‘Little by Little,’ a UNE 研究er’s Fulbright Dream Comes True

Karen Houseknecht was the first in her family to go to college. In 2023, she became a Fulbright Senior Scholar.

Houseknecht, Ph值.D., associate provost for 研究 and Scholarship at the University of New England and professor of pharmacology within the College of 整骨疗法的医学,是 honored with the prestigious award to travel and work in 马德里,西班牙, from February to May 2023. 

在那里, she served as Senior Scholar in Pharmacology within the College of Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), where she conducted research on her proposal “Integrating Mechanisms Regulating Metabolism and Dementia: A Transdisciplinary Approach” alongside host Manuela Garcia Lopez, M.D., Ph.D.，主任 UAM’s Teofilo Hernando Institute for Drug Discovery.

In addition to lecturing on pharmacology and drug development, the focus of her fellowship was to collaborate with faculty in the neuropharmacology team to evaluate novel therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s disease, including the potential of using current diabetes medications to delay or prevent dementia. The long-term goal of her research, 她说, is to aid in the discovery of new treatments with a focus on improved quality of life and patient safety.

“Interdisciplinary research collaborations enable us to expand our science to ask bigger, more integrated questions as we seek to find solutions to complex problems like treating dementia,” Houseknecht remarked. “I learned so much from the scientists in the neuropsychopharmacology team, it was fun to share my perspective as a diabetes researcher and drug discovery scientist. I’m hopeful this collaboration will be a long and productive one.”

Houseknecht is a pharmacologist whose research lies at the interface of neuroscience and endocrinology, focusing on understanding factors that regulate mood and metabolism, 包括糖尿病. A prominent biomedical researcher, she received her Ph.D. from Cornell University and completed post-doctoral training as an Endocrine Fellow at the Beth Israel Hospital at Harvard Medical School.

Established by Congress in 1946, the 富布赖特项目 是U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program, created to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and those of other countries.

The 富布赖特项目 is the oldest running program at the U.S. 国务院, Houseknecht joins the more than 400,000名学生, 学者, 老师, 艺术家, scientists chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential who, through the 富布赖特项目, have been given the opportunity to study, 教, 进行研究, 交流思想, contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Houseknecht spoke fondly of her time in Spain, where she lived in Madrid’s famed Puerta del Sol (“Gate of the Sun”) and immersed herself in Spanish daily life, with excursions reflecting the intersection of science and culture.

在她的旅途中, Houseknecht shared her research in presentations at universities and research institutes in Madrid and Granada. 而在后者中, Houseknecht celebrated the 10-year anniversary of an exchange program between the UNE College of Pharmacy and the College of Pharmacy at the University of Granada (UGR; Universidad de Granada).

The exchange program is designed to expose pharmacy students to the differences between European and United States health care policies and to raise awareness about the impact of culture on health care decisions and policy making. The program is part of UNE’s goal to graduate students who are competent global citizens with knowledge of the world’s cultures.

在格拉纳, Houseknecht met with the dean of UGR’s Pharmacy program and participated in a recruiting session for UGR pharmacy students. 

Other experiences included a diplomatic envoy to 丹吉尔、摩洛哥 (where UNE has a study abroad campus); where she immersed herself in the pageantry of Semana Santa (Easter) in Seville, an experience she called “a transformative moment.”

回家, she spoke about her role in engaging in citizen diplomacy, reflecting that her trip was about making connections and overcoming adversity. 

“One of the compelling aspects of the Fulbright program is that it is focused on the power of citizen diplomacy to build international understanding and, 最终, contribute to world peace,豪斯内克特说. 作为Fulbrighters, we are charged by the 国务院 to serve as citizen diplomats, to share our personal stories, to immerse ourselves in the local cultures in order to gain global perspective and to engage in conversations —  sometimes difficult conversations — about political and cultural differences in order to better solve shared problems. 

“The program is also designed for American 学者 to gain perspective on living and working in places where we may not speak the language and must learn a new way of interacting in the world,她补充道。. “I’m so honored, grateful, to have had this opportunity for service and personal growth.”

格温马洪, UNE provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, praised Houseknecht for her work and remarked that, though her Fulbright experience was not traditional, it should serve as an inspiration to all UNE faculty.

“Karen’s Fulbright experience underscores the immense value of international exchange in contributing to academia and developing noble global solutions,马洪说. “Her dedication to cross-cultural collaboration not only enhances UNE’s global presence but also serves as an inspiring model for faculty seeking to broaden their horizons and enrich scholarly pursuits.”