Thursday, February 25, 2016

The University of North Carolina Wilmington has been recognized as one of the top producers of Fulbright Scholars for the 2015-16 academic year among master’s institutions in the United States. Faculty members Babette Boyd, Susan Catapano and Steven D. Emslie each received Fulbright Scholarships, allowing them to lecture and pursue research abroad.

They join almost two dozen other University of North Carolina Wilmington faculty members who have been named Fulbright Scholars over the years.

“UNCW’s selection as a top producer of Fulbright recipients is a testament to the caliber of the faculty and our students,” Provost Marilyn Sheerer said. “This designation recognizes UNCW as a rich source of expertise on diverse topics of global interest.”

Only one university in the same category has more Fulbright Scholars this academic year. U.S. colleges and universities that produce the most Fulbright Scholars are recognized annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education. This year’s top schools were highlighted in the Feb. 22 edition.

Babette Boyd, a licensed attorney, is a lecturer in sociology and criminology. Through Brock University in St. Catharines, Canada, she is teaching, giving public lectures and conducting research about comparative sociological and legal perspectives in sexual assault cases.

Susan Catapano, director of the international studies program and former chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at the Watson College of Education, is in Belize working with the University of Belize on projects involving early childhood education and early primary education.

Steven D. Emslie, a professor of biology and marine biology, will lecture and conduct research through Universidad de Coimbra in Portugal regarding the effects of chronic mercury exposure resulting from the cultural use of cinnabar among prehistoric humans in that region.

The Fulbright Program is a highly competitive, merit-based grant for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists. The program was founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946 and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. About 360,000 people have participated in the program since its inception.

--Tricia Vance

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