Fulbright picks three with WesternU ties
Dr. Beatrice Saviola, associate professor of microbiology at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis, a WesternU Board of Trustees member since 2004, and Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, assistant professor in the Department of Health Sciences Education, have been selected for the Fulbright Scholar Program for 2009-10.
The traditional Fulbright Scholar Program sends about 800 U.S. faculty and professionals annually to 140 countries to lecture and conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields.
"I am very honored, as an American Judge, to join in the Fulbright mission of developing international understanding, open communications and long-term cooperative relationships," said Judge Duffy-Lewis, "As a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court, the world’s single largest bench, where the world intersects in business, law and education, I hope to bring experience from the California courts and American friendship to Bulgaria."
Judge Duffy-Lewis will be teaching at Sophia University, School of Law in Bulgaria during the upcoming fall semester. Her curriculum will include "The Application of Criminal and Civil Law in the Trial Courtroom." She will also be assisting the Bulgarian courts and legal societies in the implementation of a mediation program.
Bulgaria has recently gained membership in the European Union (EU) and has increasing international business and legal issues derived from its worldwide interaction.
"To address some of the issues, I will be assisting in putting together a program on electronic discovery and how it impacts business and lawsuit preparations," said Judge Duffy-Lewis.
Dr. Saviola, a College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific professor and researcher, will be travelling to Rosario, Argentina, to perform research with Dr. Ricardo Morbidoni at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, where she will investigate stress responses in mycobacteria and teach a graduate course on mycobacterial genetics.
"I feel honored to be selected and excited to go to Argentina," said Dr. Saviola. "I look forward to interacting with my host institution."
She will also travel to various regions throughout the country to present her masters-level course for government officials titled "Effective Program Design, Evaluating & Funding," a combination of program evaluation, policy analysis and grant writing.
At the country’s request, Dr. Sundstrom also developed a series of workshops for government agencies and the general public that will be conducted throughout the country on topics such as NGO management, grant writing for international foundations, program design and evaluation and community health education. She will also gather information on their charitable operations in relation to community health education.
"I am honored to be going to Ukraine, not only to teach at their university and conduct research, but also to have the opportunity to meet with a variety of elected and government officials to discuss the balance of government services, charitable services and individual responsibilities," said Dr. Sundstrom.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the Fulbright Program. Under a cooperative agreement with the bureau, the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) assists in the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program for faculty and professionals, according to its website, http://www.cies.org/.
"I think it’s significant that three of our WesternU family have been chosen for a Fulbright for this year. This certainly gives high recognition to the quality of their scholarship," said Dr. Philip Pumerantz, president of WesternU.
