Seven University of Arizona faculty members will soon travel the world to conduct vital research and strengthen global relationships as Fulbright Scholars.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. State Department's flagship cultural exchange program that supports U.S. scholars conducting research or teaching abroad for up to a year. The program also welcomes international students and faculty to domestic institutions to foster international cooperation and academic exchange. 

"Our Fulbright Scholars create a network of U of A expertise across the globe, building international partnerships and tackling grand challenges," said President Suresh Garimella. "I'm proud of our scholars for their work in expanding the university's land-grant mission on an international scale."

The U of A celebrated its first Fulbright Scholar in 1954, when Walter S. Phillips traveled to the University of Adelaide in Australia to conduct research in biology. Since then, more than 300 Fulbright Scholars have represented the U of A at institutions around the world. 

Selected as 2026 Fulbright Scholars are: 

• Mark Frederickson, a retired associate professor of landscape architecture from the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, will travel to the Kyrgyz Republic to teach architecture studio classes at the American University of Central Asia. Frederickson has received six Fulbright Awards throughout his career, most recently to Botswana during the 2022-2023 academic year.
• Geneva Foster Gluck, instructor in the College of Fine Arts. She will complete a Fulbright Postdoctoral Research Award at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in Barcelona. Her project extends prior research on applied theater and immersive experiences as tools for promoting behavioral change relative to climate change.
• Christopher Impey, co-department head and distinguished professor of astronomy from the Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory. He will work with colleagues at the University of Copenhagen to advance science education and communication, outreach and public engagement while researching quasars and the role of supermassive black holes in galaxy evolution. 
• Scott Saleska, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in the College of Science. He will work with colleagues at the University of São Paulo–Ribeirão Preto and the Federal University of West-Pará in Brazil to develop and apply a novel remote sensing approach to map forest drought resilience and vulnerability across the Amazon and Atlantic forests.
• Travis Sawyer, assistant professor of optical science in the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences. Together with collaborators at Utsunomiya University in Japan, he will research new endoscopic technology for the early detection of gastrointestinal cancers and develop a lasting partnership to continue research collaboration and student training.
• Richard Simpson, professor of nutritional sciences in the College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences. Simpson will travel to Sapienza University of Rome, where he will work with partners to analyze how exercise affects the production and potency of certain T-cells, with the goal of advancing scalable therapies for blood cancer patients.
• Mihai Surdeanu, professor of computer science in the College of Science. Surdeanu will undertake a project to build AI systems for argumentation debate while in Romania at his alma mater, the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca.

Faculty and students can learn more about and apply to various Fulbright Program fellowships through the university's Fulbright website. Rankings of the top-producing institutions of Fulbright Scholars will be announced in February.