UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Three faculty members from Penn State’s College of Engineering received Fulbright Scholar Awards for the 2026-27 academic year, according to theFulbright U.S. Scholar program. The College of Engineering faculty and their host countries are:
- Gregory Pavlak, associate professor, College of Engineering, architectural engineering, Institutes of Energy and the Environment, Penn State University Park; Australia
- Christopher Kube, associate professor, College of Engineering, engineering science and mechanics, acoustics, Center for Acoustics and Vibration, Larson Transportation Institute, Penn State University Park; Belgium
- Christian Peco, associate professor, College of Engineering, engineering science and mechanics, Penn State University Park; Japan
Across the University, a total of 10 Penn State faculty and staff were selected for the awards, in addition to one individual who received an International Education Administrator Award.
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar program is the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program. Through the program, faculty members, staff and administrators have opportunities to conduct advanced research, teach or do both, as well as attend seminars, abroad. The program also affords recipients the opportunity to interact with and make an impact on their host communities during their Fulbright tenure.
Pavlak will be working with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia. Pavlak’s team aims to develop new methods for determininghow systems connected to the electrical grid can adjust their energy usage and generation patterns in response to real-time signals from grid markets. Pavlak said he hopes to helpaddress soaring electricity demands that cause energy costs to rise across the globe.
“I am excited to work directly with new collaborators at CSIRO,” Pavlak said. “We have been working separately on similar problems, and our approaches each have unique aspects. The thought of combining our ideas and learning together is very exciting.”
Kube will be working with KU Leuven in Belgium. Kube’s team aims to leverage their combined expertise in ultrasonic waves and optical and acoustic monitoring to probe 3D-printed structures during the printing process, enhancing quality control by detecting defects as they occur. Kube said he plans to work directly with doctoral students at KULeuven and deliver guest lectures for additive manufacturing courses and workshops.
“Advising students who go on to earn major fellowships has been one of the most rewarding parts of my work at Penn State,” Kube said. “I'm looking forward to extending thatmentorship internationally.”
Peco will be working with the University of Osaka in Japan. Peco’s team aims to combine machine learning-based coordination algorithms with bio-inspired navigation systems toguide robotic swarms, groups of robots that accomplish difficult tasks by cooperating through local interactions. Peco said he hopes to develop more robust robotic swarms that can operate in challenging environmental conditions, potentially improving methods for search and rescue, field monitoring and agriculture.
“I’m honored for the opportunity to contribute not only as a researcher, but also as a bridge between the U.S. and Japan,” Peco said. “Support from the Fulbright program will make it possible to organize activities that bring together scholars and the general public and build relationships across the country.”
For more information about the Fulbright program, contact Sylvester Osagie, University Faculty Fulbright adviser, Penn State Global, at fulbright@psu.edu.