Fulbright awards expand George Mason faculty and staff perspectives
Each year, academic professionals teach and conduct research abroad through the highly competitive Fulbright Scholar Program. George Mason University has a rich history of sending and hosting faculty and staff through the program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State. This year, Frank Krueger of the College of Science, Nathalia Peixoto of the College of Engineering and Computing, and Yali Pan of the Office of International Programs and Services, received Fulbright awards.
Krueger, who is a professor of systems social neuroscience, received a Fulbright Scholars award to conduct social neuroscience research in Japan. Based at Tamagawa University in Tokyo, he will also be working on a project about cross-cultural relations to explore people’s perception of trust between the United States and Japan using epigenetic research.
“The interdisciplinary and cross-cultural nature of this Fulbright experience perfectly complements my research philosophy and will significantly advance my work,” said Krueger, who has previously collaborated with Tamagawa University.
“The George Mason students participating in this research effort will develop a neurologically-based understanding of how individuals across cultures reflect the trust they do or don’t feel,” Krueger further explained.
For Peixoto, spending a month in Uganda fulfilled a lifelong dream to go to Africa and has been incredibly rewarding. “I had never been to this continent, despite feeling like I belong here,” she said. “I am originally Brazilian, and I have always heard that Brazil has the largest population of people of African ancestry who live outside of Africa. Many Brazilians consider Africans our cousins, but I don’t know any Brazilians who have ever visited Africa. Now it is clear to me that I really needed to come.”
During her time in Africa, Peixoto, who holds a joint appointment in neuroscience with George Mason’s College of Science, has also connected with the Ugandan business community, consulting on critical health and community projects.
In Pan’s role as assistant director of engagement and assessment in the Office of International Programs and Services, she provides programs and initiatives to help international students adjust and feel connected to the Mason community. Pan was awarded an International Educator's Award to attend a two-week higher education administration seminar in South Korea.
“I saw this as a valuable opportunity to learn more about South Korea—a country that consistently ranks among the top five senders of international students to George Mason,” said Pan. “I also have a deep appreciation for Korean culture and cuisine, and I was eager to experience it firsthand.”
Pan said she was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Fulbright International Education Administrator program and believes it was valuable to her work at George Mason. “Opportunities like this—designed specifically for higher education administrators to gain a systematic understanding of international education—are rare, and this experience was truly transformative.”
