Faculty and professionals at UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha are encouraged to teach and conduct research abroad through the Fulbright Scholar Program, a U.S. cultural exchange program administered by the U.S. Department of State.
Wael ElRayes, M.D., Ph.D., instructor in the UNMC College of Public Health and project manager for the Global Center for Health Security, was recently appointed the Fulbright Scholar liaison for UNMC.
“The Fulbright awards are among the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world,” Dr. ElRayes said. “We want to expand Fulbright activities so faculty members and professionals who are interested can conduct international research or teach. Scholarships range from two weeks to two years in length.”
The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 to expand and strengthen the relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of the rest of the world.
The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education’s Council for International Exchange of Scholars.
The Fulbright grants 800 U.S. scholar grants annually; more than 380,000 have been granted in the U.S. and internationally since the start of the program.
Among those who were awarded the Fulbright, there are:
- 37 heads of state or government
- 59 Nobel Laureates
- 84 Pulitzer Prize recipients
- 71 MacArthur Fellows
- 16 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
The program is vast and comprehensive — for students to postdoctoral students and seasoned faculty — and is open to U.S. or foreign citizens. An information sheet explains different scholar programs. For complete information on the Fulbright Program, click here. Contact Dr. ElRayes to learn more about how UNMC can assist with applications.