Some University of Arizona faculty members are preparing to pack up for global research.
The UA announced seven researchers are joining the ranks of Fulbright Scholars. It’s a program that gives people a chance to study, teach, or conduct graduate research in another country.
Optical Science professor Travis Sawyer is slated to collaborate with fellow researchers at Utsunomiya University in Japan. They’ll focus on using endoscopic technology to find gastrointestinal cancers.
“The goal of that research is to develop new technology to help catch the cancer in its early stages because it’s much easier to treat,” said Sawyer.
He explained endoscopic work involves using a lighted tube that goes through the patient’s mouth and down the throat to investigate potential cancers in the esophagus, stomach and colon. The technique can help oncologists remove early-stage tumors and precancerous polyps without the need for traditional, invasive surgery.
The six others in the 2026 UA Fulbright Scholar class:
Mark Fredrickson, retired professor of landscape architecture, will teach at the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan. It is his sixth Fulbright award.
Geneva Foster Gluck, Fine Arts instructor, using theater and immersive experiences as tools for promoting behavioral change relative to climate change in Spain.
Chris Impey, astronomy professor, headed to Denmark to research quasars and the role of supermassive black holes.
Scott Saleska, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology mapping forest drought resilience in the Amazon.
Richard Simpson, nutritional sciences professor, going to Rome to analyze how exercise affects the production and potency of certain T-cells, with the goal of advancing scalable therapies for blood cancer patients.
Mihai Surdeanu, professor of computer science, researching artificial intelligence systems in Romaina.
The University of Arizona celebrated its first Fulbright Scholar in 1954. Since then, more than 300 individuals have represented the University at research institutions around the world.
