McAllen Professor Joins U.S.-Israel Collaboration

The Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) has announced the participants in its 2019/20 Winter Faculty Fellowship Program, including Ugochukwu Anieto, a professor of biology at Texas A&M’s Higher Education Center at McAllen.

Anieto will join 27 other professors from colleges and universities around the United States Dec. 26-Jan. 8 to travel throughout Israel and meet Israeli professors from their respective disciplines with similar research interests. The goal of the program is to develop collaborations and research projects, co-author articles and establish exchange programs between faculty and students, JNF-USA officials said.

“This is an experience of a lifetime because I will have the opportunity to meet several professors in Israel whose research interests intersect with mine,” Anieto said. “These interactions will broaden my academic experience and place me in a better position to serve our student population. I want to leverage this opportunity by creating an avenue of academic and cultural collaborations between Texas A&M, various universities in Israel and the State of Israel as a whole.”

The tour, which more than 300 professors have already taken, is a fully-paid intensive program for full-time U.S.-based academics from recognized universities and learning institutions.

In addition to Texas A&M, participating U.S.-based schools include: University at Albany, Allegheny College, University of Central Florida, Guilford College, University of Florida, University of Mississippi, Columbus State University, University at Albany, Stetson University, Rochester Institute of Technology, West Chester University, University of Maryland, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, George Washington University, Virginia Tech, Duke University, University of Maryland, Oregon State University, University of Connecticut, Mercer University, Cornell University, Michigan State University, University of South Florida, Virginia Tech, Florida State University and Suncoast Waldorf School.

During the trip, participants will meet Israelis from all walks of life and hear from a variety of speakers. They will be exposed to contemporary Israeli society, culture, historical sites, and the people and way of life in Israel.  The academics meet with professionals and experts involved in government, industry, education, media and other sectors to understand the many facets of Israel’s evolving national and international policies. Those who take part will gain a deeper awareness of Israel as a “start-up nation,” its success in water innovation and how the country addresses regional and global challenges, JNF-USA officials said.

Jewish National Fund is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s north and south. Through its One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade, Jewish National Fund is developing new communities in the Galilee and Negev, connecting the next generation to Israel, and creating infrastructure and programs that support ecology, individuals with special needs and heritage site preservation.

To learn more about the universities and professors taking part in the 2019 Winter Faculty Fellowship Program in Israel or from prior years, or to register for future programs, visit the faculty fellowship site or contact Rene Reinhard at 212-879-9305 ext. 235 or Eileen Wedeen at 212-439-7855.