Two IUPUC professors will be traveling abroad this year on Fulbright awards to teach and conduct research in their respective areas of interest.
Dr. James (JD) Mendez, chemistry program coordinator and assistant professor of chemistry, received a Fulbright Scholarship for the fall semester to teach a graduate class in biopolymers (essentially polymers/plastics found in nature) in Estonia.
In addition to teaching, he will continue his research with chitin from underutilized sources.
“Dr. Mendez’s research on chitin and 3-D printing have created transformative experiences for our students at IUPUC. His work as a Fulbright Scholar will continue to focus on these areas of research, and help to disseminate the work internationally. This is a terrific opportunity for him as a scholar, and we are very proud of him for being selected during the competitive process,” said Dr. Joan Poulsen, division head of science and associate professor of psychology.
Mendez uses cicada shells as a primary source for essential polymers because they are plentiful and free, but chitin can be found in many different insects, shellfish, and fungi. While in Estonia, he will focus on sources local to the region.
Chitin has been shown to be very effective at healing wounds, so in his research, he will try to improve this already existing capability by using electrospinning to make minuscule fibers with a large surface area that is ideal for contact with skin.
Dr. Larita Killian, associate professor of accounting, received a Fulbright Specialist grant for the summer to provide services to the Universidad Privada, in Bolivia.
Killian will conduct workshops in research and course design for UPB faculty on the Cochabamba and LaPaz campuses and meet with graduate students on those same campuses to discuss finance and accounting for nonprofit organizations.
“Dr. Killian is one of the most “impactful” researchers on the IUPUC campus,” said Dr. Frank Wadswork, division head of business. “Her research influences U.S Government accounting practices, and those practices, in turn, impact millions of Americans. She shares her research expertise with many people, coaching undergraduate students and other academics around the world and now at the Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB) as these academic institutions work to improve their research productivity.”
For more information on IUPUC academic programs visit iupuc.edu/academics.