Fulbright Alumni Get-Together at the conference "Nurturing Active Global Citizens for a World on the Move": from left to right: Dr. Angela Salmon, Fulbright Executive Director Artemis Zenetou, Katie Hurwitz and Professor Eleni Katsarou, with in the background view of the children's exhibition.
Through programs such as the Fulbright Global Scholar Award, the Fulbright Specialist Program, and the Fulbright Intercountry Lecturing Program, Greek institutions connect with distinguished experts across disciplines. These focused visits spark dialogue, promote research partnerships, and contribute to a shared culture of academic excellence. Below are recent examples of projects supported spring 2025.
International Conference in Piraeus: “Nurturing Active Global Citizens for a World on the Move”
U.S. Fulbright Global Scholar Dr. Angela K. Salmon, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Florida International University, was a featured keynote speaker at the “Identity, Education and Competences for Democratic Culture” international conference held in Piraeus May 17-18,2025 . The event was organized by the Directorate of Culture of the Municipality of Piraeus and Intersections: Global Educational Research & Action Network for a World on the Move, in collaboration with the Master’s Program “Identity, Education and Competences for Democratic Culture” at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the European Wergeland Centre. A special acknowledgment goes to Eleni Geroulanou, founding member of Library4all, whose leadership and vision were instrumental in bringing this event to life.
Dr. Salmon’s keynote, “Through the Eyes of Children: Empowering Participation and Agency for Active Global Citizenship,” explored the transformative role of storytelling, children’s agency, and global competence in early education. She remarked:
"The conference was a great success—we achieved the goals we set out to accomplish. I had the opportunity to bring together and collaborate with all of my hosts, embodying Fulbright’s mission of mutual collaboration and understanding within the conference theme, Nurturing Active Global Citizens for a World on the Move."
Dr. Salmon, awarded the Fulbright Global Scholar grant in 2024, conducted research on Digital Storytelling to empower vulnerable children and parents to cope with complex challenges. Following research periods at Universidad La Sabana in Colombia and the University of Warsaw in Poland, the conference she organized in Greece was the culmination of her Fulbright experience. The conference also marked the launch of Intersections: Global Educational Research & Action Network for a World on the Move—an initiative that united Angela’s hosts from Colombia, Poland, Greece, and the U.S.A., aiming to strengthen collaboration and consolidate efforts toward meaningful impact.
Participants included keynote speakers Veronica Boix Mansilla (Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education), Urszula Markowska Manista (Children’s Rights, University of Warsaw), and Maria Adelaida Lopez (Multidisciplinary Artist, International Consultant, Lego Award). The program featured plenary sessions, workshops, and panel discussions.
The two-day event also served as a gathering space for Fulbright alumni and staff. Educators and alumni Eleni Katsarou, PhD, University of Illinois Chicago, Clinical Professor Emerita, College of Education and Katie Hurwitz, Ed.M. Harvard University | Teacher-Researcher | Elementary Educator | TESOL, Music, & Intercultural Learning Experiences contributed to the discussions, sharing insights from their fields and reinforcing the value of Fulbright’s lasting academic and professional connections.
For more details and coverage, please see the related newspaper articles:
Με μεγάλη επιτυχία ολοκληρώθηκε το διεθνές συνέδριο με τίτλο “Nurturing Global Citizens for a World on the Move” - ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ
Advancing Sustainability through Fulbright Specialist Collaboration at the Technical University of Crete
In spring 2025, Fulbright Specialist Emmanuel Stefanakis visited Greece to collaborate with Dr. Alexandros Stefanakis at the Laboratory of Environmental Engineering and Management, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete (TUC) in Chania.
His project supported TUC’s vision of becoming a “green university” by contributing to the transformation of the campus into the first regenerative and sustainable university environment in Greece. The initiative exemplified the powerful role of international academic partnerships in promoting environmental innovation and institutional change.
The visit was supported by Fulbright Greece through the Fulbright Specialist Program, which promotes short-term exchanges that foster knowledge sharing, institutional development, and long-term cooperation.
Read more about the project here
Fulbright Specialist Grant Supports Innovation in Special Education: Dr. Claire Hughes-Lynch’s Collaboration with the University of Ioannina
Dr. Claire Hughes-Lynch, Professor at Cleveland State University and an expert in Gifted, Special, and Twice-Exceptional Education, partnered with the University of Ioannina through a Fulbright Specialist grant. Her work focuses on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be conceptualized and applied in Special Education, blending cutting-edge technology with inclusive educational strategies to drive innovation in learning for all students.
This collaboration highlights the Fulbright Specialist Program’s role in building capacity within Greek institutions while fostering long-lasting professional relationships between the U.S. and Greece.
Learn more about Dr. Hughes-Lynch’s project here.
Interested in hosting a Fulbright Specialist at your institution? Find out how here.
Photo Credit: from left to right: Drs. Dora Tsibouki, Tatiani Rapatzikou, Katie Googe, and Christina Dokou at the University of Athens.
Cross-Border Scholarship in Action: Fulbright Intercountry Lecturers Connect Brno, Graz, Athens, and Thessaloniki
Dr. Katie Googe engages Greek audiences through lectures and masterclass on American fiction and cultural history
Fulbright Scholars in action: Drs. Dora Tsibouki, Tatiani Rapatzikou, Katie Googe and Christina Dokou at the University of Athens.
March 2025, Dr. Katie Googe, a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow based in Brno, Czech Republic, traveled to Greece as part of the Fulbright Intercountry Lecturing Program. Hosted by the Department of English Language and Literature at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in collaboration with the Hellenic Association for American Studies (HELAAS), Dr. Googe delivered a series of academic events engaging students and scholars of American literature.
Her visit included an online HELAAS webinar titled “In Search of Lost Worlds: Time, Imperialism, and Nineteenth-Century Science Fiction” , and a Masterclass for literature students and faculty titled “Diaspora and Hybrid Histories in Zora Neale Hurston’s Moses, Man of the Mountain”. Her dynamic in-person and online presence sparked thoughtful discussion across generations of Greek scholars.
Dr. Googe is affiliated with the University of Southern California and was serving as a Fulbright Postdoctoral Teaching and Research Fellow at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic during the time of her visit. Her research explores American speculative fiction, religious studies, and comparative literature. Her brief stay in Greece was made possible through the support of Fulbright Greece.
Dr. Roy Grundmann offers a workshop on American Film History Studies at the Thessaloniki TechLab
Fulbright Specialist Dr. Roy Grundmann delivering a lecture on American Film History
In May, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Roy Grundmann to Thessaloniki through a Fulbright Intercountry Lecturing Award, supported by Fulbright Greece and hosted by the Department of American Literature and Culture, School of English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Dr. Grundmann, Associate Professor of Film Studies at Boston University, was conducting research as a Fulbright Visiting Professor in Cultural Studies at the University of Graz through Fulbright Austria. His visit to Greece exemplified the Fulbright Program’s strong commitment to cross-border academic exchange and EU-wide collaboration.
With expertise spanning modernist and postmodernist film and media—from mainstream narrative and art cinema to avant-garde and experimental non-fiction—Dr. Grundmann led a workshop at the TechLab titled “Studying American Film History,” engaging students and scholars in rich discussions about American cinema’s complex histories and cultural significance.
Fulbright Intercountry Travel Grants provide opportunities for Greek host institutions and U.S. Fulbright scholars based in Europe to collaborate during short-term visits, strengthening academic ties and fostering mutual benefit. Dr. Grundmann’s visit is a prime example of how the Fulbright Intercountry program enriches academic collaboration and scholar mobility across Europe, benefiting host institutions and the broader academic community.