KCC Named a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Scholars
KCC Named a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Scholars
KCC Named a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Scholars
February 13, 2024 — Today, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recognized Kingsborough Community College (KCC) as being one of the 17 associate degree-granting institutions with the highest number of faculty and administrators selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program this year. Fulbright Top Producing Institutions like KCC value global connection and support members of their campus communities to pursue international opportunities.
This year's recipient, Dr. Homar Barcena, a chemistry professor in the physical sciences department, received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program research award from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. He is among over 800 U.S. citizens teaching or conducting research abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year.
His project, titled “Metabolomics-Assisted Epidemiology of Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases,” initiated an international collaboration that will contribute to regional work being conducted by the U.S. government and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Barcena is studying arboviral diseases such as dengue and chikungunya fevers, which are endemic in ASEAN countries, in collaboration with researchers at the Faculty of Tropical Medicine at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, and the chemistry department of Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
“Controlling the spread of infectious diseases remains a global public health challenge,” explained Barcena. “Our recent experience with COVID-19 has shown us that we can solve big problems through global cooperation, and the surveillance of diseases ought to be a global effort.”
Barcena said this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: “There are not many opportunities for educators to live abroad to initiate a research collaboration, let alone those from community colleges. This scholarship allowed me to start a collaboration on a more impactful project.”
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international academic exchange program. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges.
“Fulbright’s Top Producing Institutions represent the diversity of America’s higher education community. Dedicated administrators support students and scholars at these institutions to fulfill their potential and rise to address tomorrow’s global challenges. We congratulate them and all the Fulbrighters who are making an impact the world over,” said Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support for the program.
Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world and have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, and countless leaders and changemakers who build mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.
About Kingsborough Community College
Founded in 1963, Kingsborough Community College is Brooklyn’s only community college and is part of the City University of New York (CUNY). Located on a 70-acre campus in Manhattan Beach, Kingsborough remains firmly committed to its mission of providing both liberal arts and career education, promoting student learning and development, as well as strengthening and serving its diverse community. Kingsborough provides a high-quality education through associate degree programs that prepare students for transfer to senior colleges or entry into the workforce. Serving approximately 11,000 full- and part-time students annually and an additional 20,000 students in its expanding continuing education program, Kingsborough has earned recognition as a Leader College of Distinction for excellence in student success by Achieving the Dream, and has been identified as a Top Community College in the nation by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program eight consecutive times.
CONTACT: Cheryl Todmann | cheryl.todmann@kbcc.cuny.edu | C: 646-897-2508 | T: 718-368-6760
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