Physics professor selected for Fulbright Specialist Program in Vietnam

DUNMORE, Pa. — Asif ud-Doula, professor of physics at Penn State Scranton, has been selected for the Fulbright Specialist Program, through which he will collaborate closely with faculty and students at Dong Thap University in Cao Lanh, Vietnam, on a project titled “Advancing STEM Education and Research.”

The Fulbright Specialist Program is a prestigious international exchange initiative that connects U.S. academics and professionals with institutions around the world, and provides opportunities for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week, project-based exchanges at institutions across the globe.

At Dong Thap University, ud-Doula will lead workshops, lectures and training sessions designed to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and research. The project focuses on improving teaching methodologies, expanding research collaboration and helping modernize STEM curricula.

“Dong Thap University faces challenges in strengthening its STEM education due to limited access to advanced instructional methodologies, research collaboration opportunities, and industry-aligned curriculum development,” ud-Doula said.

The collaboration aims to help faculty and students build skills in emerging STEM technologies while introducing innovative approaches to teaching and research.

Planned activities include hands-on training sessions, guest lectures on emerging STEM research, curriculum development consultations and the launch of joint research collaborations. ud-Doula said the project will also focus on building partnerships that extend beyond the visit itself.

“[It will] develop ongoing collaborations that extend beyond the duration of the Fulbright program to strengthen STEM initiatives,” he said.

The partnership is expected to support Dong Thap University’s broader goal of strengthening STEM education by enhancing faculty expertise, improving student learning outcomes and fostering a more research-driven academic environment, ud-Doula said.

In addition to workshops and seminars, the collaboration will emphasize mentorship, joint research projects and long-term academic connections between the institutions. According to ud-Doula, those efforts could include virtual mentoring, co-authored research publications and future grant opportunities.

The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced the award, noting that ud-Doula’s project aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions and communities in both the United States and Vietnam through educational and training activities in physics education.

ud-Doula is among more than 400 U.S. citizens selected each year to share their expertise with host institutions abroad through the Fulbright Specialist Program. Recipients are chosen based on academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field and their potential to foster long-term institutional collaboration.

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange initiative, is designed to build lasting connections between people in the United States and other countries. Funded through an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the Department of State, the program operates in more than 160 countries with additional support from participating governments, institutions and organizations worldwide.

Since its founding in 1946, the Fulbright Program has supported more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and scientists in studying, teaching and conducting research abroad while contributing to solutions for global challenges. Fulbright alumni include Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize recipients, as well as heads of state and government.

The Fulbright Specialist Program is administered by World Learning on behalf of the U.S. Department of State and supports short-term, collaborative projects at host institutions around the world.