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CORVALLIS, Ore. – A record nine Oregon State University faculty have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards for the 2022-23 academic year, earning OSU a distinction as a “top producing” university, the program has announced.

Each year only about 20 universities nationally in the research institution category attain that recognition. To be considered top producing a university must have a minimum of six faculty scholars.

Oregon State’s nine honorees are Jerri Bartholomew, who will do fish parasitology work in Spain; Randy Bell, science education, Vietnam; Kelly Biedenweg, social science, Chile; John Dilles, green-energy metals, Australia; Stephen Good, water resources, Chile; Robert Hughes, freshwater bioassessment, Brazil; Greg Rorrer, sustainable energy, Austria; Melissa Santala, materials science, Israel; and Bogdan Strimbu, forest modeling, Romania.

“We are pleased to see these outstanding scholars recognized for their global engagement and impact,” said Rick Settersten, vice provost for faculty affairs at OSU. “A Fulbright is a wonderful opportunity to extend ideas to new environments, and to gain experience and develop collaborations that deepen the perspectives and expertise of everyone involved.”

Oregon State’s previous high for number of honorees was eight, which happened in 2019-20 and 2012-13. OSU has had 27 Fulbright scholars in the past five years.

The OSU contingent is among more than 900 U.S. citizens who will conduct research and/or teach abroad during the 2022-23 academic year through the Fulbright program.

The program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is also supported by partner countries around the world. It is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Since being established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program has given more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

The list of Fulbright alumni includes 61 Nobel Prize laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize recipients and 40 people who have served as a head of state or government.