TAMIU Faculty Member Named Fulbright Scholar
Texas A&M International University professor and chair of the College of Arts and Sciences’ department of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics Dr. Rafic A. Bachnak has been named a participant in this year’s Fulbright Scholar Program.
Dr. Bachnak’s Fulbright Scholar experience is taking place in Lebanon where he is teaching and conducting research on the development of an eddy current probe using gyroscopes to add three-dimensional capabilities.
Bachnak joined the TAMIU faculty in 2007. He holds his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Ohio University. His M.S. and B.S. were also earned at Ohio University.
Prior to joining TAMIU, he was a faculty member at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Franklin University (OH) and Northwestern State University (LA).
Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.
Other TAMIU Fulbright Scholars include Dr. Stanley Green, Dr. Susan Berdahl and retired TAMIU professor of history Dr. José Roberto Juárez.
The Fulbright Scholar Program was created by Senator J. William Fulbright, who envisioned "mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries of the world." The Council for International Exchange of Scholars selects outstanding U.S. scholars to bring expertise to other countries through a variety of programs.
Fulbright alumni have gone on to become artists, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEOs, heads of state, journalists, university presidents and teachers, and have been awarded 39 Nobel Prizes. Since its inception over 60 years ago, some 300,000 Fulbright recipients have participated in programs worldwide.
According to the Program’s website, prominent Fulbright alumni include: Craig Barrett, chairman of the Board of Intel Corporation; Mohamed Benaissa, minister for foreign affairs, Morocco; Raoul Cantero, justice, Florida Supreme Court; Luis Ernesto Derbez, minister of foreign affairs, Mexico; Renee Fleming, soprano; Gish Jen, writer; Dolores Kendrick, poet laureate of the District of Columbia; Daniel Libeskind, architect; Aneesh Raman, CNN Baghdad correspondent; Robert Shaye, co-chairman and co-CEO, New Line Cinema; Ruth Simmons, president, Brown University; Javier Solana, foreign policy chief, European Union; and Muhammed Yunus, managing director and founder of the Grameen Bank.
For additional information, contact the University’s Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, e-mail prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.
For more on the Fulbright Scholar Program, go to cies.org.
Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu