UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Amir Sheikhi, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Penn State, received an inaugural Institute of International Education’s (IEE) Global Research Fellowship. The fellowships are jointly awarded by the University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR) in Brazil and the IEE to five faculty members from universities across the Unites States and Canada.
“Science has no borders,” Sheikhi said. “The linkages with UNIFOR will enable my research program to have a more global impact and leverage collaboration with highly passionate scientists from Brazil. My lab will always welcome high-caliber researchers from across the world.”
The IIE focuses on the international exchange of people and ideas through programs of study, research and training for students, educators and professionals. The fellowship will facilitate collaborative research projects between UNIFOR and Sheikhi’s lab at both UNIFOR and Penn State.
Sheikhi’s lab researches micro- and nanoengineering soft materials for health care and environmental uses. He will collaborate with the Experimental Biology Centre at UNIFOR to develop next-generation microengineered biomaterials to accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissues.
“The body often does an amazing job of healing wounds,” Sheikhi said. “However, when the injury is critical, such as a gunshot wound or a severe burn, the rate of healing is significantly slower. I will work with researchers at UNIFOR to engineer biocompatible soft materials that can promote the healing process by mimicking the properties of native tissues and involving the right types of cells.”
As part of the fellowship, Sheikhi presented last August at the UNIFOR event, “Our Connection to the World.” This event featured program fellows sharing their research with the business, academic and government communities.
While receiving the fellowship was a personal honor, Sheikhi said he was more excited about the possibilities it offers for Penn State and the Department of Chemical Engineering.
“International collaboration is an essential part of research,” Sheikhi said. “Being selected as an inaugural Global Research Fellow by the Institute of International Education and UNIFOR will provide an invaluable opportunity for me to globally represent Penn State and my department and to establish a world-renowned research program.”