Prof. Barbara Washburn to serve in Fulbright Specialist Program

One of STCC’s very own is embarking on a process that provides her an opportunity to travel abroad as part of a national program that aims to foster intercultural exchange.  Barbara Washburn, Professor of Engineering and Physical Science, has been selected to the prestigious Fulbright Specialist Program Roster.

The Fulbright Program was founded in 1946 for the purpose of cultural exchange between U.S. citizens and foreign institutions of higher education in order to foster diplomacy, cross-cultural knowledge, and the exchange of ideas.  Developing out of the broader Fulbright Program and supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) within the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Specialist Program was established in 2001. The program invites scholars and professionals to apply for the opportunity to work on a project while serving abroad for a two-to-six-week period.

The application process is rigorous and competitive.  Once candidates are accepted onto the Specialist Roster, they are eligible to be matched to a foreign host institution.  Host institutions are located in over 150 countries.  Professor Washburn is honored to have been selected for the Fulbright Specialist Program: “I am honored to be one of the 20% of applicants chosen as a specialist and represent the community college sector.  I am looking forward to sharing my engineering education expertise with the host institution as well as promoting engineering as a career for women.”

Dr. Chris Thuot, STCC’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, notes that “very few individuals are given the opportunity to serve in the Fulbright Specialist Program.  We are delighted that Professor Washburn will represent STCC abroad, and we know that her commitment to her discipline, to teaching, and to scholarship will benefit her host institution greatly.”

We are delighted that Professor Washburn will represent STCC abroad, and we know that her commitment to her discipline, to teaching, and to scholarship will benefit her host institution greatly. Dr. Christopher Thuot, Vice President of Academic Affairs at STCC

To fully immerse herself in the Specialist Program, Professor Washburn will be taking professional leave from STCC.  With an academic career spanning over thirty years, Barbara has served in both faculty and administrative roles at STCC since 1997, which includes a recent stint as Interim Dean for the School of STEM.  Her Fulbright Specialist project will focus on promoting Engineering education, with a particular emphasis on drawing more women to careers in engineering and technology.

Indeed, she has been a member of the Society for Women Engineers (SWE) for over 10 years and was a founding member of the SWE Community Colleges Affinity Group.  Thuot praised Professor Washburn for her commitment to the countless students she has served while at STCC: “Professor Washburn’s commitment to students and to STCC over the past 27 years is remarkable.  She has contributed to the college as a dedicated faculty member, a dean, and, above all, as an advocate for women drawn to careers in engineering.”

Washburn’s colleague in the Department of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Professor and Chair Zee Haddad, was not surprised to learn that she will soon serve as a Fulbright Specialist: “Working alongside Barbara has been a true privilege. Her dedication, intellect, and passion for making a global impact make this Fulbright nomination so well deserved. We’re all incredibly proud.”

Prior to her academic career, Professor Washburn held positions in electrical engineering, electro optics engineering and telecommunications engineering.  It is no wonder, then, that in her work as a professor she has been an advocate for having students consider and create real-world applications of technology.  She believes that “all students can make their dreams come true through hard work, always giving 110%, keeping a positive outlook, and never giving up.  Through education, they can achieve their dreams. I have supported their education and dreams for the last 32 years, and I hope I have made a difference.” 

In 2017, as Chair of the Physics Department, she supported Gateway to College students working with the electrical engineering transfer students in developing “solar suitcases” (suitcases that include LED lighting, cell phone chargers, and portable electrical outlets) that were sent to schools in Kenya to combat interruptions to learning as a result of frequent power outages.  Professor Washburn has received numerous awards during her career, including an Anthony M. Scibelli Endowed Chair Award, and she has served as Co-Principal Investigator on multiple National Science Foundation grants, including working with the Center of Astrophysics at Harvard University. 

Looking back on her academic career, Professor Washburn is grateful for the many opportunities that she has received to serve students and the STCC community: “I have been lucky to enhance the minds of our students for over 32 years in engineering subjects including sustainable energy, lasers and the science of superheroes.”

Professor Washburn’s leave will begin at the end of the spring semester and she hopes to pursue a placement abroad later this year.

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