Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC November 21, 2006 Department of State Announces Recipients of New International Fulbright Science and Technology AwardUnder Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes today announced the recipients of the new International Fulbright Science and Technology Award. Designed to provide top-level students in science and technology with the U.S. government's most prestigious and valuable scholarship, this new Fulbright award for Ph.D. study at America's leading universities was created to attract the most highly qualified young women and men to the world's preeminent higher education institutions. The announcement of the award recipients, following on the first-ever U.S. higher education marketing delegation trip to East Asia and the news that the United States has reversed a post-September 11 drop in student visa demand, underscores our message that the U.S. government and higher education system welcome talented international students. The award was announced by Under Secretary of State Hughes at the first U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education in January 2006 convened by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings. Winners of this new Fulbright scholarship come from 27 countries. Forty-four percent of the winners are women. Recipients were chosen through a rigorous, multi-tiered, merit-based selection process consisting of in-country competition and review, field and discipline merit review by top-level U.S. academic leaders, and nomination by a blue ribbon Advisory Panel, including a Nobel Laureate and university deans and presidents. Final selection was made by the Presidentially appointed Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. This year's winners come from Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Nepal, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Korea, St. Lucia, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, and Venezuela. Media inquiries may be directed to Nicole Deaner, 202-203-7613, or Catherine Stearns, 202-203-5107. 2006/1064 |