Kuchipudi Receives Fulbright Specialist Award
Award funds project in Malaysia
School of Public Health researcher Suresh Kuchipudi, PhD, MVSc, MBA, will lead a One Health-based research and education program at the Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this September.
The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning and related subjects at academic institutions abroad. Kuchipudi, professor and chair, Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, will lead a project titled “Capacity Building through One Health Research and Education.”
One Health is a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach that conceptually links human, animal and environmental health. It aims to achieve optimal health outcomes by addressing complex issues like zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance and threats to ecosystems. This approach emphasizes collaboration and communication across various disciplines and sectors to enhance public health preparedness and resilience.
“I am honored by this opportunity,” said Kuchipudi, who will spend three weeks in Kuala Lumpur. “During my time there, I will engage in meetings with faculty and university leadership, provide technical and scientific expertise, and deliver seminars to support and strengthen the institution’s One Health initiatives.”
Fulbright Specialist award recipients are chosen based on academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
“One Health research is a core area of science and education at Pitt Public Health,” said Dean Maureen Lichtveld, MD, MPH, Jonas Salk Professor in Population Health. “Dr. Kuchipudi’s Fulbright award is a wonderful recognition of his expertise in emerging infectious diseases and global health.”
Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide. Since its establishment in 1946, the Fulbright Program has given more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
Fulbright recipients address critical global issues in all disciplines, while building relationships, knowledge, and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States.