Saint Martin's faculty member receives Fulbright Scholar grant

Wednesday, October 30, 2002

Lacey, Wash. - Dintie Mahamah, Ph.D., associate professor of civil engineering at Saint Martin’s College, is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholar grant for the 2002-03 academic year. The grant will enable him to lecture and research at Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, Oman, according to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the U.S. Department of State.

Recipients of Fulbright Scholar awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement and because they have demonstrated extraordinary leadership potential in their fields. Mahamah, who has taught at Saint Martin’s since 1984, has expertise in the areas of environmental and water resource engineering, as well as computer modeling. At Sultan Qaboos University, he will be involved with design integration across the curriculum through introductory and capstone design courses.

The Fulbright Scholar Program, established in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, works to build mutual understanding between people of the United States and those of other countries.

An international educational exchange activity, the program is sponsored by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It has helped thousands of U.S. faculty and professionals to study, teach or conduct research abroad, and has brought their foreign counterparts here for the same reason. Mahamah is one of about 800 to take part in this year’s program, which operates in about 140 countries.

While the program benefits host countries, it also helps the home institutions of Fulbright Scholars. They often return to incorporate aspects of their experience abroad into their courses, adding international perspectives to their teaching and their institutions, according to a program assessment study.

For further information about the Fulbright Scholar Program, please contact Judy Pehrson, director of external relations, Council for International Exchange of Scholars, (202) 686-4014; web site: www.cies.org

For more information:
Dr. David R. Spangler
Saint Martin’s College President
360-438-4307

Deanna Partlow
Media coordinator/senior editor
360-438-4541
dpartlow@stmartin.edu