Two University of Arizona faculty members were selected for 2025 Fulbright Specialist Awards from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Carol Bender, professor emerita of molecular and cellular biology, College of Science, recently returned from three weeks in Hungary. Ladd Keith, associate professor of planning in the College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture and director of the Heat Resilience Initiative, Arizona Institute for Resilience, will travel to India in November. 

The Fulbright Specialist Program connects U.S. experts with institutions around the world for short-term, collaborative projects. Each year, more than 400 U.S. citizens participate.

The Fulbright Specialist Program connects U.S. experts with institutions around the world for short-term, collaborative projects. Each year, more than 400 U.S. citizens participate. “Many faculty are familiar with Fulbright but have not heard of the Specialist Program,” said Danielle Barefoot, associate and international research development and Fulbright Scholar liason, Research Development Services. “The program offers a unique opportunity to engage in an intensive, shorter project that may better fit their busy teaching and research schedules.” 

“The program offers a unique opportunity to engage in an intensive, shorter project that may better fit their busy teaching and research schedules.” — Danielle Barefoot, associate and international research development and Fulbright Scholar liason, Research Development Services 

A long-time advocate for experiential learning, Carol Bender partnered with Széchenyi István University (SZE) in Győr, Hungary, to advance public and global health education. Working alongside her Hungarian colleagues, she helped design programs that bridge classroom learning with hands-on experience through internships and off-campus training. “These experiences teach students that knowledge has an application and help them see what they still need to learn,” she said. Bender also organized a career panel of Hungarian health professionals and collaborated with SZE’s international programs office to develop an alumni network that supports students. 

In November, Ladd Keith will share emerging research and best practices in heat planning and governance at the National Institute of Technology Patna in India. “Arizona is leading the way in tackling extreme heat, and I’m thrilled to share our latest innovations with partners in Patna,” Keith said. “I’m also eager to learn from their experiences building heat resilience and to explore new ways we can work together globally.”  

Since its founding in 1946, the Fulbright Program has operated in more than 160 countries, enabling over 400,000 participants—including students, scholars, artists, and scientists—to exchange ideas and collaborate on global challenges. Fulbright alumni include 60 Nobel laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 39 heads of state or government. 

U of A faculty and staff are encouraged to explore Fulbright opportunities. Upcoming deadlines are for the Fulbright Specialist Program and Fulbright International Education Administrator (IEA) Awards. IEA Awards offer two-week seminars for higher education professionals who oversee international programs, partnerships, and student exchanges. The IEA Awards have two remaining deadlines for the 2026-2027 application cycle: November 3, 2025, for Japan & South Korea, and February 2, 2026, for France, Germany & India. The Specialist Program has rolling bi-monthly deadlines, with the next deadline on November 7, 2025. Visit Fulbright @ UA to learn more, and address any questions to dbarefoot@arizona.edu. Additionally, IIE will host an IEA Office Hour on October 29, 2025, at 11 a.m.