Dr. Joseph Lema, assistant professor of Hospitality Management, was selected for a Faculty Fulbright Award to the Republic of the Maldives. Located along the equator in the Indian Ocean, just south of Sri Lanka, the Maldives is composed of more than 1,190 islands with thousands of coral reefs. More than 90 of the islands of the Maldives are being developed as tourism destinations, home to some of the most luxurious and exotic resorts in the world. As a result, the Maldives face the pressing issues of sustainability.
During his time in the islands, Lema will work in cooperation with the Maldives College of Higher Education, the Ministry of Human Resources, the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, and various stakeholders in the resort industry.
"The Maldives offers great opportunities in bottom-up approaches to hospitality workforce development and sustainable tourism initiatives in the region, including Sri Lanka," Lema says.
The Fulbright grant is made possible by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, a presidentially-appointed 12-member board responsible for establishing worldwide policies for the Fulbright program and selection of grant recipients. Through funds appropriated by the U.S. Congress, partner countries, and the private sector, the purpose of the Fulbright program is to increase mutual understanding and to enrich the educational, political, economic, social, and cultural lives of countries around the world. Overseeing the operations of the Fulbright program is the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State with people from more than 150 participating countries.