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Three William Paterson University Faculty Members Named Fulbright Fellows For 2013-14 Academic Year

--The Fulbright Program is one of the most prestigious scholarship programs worldwide

Three William Paterson University professors—Payton MacDonald, associate professor of music; Emmanuel Onaivi, professor of biology; and Mahmoud Watad, professor of marketing and management—have been named Fulbright Scholars for the academic year 2013-14. The Fulbright Program, America’s flagship international educational exchange program, is one of the most prestigious scholarship programs worldwide.

William Paterson’s faculty currently includes 41 members who have received the prestigious awards. “William Paterson University is very proud of its long tradition of producing Fulbright scholars, and we are particularly honored that three of our faculty members, which is a significant number, have been selected in one year to study, conduct research, and share their knowledge with students and scholars in other countries,” says Stephen Hahn, interim provost.  “We look forward to the new ideas and perspectives they will bring back to our students.”

MacDonald will spend the academic year as a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Scholar in Bhopal, India, where he will continue his vocal lessons with the Gundecha Brothers, who specialize in dhrupad, the most ancient style of Hindustani classical music that has survived until today in its original form. He will also lecture on Western classical music. A composer, improviser, percussionist, and singer, MacDonald has created a unique body of work that draws upon his extensive experience with East Indian tabla drumming, American military rudimental drumming, jazz, European classical music, and the American experimental tradition. He works across multiple musical genres, often at the same time. As a performer, MacDonald has performed with Alarm Will Sound, a new music chamber orchestra, and as a soloist. He holds a doctorate from the University of Rochester.

Onaivi will lecture and conduct research on the pharmacological and neural basis of behavior at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, where he will study the effects of locally used, abused, and addictive substances in the East African region.  A neurobiologist and pharmacist, Onaivi will supervise research projects by graduate, medical, and pharmacy students at the university, and hopes to lay the groundwork for future research collaborations and exchanges between William Paterson and Addis Ababa University. Onaivi was recently awarded a three-year, $350,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Drug Abuse, to study the behavioral effects of specific cell membrane receptors in the brain called CB2 cannabinoids. His findings will provide a deeper insight into potential therapeutic drugs for pain, autoimmune, mental, and neurodegenerative disorders. He serves as an associate editor of the Journal of Drug and Alcohol Research and is the newsletter editor of the international Drug Abuse Research Society. Onaivi holds a doctorate from the University of Bradford, England.

Watad will conduct research on organizational innovation in Morocco, which currently suffers from high unemployment rates, especially among university graduates.  Watad, who will be hosted by Al Akhawayn University, where he will teach project management courses, will conduct research on Moroccan firms, particularly in light of several innovation policies and initiatives recently launched by the Moroccan government.  An expert on organizational effectiveness, information technology-enabled change, and innovation, Watad has written numerous journal articles and presentations on management . Watad holds a doctorate in management from New York University.

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Each year, the program sends approximately 800 U.S. faculty to faculty and professionals to 125 countries to lecture, research, or participate in seminars.