Pamela Lothspeich (FFP ’12, ’23) receives Fulbright Scholar Award
July 31, 2023 | Kristen Chavez
Pamela Lothspeich (FFP ’12, ’23) is one of four UNC-Chapel Hill faculty members to receive a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award for the 2023-2024 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Pamela Lothspeich, associate professor in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, was awarded a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Research Fellowship. She will travel to India to research Raslila, a traditional form of theatre that presents stories of the childhood and adolescence of Krishna, incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Lothspeich’s research centers on modern adaptations of the Hindu epics. While in India, she will interview organizers, musicians and performers, and she will attend Raslila performances. This award marks Lothspeich’s second Fulbright-Nehru Senior Research Fellowship; her first one was awarded in 2012-13.
Lothspeich joins fellow Carolina faculty Patrick Davison, Anthony Hackney, and Carissa Hessick, who are among more than 800 U.S. citizens who will teach or conduct research abroad in this cycle.
Fulbright scholars engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often initiating research collaborations abroad and laying the groundwork for partnerships between institutions.
“The Fulbright Scholars Program provides an invaluable opportunity for UNC faculty to expand their horizons and to present their scholarship on the global stage,” said Barbara Stephenson, vice provost for global affairs and former U.S. ambassador. “Our Fulbright faculty are contributing to the University’s global brand and bringing a more global mindset back to campus.”
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international academic exchange program sponsored by the United States Government. Led by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in partnership with more than 160 countries worldwide, Fulbright offers an expansive suite of international academic and cultural exchange opportunities.
The next deadline for the Fulbright Scholar award is Sept. 15. The UNC Center for Faculty Excellence provides resources for faculty pursuing a Fulbright Scholar or Fulbright Specialist award, including application assistance, information sessions, and one-on-one consultations throughout the year.
In addition to the Fulbright-Nehru Senior Research Fellowship, Lothspeich will continue her research on Raslila as an Espy/Tyson Faculty Fellow in Fall 2023 at the Institute for the Arts and Humanities. She has also previously served as the IAH’s New Faculty Program director.
Lothspeich also received a National Humanities Center Fellowship in 2019-2020.
Original story courtesy of the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs.
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