Grantee

Dr. Deepak Basyal is Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at Coastal Carolina University and holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from New Mexico State University. An award-winning educator, his teaching emphasizes project-based learning, open-ended mathematical problems, and technology to help students develop deeper conceptual understanding. His research interests include mathematics education, contemporary mathematics textbooks, and the history of mathematics.

As a Fulbright U.S. Scholar hosted by Kathmandu University School of Education, Dr. Basyal is spending five months teaching mathematics education courses and collaborating with faculty and teacher educators. Through his Fulbright work, he aims to exchange approaches to mathematics instruction and contribute to conceptually rich, student-centered mathematics teaching while building lasting professional connections between educators in Nepal and the United States.

Dr. Holly Wissler is an ethnomusicologist, documentary filmmaker, and Assistant Professor of Instruction at Texas State University whose work explores music, cultural heritage, grief, memory, and resilience. Her scholarship is grounded in more than two decades of collaborative research with communities in the Peruvian Andes and Amazon, particularly the Quechua community of Q’eros. Her work has included documentary filmmaking, the preservation and repatriation of audiovisual archives, and research on indigenous musical traditions.

As a Fulbright U.S. Scholar at Kathmandu University in spring 2027, Dr. Wissler will teach, conduct research, and collaborate on ethnomusicology curriculum development. Drawing on her long-standing connections to both the Andes and Himalayas, she will explore comparative perspectives on mountain musical traditions while engaging students and faculty through fieldwork, mentorship, and classroom teaching. Her Fulbright award also marks a return to Nepal, where she lived and worked from 1989 to 1994.

Dr. Ram N. Acharya is Professor of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business at New Mexico State University, where he has taught and conducted research for more than two decades. His expertise includes agricultural trade, food and agribusiness marketing, supply chains, sustainable agriculture, food security, and agricultural policy. Alongside his teaching and research, he holds leadership roles in several academic journals and professional associations and has received the NMSU Distinguished Teaching Award.

As a 2026–27 Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Nepal, Dr. Acharya is examining Nepal’s agricultural trade potential using a structural gravity approach. His project draws on his extensive experience in agricultural economics to explore opportunities and constraints affecting Nepal’s agricultural trade while strengthening collaboration with Nepali researchers and institutions. Through research, teaching, and mentorship, he aims to contribute to greater research capacity and evidence-based discussion around agriculture, trade, and food systems.

Dr. Krishna Bista is Professor of Higher Education at Morgan State University in Maryland and an internationally recognized scholar of international education and technology in higher education. He has published more than 150 academic papers, essays, and book chapters and edited more than three dozen books and journal volumes addressing international student mobility, doctoral education, online learning, and the internationalization of higher education. He is also the founding series editor of the Routledge Global Student Mobility Book Series.

A previous Fulbright Specialist to Australia and Greece, Dr. Bista has extensive experience developing international research partnerships, strengthening academic writing and publication, and supporting faculty research capacity. His Fulbright engagement builds on this work by fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and stronger connections between higher education communities in Nepal and the United States.

Dr. Jill Baumgartner is an environmental epidemiologist whose research examines the health impacts of air pollution, extreme heat, and changing urban environments. Her work combines environmental monitoring with epidemiologic research to understand how environmental risks affect different communities and to identify practical and equitable approaches to improving population health.

As a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, Dr. Baumgartner is advancing interdisciplinary research and collaboration around environmental health challenges. Working with researchers, policymakers, and local partners, her Fulbright engagement emphasizes locally grounded and policy-relevant approaches while also supporting mentorship and research capacity among students and early-career researchers in Nepal.