Two Florida Atlantic University professors within the College of Business were named Fulbright U.S. Scholars for tourism and family firm research.

Two Florida Atlantic University professors within the College of Business were named Fulbright U.S. Scholars for tourism and family firm research.

Roland Kidwell, Ph.D., DeSantis Distinguished Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship, and Anil Bilgihan, Ph.D., associate professor, were designated Fulbright scholars for the 2023-24 academic year.

“The Fulbright Scholars program helps us to connect with universities and individuals in other countries to learn about what they do and how they do it, as well as for us to be able to present ourselves and the research we do at Florida Atlantic University,” Kidwell said.

Kidwell’s research with Hasselt University in Belgium focused on the impact of deviance and dysfunction on family firms and how a family develops can affect the levels of negative behavior in family firms, pulling together over a decade of case studies for a book to be published this year.

Bilgihan is working with the University of La Laguna for the spring semester to study sustainable tourism development for the largest Canary Island, Tenerife, as the island currently lacks the adequate infrastructure to deal with the influx of tourists coming each year.

“This project is looking at various technological integrations and exploring ways to make this a reality,” Bilgihan said.

Other Fulbright alumni from FAU’s College of Business include Siri Terjesen, Ph.D., a professor and associate dean; P. Sergius Koku, Ph.D., marketing professor; and Georgi Smatrakalev, Ph.D., accounting instructor.

Established in 1946, Fulbright is an international education and cultural exchange program from the U.S. government. Since its start, more than 390,000 students, scholars and teachers have had the opportunity to exchange ideas, help find solutions to international issues and conduct research.

“We are pleased that two more of our College of Business faculty have become Fulbright scholars,” said Daniel Gropper, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Business. “Drs. Kidwell and Bilgihan are internationally recognized for their research, and we are proud of what they are accomplishing.”

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