Fulbright Partners to Host Global Forum on Food Security

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board will visit the University of Arkansas to join the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences in co-hosting the “Fulbright for Food Security” global forum. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, and will be live-streamed from Hillside Auditorium on the U of A campus.

Fulbright College is named after the U.S. senator who also wrote the legislation for the renowned Fulbright Program, established by Congress in 1946.  

 “Fulbright College and the Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, share a commitment to advancing the senator’s vision of achieving peace through education,” said Todd Shields, dean of Fulbright College. “Educational exchange and international understanding come in many forms. In this case, it’s a local forum on a global issue that will include participants from around the world.”

Audiences online and in person will engage with expert panelists about initiatives by Fulbright fellows and alumni to combat hunger through collaborative research, education, innovation, new technology, and economic and policy development. 

Shields will give welcoming remarks. Tom Healy, chair of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, and Hoyt Purvis, professor of journalism and former chair of the board will introduce the program.

Board member and Fulbright Program alumnus Mark Alexander will moderate the panel discussion, which will include:

Fulbright NEXUS fellow Erick de la Barrera, who will participate from his current post in Mexico where he is investigating issues on ecology, climate change, policy and public education in food security.

Kay Goss, internationally recognized lecturer, author and former associate director of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of National Preparedness, Education and Exercises and national chair of the National Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

Curt Rom, professor of horticulture, interim dean of the Honors College and Fulbright Program alumnus.

Kabo Segokgo, a food and nutrition educator from Botswana, who is currently using a Fulbright grant to pursue a graduate degree in human environmental science.

To join the forum, please register at one of the following links: Register to attend in person or register to participate via live stream.

This event is part of the Fulbright Board’s 264th quarterly meeting. The board selects participants and sets policies for the Fulbright Program, which is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. More than 360,000 participants from over 165 countries have had the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. 

For additional information about the event, contact the Fulbright College office of development and external relations at Fulbright@uark.edu or 479-575-3712. For additional information about the Fulbright Board, contact Catherine Stearns at StearnsCL@state.gov or 202-431-1594.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in a wide spectrum of disciplines. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and offers more than 200 academic programs. The university maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1 that promotes personal attention and mentoring opportunities. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas 63 among the 623 American public research universities, and the university’s goal is be top 50 by the celebration of its 150th anniversary in 2021.

About Fulbright College: Fulbright College is the largest and most academically diverse college on campus with 19 departments and more than 30 programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.