News 2023: Two faculty members named U.S. Fulbright Scholars

Professors Arpita Joardar and Shakhnoza Kayumova to conduct research internationally

The Fulbright Program recently announced that Associate Professor Arpita Joardar (Management & Marketing) and Associate Professor Shakhnoza Kayumova (STEM Education & Teacher Development) were named U.S. Fulbright Scholars.

Fulbright Scholars engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.

Joardar hopes to teach international management at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore, a decision the Fulbright Program will confirm in the months ahead of her trip. This endeavor will follow a separate stint as a visiting faculty member in France during the winter session of 2023-2024. Joardar will return to UMass Dartmouth in the fall of 2024.

"I feel extremely fortunate to receive this — not just for the prestige associated with the award, but also for the amazing learning opportunity it provides," said Joardar. "This is an opportunity to help me grow personally and professionally. Personally, this grants me the opportunity to spend an extended period of time in India, which I've not been able to do in a very long time and, beyond that, the opportunity to see a new part of India. Professionally, I'm excited to learn from and collaborate with my peers and other scholars in India."

Kayumova will conduct research in Uzbekistan during the spring semester of 2024, where she'll analyze the gender gap and gender equity in STEM education by documenting the narratives of women who have succeeded in STEM fields. Kayumova hopes to take residency at Tashkent State University of Economics (TSUE) in Uzbekistan, a decision the Fulbright Program will confirm in the months ahead of her trip.

"I feel deeply honored and humbled to have been chosen for this award," said Kayumova. "The Fulbright is highly esteemed worldwide and has a rigorous selection process. The recognition is far beyond what I could have ever expected, and I consider it a testimony to the collective efforts of all those who have supported and worked with me throughout my journey.

Read more about Associate Professor Arpita Joardar's Fulbright.

Read more about Associate Professor Shakhnoza Kayumova's Fulbright.