditions. Using semiotics as a framework, she is helping students explore how myths shape cultural narratives in both Japan and India. The project aims to deepen cross-cultural understanding and enrich the academic discourse on comparative mythology. The results of the research will be disseminated through lectures, conferences, and publications in order to foster future collaborations between Dr. Okuyama’s home and host institutions, thereby advancing the global study of mythology.
Vijayaraghavan, Sukumar
Sukumar Vijayaraghavan
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Scholar Fellowship |
Project Title: | Neuroscience and Law |
Field of Study: | Neuroscience |
Home Institution: | University of Colorado, Aurora, CO |
Host Institution: | National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Sukumar Vijayaraghavan obtained his PhD in plant biochemistry from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. After his doctorate, he shifted fields and did his postdoctoral training in
neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego. In 1997, he joined the University of Colorado School of Medicine as an assistant professor. He rose through the ranks, obtained his
tenure in 2003, and was promoted to full professor in 2009. His neuroscience research centers around brain cholinergic systems at the level of synaptic signaling and the modulation of microcircuit output in the brain by acetylcholine. This has resulted in numerous publications in journals like Neuron, The Journal of Neuroscience, and Nature Communications. At the same time, Dr. Vijayaraghavan has had long-standing interest in the interactions between neuroscience and the social sciences, especially in how our understanding of brain changes our perspectives in fields like ethics, law, and economics. In this regard, he recently edited a book entitled Neuroscience and Society (CRC Press, September 2025).
Dr. Vijayaraghavan’s Fulbright-Nehru project, being conducted at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, aims to develop a cadre of young lawyers who are interested in exploring how our understanding of the human brain alters our perspective on legal doctrines and on legal ethics. The project has both teaching and research components. The didactic part is a foundational course for law students on concepts about how the brain works and how human
behavior is regulated. The goal is to understand the intersectionality between neuroscience and
law, and equip students with sufficient background to critically evaluate evidentiary and ethical
issues involving brain and behavior. The research component is examining the use of neuroscience as evidence in Indian judiciary, how courts have dealt with neuroscience-related issues, and the need for lawyers and judges to be neuroscience literate.
Dambrino, Kristian
Kristian Dambrino
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Grant Category: | Fulbright Global Scholar Award |
Project Title: | Reducing Global Mental Health Stigma through Nurse Capacity Enhancement in Indonesia and India |
Field of Study: | Nursing |
Home Institution: | Belmont University College of Nursing Nashville, TN |
Host Institution: | Bangalore Baptist Hospital Society, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | December 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | One and a half months |
Dr. Kristian Dambrino is an ANCC board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner and founder of Dambrino Wellness, an evidence-based outpatient mental health clinic in Nashville, Tennessee. During her Doctor of Nursing Practice program, she studied the impact of high-deductible health insurance on mental health treatment through a retrospective analysis, exploring how cost transparency between the provider and patient can mitigate financial decision-making for patients accessing psychiatric care.
As a national speaker and psychopharmacology expert, Dr. Dambrino regularly delivers continuing medical education programs for Psych Congress, HMP Global, and conferences across the United States. Her academic contributions include authoring accredited graduate nursing courses in psychopharmacology, guest lecturing at Vanderbilt University, and holding adjunct appointments at Michigan State University and Marian University.
Dr. Dambrino is the creator of The Limbic Music, an R&B musical about neurotransmitters in mental health, which is currently in pre-production. She has also authored a masterclass in jazz vocal improvisation, delivering the six-hour curriculum completely in French in Caen, France, in May 2023. An accomplished vocalist, she performs at annual jazz concerts in France and has shared stages with Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, Jean Smart, Samuel L. Jackson, and Ray Romano. She has also been featured on U.S. national television – MSNBC, CNBC, and CMT – as an entertainer, and has released three original jazz albums, one of which was awarded the 2017 Mississippi Institute of Arts & Letters Award for Best Contemporary Music Composition.
Committed to service, Dr. Dambrino volunteers regularly with Rotary International, Project C.U.R.E., Habitat for Humanity, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Nashville International Center for Empowerment. Recently, she produced a sold-out benefit concert, Music City Without Borders, raising $20,000 for refugee resettlement in Tennessee.
Dr. Dambrino’ s Fulbright-project is working on reducing mental health stigma among nurses and nursing students in Indonesia and India through a photovoice-enhanced intervention. Via participatory photography and workshops, the project participants are documenting and reflecting on their experiences with stigma. The goal is to strengthen mental health nursing capacity by building sustainable global partnerships.
Mazzanti, Jared
Jared Mazzanti
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Grant Category: | Fulbright Global Scholar Award |
Project Title: | Deepening University Integration in Local and National Innovation Ecosystems |
Field of Study: | Business |
Home Institution: | University of California Berkeley, CA |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | November 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | One and a half months |
Mr. Jared Mazzanti currently serves as the director of Strategic Initiatives in the Dean’s Office at the University of California (UC), Berkeley School of Public Health, where he has designed and operationalized multiple programs focused on health innovation internationally and domestically. He spearheads a novel partnership with J.P. Morgan that brought a new healthcare conference to Asia, oversees a Health Innovation Accelerator for Taiwanese start-ups, and previously built a Social Impact Innovation Grant Program to provide student teams resources and training to effect positive change in their communities.
A Boren scholarship to China in 2009 ignited Mr. Mazzanti’s lifelong drive to build bridges between peoples and cultures, especially in Asia. He has launched and sustained multi-country partnerships in his previous roles at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, UC Berkeley’s Office of the Chancellor, and the HNA Group in China.
Mr. Mazzanti received his BA in political economy with the distinction of magna cum laude from UC, where he concentrated in East Asia and minored in Chinese. He received his MBA in 2016 after completing a Chinese-taught program at Central South University (中南大学) in China’s Hunan province. He is an active member of UC Berkeley’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council, regularly volunteers for the Asia Society of Northern California, and maintains professional credentials in HR and project management.
Mr. Mazzanti’s Fulbright project is conducting a comparative analysis on how universities in India (Indian Institute of Science), Japan (Tohoku University), and South Korea (Seoul National University) are bridging the gap between invention and innovation, especially in health-related deep tech; this is to identify success stories and pain points, the latter preventing faster uptake of university research by industry. His research aims to answer one key question through surveys and stakeholder interviews: what factors best position a university to integrate into local and national innovation ecosystems and drive entrepreneurship among its faculty, students, staff, and alumni?
Zhang, Weidong
Weidong Zhang
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Grant Category: | Fulbright Global Scholar Award |
Project Title: | China and the Global South: Contemporary Dynamics and Global Implications |
Field of Study: | International Relations |
Home Institution: | Winona State University Winona, MN |
Host Institution: | Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Two months |
Dr. Weidong Zhang is a professor in the Department of Global Studies and World Languages at Winona State University, Minnesota. He holds a doctorate in mass communications (with a cultural studies focus on media, culture, and society), and an MA in Asian studies/Asian civilizations, both from the University of Iowa. He was a research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Göttingen, Germany, during 2014–2015. His research interests lie at the intersection of language and discourse, culture, and Chinese society. He has published in the International Journal of China Studies, the American Review of China Studies, the Journal of Asian Communication Research, and the Network and Communications Journal, among others. One important line of his work focuses on China’s role in the world, including China’s self-perception and its evolving foreign policy and the foreign policy discourse it has with the new world order and the Global South.
Dr. Zhang’s Fulbright project is part of a multi-country research aiming to provide a comprehensive yet nuanced analysis of China’s engagement with diverse regions within the Global South. Using case studies and fieldwork in India, Brazil, and South Africa, the project is investigating China’s diverse strategies in foreign policy, economic investments, and diplomatic initiatives in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It is also assessing how nations in the Global South perceive and respond to China’s influence, highlighting regional variations in these interactions. This research addresses a critical gap in the understanding of China’s role in the Global South, a region that has often been overlooked in mainstream analyses of China’s foreign policy. By exploring the intersection of China’s strategic interests and the diverse priorities of the Global South nations, the study is attempting to offer a deeper understanding of how these evolving relationships are shaping global power dynamics, regional development, and geopolitical alignments. Additionally, it is examining the broader implications for global governance, peace, and security, to provide insights into the future of international relations and China’s role in the evolving global order.
Arumugam, Sankarasubramanian
Sankarasubramanian Arumugam
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Kalam Fellowship |
Project Title: | Utilizing Hydroclimate Information for FEWS Management in India: Opportunities and Challenges |
Field of Study: | Engineering |
Home Institution: | North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
Grant Start Month: | January 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Six months |
Prof. Sankarasubramanian Arumugam is a faculty at North Carolina State University. His primary research interest lies in understanding, modeling, and forecasting large-scale hydroclimate information and utilizing that information for improved food, water, energy nexus. In this context, he has developed both physical and stochastic models in hydroclimatology, as well as stochastic optimization models for incorporating climate information into water, energy and crop-water management models. He received his PhD in water resources engineering from Tufts University in 2001. After that, he worked as a postdoctoral research scientist and as associate research scientist at Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society. He has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank focusing on the role of environmental impact assessment in improving development projects.
Dr. Arumugam has published more than 120 refereed articles in various top-tier journals such as Water Resources Research, Earth’s Future, and Journal of Geophysical Research. He has mentored 9 postdoctoral scientists, 21 PhD students, and 5 MS students. He has served as the lead principal investigator for various interdisciplinary flagship initiatives of the National Science Foundation (NSF) on climate and sustainability. He has received the prestigious CAREER award from NSF. Dr. Arumugam has also led an AGU Chapman International Conference on seasonal hydroclimatic predictions and water management.
He is currently serving as an associate editor with Geophysical Research Letters and has served on the editorial board of publications like Water Resources Research and Journal of Hydrology. Apart from serving on several NSF panels, he was a panelist for the NAS workshop on utilizing water-use information. He has also led several workshops for the USGS Powell Center and the World Meteorological Organization.
Dr. Arumugam’s Fulbright-Kalam project is pursuing four key research activities: developing a national assessment of Food, Water and Energy Systems (FEWS) security; synthesizing opportunities and challenges to improve FEWS resilience under near-term climate change; capacity building of agencies on state-of-the-art models in FEWS research through workshops; and training next-gen scientists through short-term courses on utilizing hydroclimatic information for improving FEWS resilience.
Behura, Susanta
Susanta Behura
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Kalam Fellowship |
Project Title: | Advancing Genomics Research and Education on Climate-resilient Animal Agriculture in India |
Field of Study: | Animal Science |
Home Institution: | University of Missouri Columbia, MO |
Host Institution: | Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
Grant Start Month: | December 2025 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Dr. Susanta Behura is an assistant professor of computational biology and bioinformatics in the Division of Animal Sciences of the University of Missouri, Columbia. He has a BSc in mathematics, an MSc in biotechnology, and a PhD in life sciences. His postdoctoral training was at Purdue University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has a decade’s experience in animal health and reproduction research at the University of Missouri. His lab leverages multi-omics data using transcriptomics, epigenetics, metabolomics, proteomics, and single-cell genomics assays to perform data-intensive bioinformatics research in the areas of reproduction, development, and health.
Dr. Behura has a demonstratable track record of conducting research independently as well as collaboratively. He has published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and these have been cited extensively. His current h-index is 37 and i10-index, 82. In the last five years, his lab has published several papers in Gene, Placenta, Cells, iScience, and FASEB J which have provided new insights into the role of placenta in the development of fetal brain in animals. Dr. Behura has also been actively involved in writing collaborative and independent grant proposals. At Missouri, he has developed and taught a graduate-level course, and has also mentored three graduate students and a senior research specialist.
A reviewer for many high-impact factor journals, Dr. Behura is an editorial board member of several journals such as Scientific Reports and Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine. He has also served as a grant reviewer and panelist for agencies like the U.S. National Science Foundation, French National Research Agency, German Research Foundation, Wellcome Trust, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Israel’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, and Spain’s “la Caixa” Foundation.
Dr. Behura’s Fulbright-Kalam project is a combined teaching and research endeavor at Utkal University, India. His research project, called “Advancing Genomics Research and Education on Climate-resilient Animal Agriculture in India”, is studying epigenetic changes in the blood of dairy cows to understand how they cope with summer heat. The teaching component is providing students an overview of emerging applications of genomics in climate resilience research in animal agriculture.
Roy, Shouraseni
Shouraseni Roy
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Grant Category: | Fulbright-Kalam Fellowship |
Project Title: | Exploring Climate Change Impacts and Community Resilience in the Indian Sundarban Delta |
Field of Study: | Environmental Sciences |
Home Institution: | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL |
Host Institution: | Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal |
Grant Start Month: | February 2026 |
Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Prof. Shouraseni Roy is a professor in the Department of Geography and Sustainable Development at the University of Miami. Her research centers on long-term climate trends and their societal impacts, with a particular focus on the intersections of climate change, health, and gender in the Global South. Over the past two decades, she has gained national and international recognition for her contributions to climate science, which reflects in her selection as a contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
Her methodological research approach emphasizes spatial analysis using GIS, remote sensing, and climate data. She analyzes field data, satellite imagery, and both gridded and station-level data sets to identify urban heat island trends in cities like New Delhi, Belize, and Beijing. Her research has been published in leading journals like the International Journal of Climatology, Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, and Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. As a recognized expert on Indian climate, she has also contributed an entry on Monsoons to the Encyclopedia of Geography published by the American Association of Geographers (AAG). Several of her publications on long-term climate change have been cited in IPCC reports. Prof. Roy was also selected as an AAG delegate to attend the UNFCCC’s Conference of Parties (COP) meetings in Lima and Paris. Earlier, she had conducted a Fulbright study in India on the long-term impact of urbanization on groundwater levels in Delhi and Mumbai.
Besides her climate-related research, Prof. Roy has actively engaged in projects that examine urban processes using big data and geospatial analysis. Her recent work in Miami, conducted in collaboration with students and faculty, explored spatial patterns of crime, traffic accidents, and vulnerability to sea-level rise.
Prof. Roy’s Fulbright-Kalam project is documenting the localized impacts of climate change in the Sundarban Delta through comprehensive spatial analysis and fieldwork. The study is assessing shoreline changes, subsidence, and local adaptation responses in order to provide critical insights for policymakers and local communities. The results will be shared with local stakeholders and used to develop a knowledge hub dashboard for collaborations.