Drexel University College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) is pleased to announce that Professor David E. Breen, PhD has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in computer science for the 2024-25 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Breen is among over 800 U.S. citizens who will teach or conduct research abroad for the 2024-2025 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Fulbrighters 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.
As Fulbright Scholar alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Notable Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and 41 who have served as a head of state or government. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries — chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world.
Breen will research at the Inria Centre at the University of Grenoble Alpes in Grenoble, France during the 2024-25 academic year. He will join the Elan (modELing the Appearance of Nonlinear phenomena) team, which is led by Florence Bertails-Descoubes, PhD, a senior researcher and expert in modeling dynamic slender structures (e.g., yarns and hair) and heterogeneous materials (e.g., fibrous objects), as well as the simulation of contact and friction. Their joint project, titled “Simulation of Meso-scale, Self-folding Behavior of Knitted Fabrics,” will develop computational methods for predicting the intricate, small-scale geometric structures that emerge in knitted fabrics via the interplay of forces between its various stitches. Technical advances in knitted fabric simulation will bring significant benefits to the development of functional fabrics, which are now seen as critical components for many healthcare and sensing devices, as well as protective clothing.
"Dr. Breen's prestigious recognition as a Fulbright Scholar underscores his exceptional leadership in pioneering smart textile innovations," said Isaac L. Auerbach Professor and CCI Dean Yi Deng, PhD. "We are immensely proud of this incredible achievement, and eagerly anticipate the groundbreaking discoveries and advancements that will undoubtedly emanate from his research in the next academic year."
Breen is one of three Drexel CCI faculty members to have received a Fulbright award, joining Denise Agosto, PhD, professor of information science, and Dario Salvucci, PhD, professor of computer science.
More than 800 U.S. scholars — faculty members, artists, and professionals from all backgrounds — teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program annually. In addition, over 2,000 U.S. students, artists, and early career professionals from all backgrounds in more than 100 different fields of study receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards annually to study, teach English, and conduct research overseas.
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program. In the United States, the Institute of International Education supports the implementation of the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.
For more information on the Fulbright program visit eca.state.gov/fulbright.
Drexel University faculty members who are interested in exploring Fulbright opportunities are encouraged to contact Young-Min Park, associate director of global partnerships, Drexel Global at yp366@drexel.edu.