UMass Economist Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Malta to Conduct Research on the Hotel Industry and Sharing Economy

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Christian Rojas, professor in the department of resource economics, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Malta. Rojas will be studying the impact of the hotel industry in the Maltese economy as well as the impact of the recent rise of the sharing economy (i.e. Airbnb) on the formal lodging industry. Of special interest will be quantifying the effect of, and prospects for recovery after, the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Rojas will be teaching an applied game theory course at the University of Malta.

Rojas is one of over 800 U.S. citizens who will conduct research and/or teach abroad for the 2020-21 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Fulbright recipients engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to forge lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals.