Lewis College Physical Therapy To Host Georgia State’s First Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence

ATLANTA—The Department of Physical Therapy in the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions will host Georgia State’s first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence during the 2022-2023 academic year. This puts Georgia State on the map as a recipient of this prestigious national award and adds to Georgia State’s growing Fulbright awards. The department will host Dr. Aline de Souza Pagnussat, associate professor and leader of the Research Group in Movement Analysis and Neuromuscular Rehabilitation (GNeR) at UFCSPA, the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

This Fulbright award highlights the extent of Georgia State’s international research partnerships and internal collaborations to foster a global footprint. It is a result of a three-year partnership effort of the International Partnerships and Agreements unit of the Office of International Initiatives, led by Kike Ehigiator.

“The award will foster new collaborations both in teaching and research in neurologic Physical Therapy and introduce innovation to the curricula and experience of physical therapy students here at Georgia State,” said Dr. Sujay Galen, chair and associate professor of physical therapy. “Dr. Pagnussant’s expertise in neurological rehabilitation and movement science will complement the department’s expertise, and we look forward to the exchange of ideas and future research initiatives.”

“This is a milestone for internationalization for the college and Georgia State, and I congratulate Kike and Sujay for persisting in developing this important relationship with UFCSPA, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Wolfgang Schloer, associate provost for international initiatives.

“Being the first to receive this award and in the area of STEM is impressive and underscores the importance of the diverse fields of study supported by the Fulbright program,” said Dr. Huanbiao Mo, dean of the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions. “I expect this award to expose our students to professional and, importantly, cross-cultural perspectives in the field, making our graduates globally competent. We look forward to hosting Dr. Pagnussant and visiting UFCSPA to expand our collaboration to other specializations.”

The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence allows U.S. colleges and universities to host academic professionals from outside of the U.S for up to a full academic year. These Fulbright Scholars may teach, develop curriculum, or study abroad and exchange partnerships, bringing a unique international touch to the institution.

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