Archives: Meet Our USA Fulbrighters

Purushottama Bilimoria

Prof. Purushottama Bilimoria teaches philosophy at the University of San Francisco. He is also a principal fellow at the University of Melbourne and the principal editor-in-chief of the Sophia journal and the monograph series, Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures. Formerly, he was a distinguished professor of law and global ethics at O.P. Jindal Global University, India. He specializes in Indian and cross-cultural philosophy, global critical philosophies of religion, Indian constitutional and personal law, cross-cultural civil rights discourse, and diaspora studies. An elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Prof. Bilimoria is the recipient of several awards and research grants, including from the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), John Templeton Foundation, the Indian Council for Philosophical Research, Harvard Divinity School, and Emory University’s Institute for the Liberal Arts. His recent publications include: History of Indian Philosophy (Routledge, 2019); Contemplative Studies and Hinduism (with Rita D. Sherma, Routledge, 2021); The Routledge Companion to Indian Ethics: Women, Justice, Bioethics and Ecology (with Amy Rayner, 2024); Mind, Body and Self (with Jaysankar Lal Shaw, Anand Vaidya, and Michael Hemmingsen, Springer, 2024); and Engaging Philosophies of Religion: Thinking Across Boundaries (with Gereon Kopf and Nathan Loewen, Bloomsbury, 2025). Currently, he is writing an entry article on Hindu ethics for the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and also working on early Indian liberalism.

Prof. Bilimoria’s Fulbright-Nehru project is building on his extensive work on the articulation of liberalism by three great stalwarts of Indian liberalism in early twentieth-century India – Gopal Krishna Gokhale and his disciples, V.S. Srinivasa Sastri and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. It is investigating the political and philosophical horizon of the nationalist trajectory, through to India’s Independence and its aftermath in the late twentieth century. The project is also focusing on a decisive reconstruction of the labors of Indian liberals toward constitutionalism, freedom, social reforms, duties, rights, and reformulation of a distinct vision of liberalism, in contrast to Western liberal theories, particularly those bequeathed by colonial masters, philosophers, and the Indian elite.

Mahadev Bhat

Dr. Mahadev Bhat is a distinguished university professor of natural resource economics in the Department of Earth and Environment and the Department of Economics at Florida International University (FIU), Miami, FL. He earned his PhD in agricultural economics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and his MS in agricultural economics from the College of Agriculture, Dharwad, India.

His research focuses on economics and policy issues relating to natural resources, including ecosystem services, water resources, coastal and marine systems, and agriculture. He has produced over 380 scholarly contributions, including refereed journal articles, book chapters, technical reports, presentations, and invited lectures. Dr. Bhat has secured more than USD 25 million in competitive research funding from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Bhat co-founded the agroecology program at FIU and led the development of a training and farm-start-up initiative for underserved farmers and veterans, all supported by more than 40 USDA grants. Three of these grants helped establish a multi-university consortium focused on training Hispanic students in South Florida and Puerto Rico. His honors include the U.S. Society for Ecological Economics’ Bernardo Aguilar Award (2019), the FIU Faculty Excellence Award for Research (2020), the FIU Presidential Excellence Award (2016), and the Soil and Water Conservation Society’s Berg Fellowship (1992).

Dr. Bhat has actively promoted Indian language and culture in the United States through over 30 years of volunteer service, value-based teaching, and artistic production/direction at local and national cultural organizations.

Dr. Bhat’s Fulbright-Nehru project is focusing on community-based and culturally rooted forest conservation strategies in India. The project is evaluating the ecosystem services provided by sacred forests and is developing policy pathways that integrate traditional knowledge system into sustainable forest management. He is conducting his research at the University of Agricultural Sciences’ College of Forestry at Sirsi and is also collaborating with the Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad and the Nature Environment and Wildlife Society, Kolkata. Further, he is comparing restoration experiences between the Florida Everglades and India’s Sundarbans to advance cross-regional insights into ecosystem management.

Madasamy Arockiasamy

Dr. Madasamy Arockiasamy is a professor of civil, environmental, and geomatics engineering at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and its director of the Center for Infrastructure and Constructed Facilities. He earned his PhD in structural mechanics/engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and both his MSc in structural engineering and BE (Hons.) in civil engineering from the University of Madras. He is a registered professional engineer in several U.S. states and Canada, and is an elected fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

With more than four decades of academic, research, and professional experience, Dr. Arockiasamy has served in leadership and faculty positions at FAU, the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Anna University, and the College of Engineering, Guindy, India. He has also been a research engineer and structural engineering specialist. He has contributed extensively to institutional, national, and international professional activities, including serving as a subject matter expert for the International Electrotechnical Commission.

Dr. Arockiasamy’s research and publications focus on subjects such as structural mechanics, offshore and coastal infrastructure, bridge infrastructure systems, non-contact structural monitoring, and AI applications in civil engineering. He has authored and edited several books and proceedings, and has published extensively in leading engineering journals, including ASCE, Elsevier, and MDPI journals. His recent work includes studies on offshore wind monopile foundations, bridge deterioration modeling, and laser-based infrastructure monitoring.

He has received numerous recognitions, including the John J. Guarrera Engineering Educator of the Year Award and the Distinguished Engineering Educator Award.

Dr. Arockiasamy’s Fulbright-Nehru project is focusing on a combination of teaching and research activities. The teaching activities involve co-teaching, leading, and co-organizing workshops and seminars, curriculum enhancement, graduate student mentoring, and bilateral knowledge exchange at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The project’s research activities are focusing on the development of a geo-AI dashboard by integrating satellite data, GIS, and AI/ML techniques to address key challenges in hazard prediction (landslides, coastal erosion, and water stress), disaster risk reduction, coastal monitoring, sustainable agriculture, water resource optimization, and blue economy applications.

Elizabeth Simon

Dr. Elizabeth Simon has 30 years of academic experience. She is an author, presenter, and expert in curriculum development, international collaboration, and accreditation. She secured Fulbright Scholar awards for 2015–16 and 2022–23, and the Fulbright Specialist award in 2026. Dr. Simon obtained her BS in nursing from Punjab University, India; her master’s degrees from Columbia University, Teachers College, and Hunter College; and her PhD in higher education from Walden University. She has authored books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles. She has also developed curriculum for new programs, revised curricula, and mentored faculty members. Besides, she has served as the founding dean and as a critical care nursing consultant.

Dr. Simon’s Fulbright-Nehru project is gathering support for designating trained sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) in India. It is also studying the wider scope for forensic nursing in India, with nurses able to take roles in medico-legal investigations and evidence collection, mental health counseling, and pregnancy prevention, specifically after a rape trauma. Curricular innovation is also part of the project in order to enhance the professional visibility and social image of nurses in India.

Kelsey Gray

Dr. Kelsey Gray, PhD, is an educator and writer specializing in genetics, molecular biology, and intercultural science communication. She earned her BS in biomedical science from the Ohio State University before completing her PhD in genetics and molecular biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where her doctoral research focused on the molecular mechanisms of spinal muscular atrophy. Following her doctoral work, Dr. Gray served as a postdoctoral fellow with the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative (ETSI) at Emory University.

A cornerstone of her international work was her first Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship (2019–2020) at Drepung Loseling Monastic University, Karnataka, India. During this fellowship, she engaged in deep intercultural exchange, teaching biology courses and collaborating with Tibetan scientists to conduct culturally responsive educational research. Dr. Gray’s professional trajectory includes serving as an assistant professor and the assistant director for the Grand Challenges Initiative at Chapman University, as well as working in the private sector as a regulatory medical writer. As the senior instructional content developer for ETSI, she leads the development of the ETSI bilingual digital learning platform. Her extensive publication record reflects interdisciplinary expertise, spanning from protein biochemistry to the nuances of monastic science learning and metacognition.

Dr. Gray’s Fulbright-Nehru project, “A Two-Way Exchange: Buddhism and Science in Modern Tibetan Monastic Education,” is supporting science education for monastics in India through three integrated initiatives. She is leading a workshop to train monastic leaders on the ETSI Online Learning Platform in order to foster digital literacy and expand curriculum reach. She is also conducting a Human Health seminar series across five monastic institutions, connecting clinical research with monastic interests. Further, she is teaching an advanced biology teacher training course, utilizing modules on immunology and epigenetics to equip monastics with specialized pedagogical skills for future sustainable instruction.

James Geary

Mr. James Geary is an adjunct lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. He has taught at the VII Foundation; Bennington College; Boston University; Brandeis University; the Faber Academy; Tufts University; and the Harvard Extension School. He is the former deputy curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, where he edited Nieman Reports, and the former editor of the European edition of Time magazine. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism, the second edition of which was published by the University of Chicago Press, Wit’s End: What Wit Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It, and I Is an Other: The Secret Life of Metaphor and How It Shapes the Way We See the World, among other books.

For his Fulbright-Nehru project, Mr. Geary is teaching two literary/creative nonfiction writing courses at Ashoka University, India. He is helping Ashoka students articulate and apply the elements and structure of literary/creative nonfiction, synthesize and organize information from disparate sources to tell powerful stories and craft compelling narratives based on original reporting and research. The project is expected to not only benefit Ashoka students intending to pursue advanced writing practices, but also those who want to develop their writing skills for careers in other professions.

Srinivasan Durairaj

Dr. Srinivasan Durairaj is a molecular biologist, educator, and scholar of inclusive STEM pedagogy with nearly three decades of teaching experience in India, Fiji, and the United States. He serves as professor of biology at Richland Community College in Decatur, Illinois, where he teaches biology and microbiology, and promotes student success through learner-centered, accessible instruction.

He earned his PhD from Bharathiar University, India, and has taught in a variety of academic settings, from small classes to large introductory courses, serving diverse student populations. His work centers on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), active learning, and AI-supported teaching in undergraduate STEM education, with a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and student engagement.

Dr. Durairaj’s Fulbright-Nehru project is implementing UDL-based teaching in three undergraduate biology courses at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education in Tamil Nadu, India. Through faculty workshops, curriculum co-designing, and the creation of an open-access digital toolkit, the project aims to strengthen inclusive STEM pedagogy, improve student engagement and mastery, and establish sustainable institutional practices aligned with India’s National Education Policy 2020 reform goals, while deepening academic collaboration between the United States and India.

Balwantsinh Chauhan

Dr. Balwantsinh Chauhan received his BSc, MSc, and PhD (in reproductive endocrinology) from Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda, India. He obtained his MD from the College of Medicine, Spartan Health Sciences University, St. Lucia. He also possesses a postbaccalaureate certificate in toxicology technology from the U.S.

Dr. Chauhan served the Department of Zoology (MSU Baroda) as lecturer from 1970–1982 and was promoted as reader in 1983. He has also worked as faculty with the College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and with the Roosevelt University College of Pharmacy. He is the founding faculty for two U.S. pharmacy programs. Currently, he is serving as associate professor at the School of Pharmacy, American University of Health Sciences.

Dr. Chauhan’s present teaching interests are: pharmacogenomics; biotherapeutics (BTh); anatomical sciences; medical physiology; pathophysiology; immunology/medical microbiology; and medical genetics. His past research interests included: sequencing the HAP1 gene; and the effect of prolactin and estrogen modulation on another “DNA damage and repair gene”, O6-Methylguanine DNA Methyltransferase (O6-MGMT), in the context of breast cancer. He was also involved in the generation of the transgenic mouse model for human FOXO to explore its possible role in insulin resistance. Dr. Chauhan’s current research interests include: pharmacognosy, especially related to anti-obesity and dermal-wound healing; generation of the rodent melanoma model, and benzanthrone’s dermal-toxicological aspects; and pharmacogenomics. He has also co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and scientific abstracts/posters, some of which have received international merit awards. Further, he has given several lectures both in the U.S. and abroad.

For his Fulbright-Nehru project, Dr. Chauhan is teaching the fundamental concepts of genetics/genomics as they relate to the understanding of pharmacogenomics and BTh. He is also teaching competency/compliance standards, and designing, developing, and implementing curricula for the pharmacy and medical programs at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. The project’s goal is to foster international understanding, institutional collaboration, and exchange programs for both students and teachers.

Nita Sahai

Prof. Nita Sahai’s research focuses on the physical–chemical aspects of biomolecular and inorganic ion interactions at mineral surfaces in processes relevant to the origins of life and astrobiology, environmental geochemistry, and biomaterials science. She earned her PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1997. Following an NSF postdoctoral fellowship from the University of Maryland, Prof. Sahai became a full professor in the Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin–Madison, from 2000 to 2011. She has been with the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, since 2011, and holds joint appointments in the departments of geosciences and biology, and in the Integrated Bioscience Program. Prof. Sahai holds the Ohio Research Scholar Endowed Chair, Biomaterials, and is a fellow of CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research). She was also a fellow and a distinguished lecturer of the Mineralogical Society of America. Her research has been supported by such prestigious institutions as the NSF and NASA. She is also the recipient of the NSF CAREER Award and the Romnes Faculty Fellowship. Prof. Sahai has served on the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science, which advises NASA. In 2020, she was featured in Fireball, an award-winning documentary on meteorites and the evolution of life and human society on Earth. She has been interviewed on the National Public Radio and on the Public Broadcasting Service. Prof. Sahai has served/is currently serving on several editorial boards, including those of Astrobiology, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, and American Mineralogist. She has guest-edited a volume, Medical Mineralogy and Geochemistry (in the well-known Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry Series), and two thematic issues of the Elements magazine. She is a keen history buff and studies philosophy as a hobby.

Dr. Sahai’s Fulbright-Nehru project is exploring how, before life and enzymes, protometabolism emerged. It is exploring mechanisms to synthesize the ATP molecule using metal-ion catalysts. The project is collaborating with the microbiologist Prof. Amitesh Anand (TIFR, Mumbai) and the chemist Prof. Sudha Rajmani (IISER Pune).

Deonnie Moodie

Dr. Deonnie Moodie is associate professor of religious studies at the University of Oklahoma. She is an ethnographer and historian of religion specializing in South Asia and its global connections. She received her BA in international studies from Hope College and her master’s and PhD degrees in South Asian religions from Harvard University. Her research has been supported by the National Humanities Center, the Henry Luce Foundation, numerous research awards from the University of Oklahoma, and a previous Fulbright-Nehru Student Researcher grant.

Dr. Moodie is the author of The Making of a Modern Temple and a Hindu City: Kālīghāț and Kolkata (Oxford University Press, 2018) and has co-edited special issues for the Journal of the American Academy of Religion (with Kirsten Wesselhoeft, 2021) and South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies (with Cassie Adcock, 2025). Her peer-reviewed articles have also appeared in the International Journal of Hindu Studies, the Journal of Law and Religion, and Religion Compass. She is on the editorial board of DECISION, the flagship publication of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

Dr. Moodie regularly presents her work in public fora as well. She has served as a content consultant for the YouTube series, Crash Course: World Religions, and as a media partner for The Revealer. She has been interviewed for the Marginalia Review of Books, New Books Network, and Delhi Art Gallery. She has also delivered lectures at Harvard Divinity School, Claremont Graduate University, Seton Hall University, the University of North Florida, the University of Missouri, the Centre national de la recherché (CNRS, Paris), and the University of Bergen (Norway). She regularly organizes panels and presents her work at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, the Business History Conference, and the Annual Conference on South Asia.

Dr. Moodie’s Fulbright-Nehru project is engaging with scholars of critical management studies in India for the following purposes: to pursue research for her monograph, Business School Hinduism: An Imperial Genealogy; to enrich ongoing collaborative publications in the areas of religion and economy, religion and labor in South Asia, and cultures of management and authority; and to create partnerships between U.S. and Indian institutions, scholars, and students to advance research in postcolonial and decolonial studies in the humanities and management. Cumulatively, this work breaks new ground in excavating the possibilities that religions – and cultures, more broadly – hold for rethinking humanity’s collective economic future.