Harrisburg, PA – The US Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced that Kevin Huggins, PhD, CISSP, of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU), has received a Fulbright Specialist Program Award.
Dr. Huggins will complete a project at the Universidad Católica de Cuenca in Ecuador that aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities, both in the US and overseas, through a variety of educational and training activities within Computer Science and Information Technology.
Dr. Huggins is one of over 400 US citizens who share expertise with host institutions abroad through the Fulbright Specialist Program each year. Recipients of Fulbright Specialist Awards are selected based on academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the US and abroad.
This specific Fulbright award centers on the need to improve and expand academic and community knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, computational mathematics, and other essential STEM fields that have been “democratized” in recent years. The intention is for emerging countries, like Ecuador, to bring in subject-matter experts from partner institutions to “expand this knowledge to the whole community” and drive the adoption of more current and complete technological and science-based curricula.
According to the Fulbright application for the project: “The impact of having a Fulbright specialist at our institution will be significant. Not only will it strengthen our educational programs, but it will also promote the creation of long-lasting and sustainable links between our institution and the Fulbright specialist’s host institution in the United States. These links will allow for continued academic collaboration, exchange of experts, and joint research projects.”
“This collaboration will bring about a closer working relationship between our institutions, which is something I’m very excited about,” said Dr. Huggins. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how this exchange of knowledge, technology, and best practices fosters future opportunities for collaboration and funding. And on a personal note, I’m thankful and humbled to have been chosen for this award. I take it as both an honor and a challenge.”
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the US government. It is designed to build lasting collaborative connections between the people of the United States and citizens of other countries. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the US Congress to the US State Department. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
Since its establishment in 1946, the Fulbright Program has given more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
“Fulbrighters” address critical global issues in all disciplines while building relationships, knowledge, and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States. Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in many fields, including 60 who have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 88 who have received the Pulitzer Prize, and 39 who have served as a head of state or government.
For further information about the Fulbright Program or the US Department of State, please visit http://ECA.State.gov/Fulbright or contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office at 202.632.6452 or ECA-Press@State.gov.
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