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The University of Massachusetts Amherst has been named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for the fifth time, a designation awarded to an elite group of U.S. universities with the most faculty researchers and administrators selected for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program 2025-26.

UMass Amherst faculty members representing the Riccio College of Engineering (Emily Kumpel and Nick Tooker), the College of Humanities and Fine Arts (Margaret Vickery and Christine Ho), the College of Natural Sciences (Panayotis Kevrekidis) and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Ina Ganguli) were selected last fall to receive Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards. They have since been conducting and sharing research with partner institutions in Africa, Asia, India and Europe.

“It is hugely gratifying to have our faculty’s research activities recognized once again by this Fulbright accolade,” said Senior Vice Provost for Global Affairs and Director of the Office of Global Affairs Kalpen Trivedi, a liaison to the program. “Our strong participation in the Fulbright Scholar Program is evidence of UMass’s commitment to engage globally for the common good.”

UMass Amherst is among 25 institutions—and is one of only two in New England—named as Fulbright U.S. Scholar Top Producers for 2025-26, the fifth time the university has been recognized among doctorate-awarding, top-tier research universities under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UMass Amherst Fulbright Scholars join the national Fulbright alumni network dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities and the world. The network includes 44 heads of state or government, 63 Nobel Laureates, 93 Pulitzer Prize winners and 83 MacArthur Fellows.

“Earning the Top Producer distinction once again affirms our faculty’s commitment to scholarship, academic research, and global partnership, and reflects the priority placed upon the Fulbright U.S. Scholars award as a UMass point of pride,” said Kimberly Stender, senior administrative coordinator to the senior vice provost for global affairs and campus liaison to the Fulbright Scholar Program.

UMass Amherst’s faculty and administrators receive Fulbright applicant support through resources such as the annual Fulbright U.S. Scholars workshop, organized by Office of Global Affairs (OGA) and co-sponsored with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement and the Office of Faculty Development. The OGA curates the UMass Faculty Fulbright Mentor Network, which currently includes about 70 UMass Amherst Fulbright Scholar program alumni who offer advice to those seeking the awards, and they host an annual reception to celebrate the campus Fulbright community.

As a program of the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. Since 1946, it has provided nearly 450,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbright award recipients exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges.

For more information: https://www.umass.edu/global-affairs/global-partnerships/fulbright.