MSU Academy for Global Engagement names 10 fellows for 2016

December 01, 2015

Ten MSU faculty from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the College of Engineering have been tapped for the 2016 cohort of the Academy for Global Engagement Fellowship Program.

Now entering its third year, the Academy for Global Engagement (AGE) is designed to create a new generation of international research experts at MSU by offering early- to mid-career faculty the opportunity to expand their scholarship on a global level. Created to strengthen MSU’s global networks and support introduce faculty to new global resources, the AGE is nationally recognized as an innovative faculty development program model.

“The Academy for Global Engagement is a unique program on campus that gives faculty an invaluable chance to develop and expand their view of global research,” said Gretchen Neisler, co-director of the AGE. “The end result is an undeniable return on investment that benefits the faculty and the MSU community as a whole.”

The AGE is designed to build Fellows’ capacity to launch large-scale, high-impact international research programs and create a growing cohort of global problem solvers. Moving beyond their Fellowship year, Fellows will be able to leverage the connections, resources, knowledge and skills obtained throughout their Fellowship to advance their own global research. They also will be well positioned to serve as future mentors, helping to preserve MSU’s legacy as a dynamic and collaborative academic institution of higher learning.

Throughout the year, the AGE Fellows will participate in monthly seminars that include building networks with funding agencies, refining their research agenda and navigating MSU’s grant system. The Fellows also will have an opportunity to learn from seasoned research faculty at MSU through a mentoring system.

The 2016 AGE Fellows have been selected for their diverse interests, ranging from work that bridges ecological networks and diseases such as malaria to innovative energy-harvesting solutions. The 2016 AGE Fellows are:

Dr. Scott Calabrese Barton, associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Dr. Eric Benbow, associate professor, Department of Entomology
Dr. Greg Bonito, assistant professor, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Dr. Wei Lai, assistant professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Dr. Maria Claudia Lopez, assistant professor, Department of Community Sustainability
Dr. Eduardo Nakasone, assistant professor, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics and Department of Media and Information
Dr. Yadu Pokhrel, assistant professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr. Veronique Theriault, assistant professor, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics
Dr. Chuan Wang, assistant professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Junghoon Yeom, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

“Michigan State University is a highly respected leader in international research and development, and the Academy for Global Engagement prepares these Fellows to carry on that legacy,” said Mary Anne Walker, co-director of AGE. “These 10 Fellows will spend the next year developing and honing the skills they will need to provide international research leadership to MSU in the years to come. It’s a meaningful investment in these researchers and in our university.”

For more information visit: www.globalacademy.msu.edu