Fulbright Academy
Rating: 4.67 stars 12 12 reviews 1,953
Address:
PO Box 284 Cape Elizabeth ME 04107 USA
Mission:
The Fulbright Academy of Science & Technology (FAST) is an international organization established by alumni of the prestigious Fulbright Exchange Program and other members of the science and technology community. Since 2003, FAST has facilitated dialogue among scholars and created opportunities for alumni to share their knowledge and better serve society.
Results:
Conferences and programs on five continents during our first five years. Others value our work, as shown by in-kind contributions of $100,000-200,000/year from institutional partners.
Target demographics:
(1) The 300,000 Alumni of the Fulbright Exchange Program (2) The 6,000+ annual grantees (3) Institutions that employ or train/educate Fulbrighters (4) Institutions or Individuals that work with Fulbrighters
Direct beneficiaries per year:
500+ participants in our person-to-person activities and the 50+ institutional members of FAST
Geographic areas served:
Global
Programs:
FAST has two major programs: study committees and public education/networking events. The Study Committees are funded by outside entities or conducted in partnership with universities and research institutes, and they bring together an international group of experts to address a particular issue. The networking events include the Fulbright Forum, a smaller meeting that generally attracts scientists and professionals from a particular region, and the annual FAST Research Conference, which attracts a worldwide participation. FAST also produces a newsletter, which is distributed electronically to thousands of people around the world.
Photos
Filter Reviews by Role
Promote This Nonprofit
GreatNonprofits badges allow you to raise awareness of your favorite nonprofits on your own web sites!
GreatNonprofits
Donor & Volunteer Advisory
This organization's nonprofit status may be in question. You'll need to check recent news about this organization. For more information please visit https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/forwardToRevokeDownload.do
Disclaimer
GreatNonprofits, as an impartial aggregator of reviews, takes no position on allegations made or issues raised by third parties. However, donors and volunteers can read recent news about this organization and determine for themselves whether such information is relevant.
Reviews for Fulbright Academy
The Fulbright Academy of Science & Technology is closing/merging with the Fulbright Association in Washington. As an independent alumni group, we worked with alumni groups all around the world, and I hope that its innovative programming and mission will continue under the umbrella of the US association.
More Feedback
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Unlikely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Okay
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
2 people found this review helpful
I have found the Fulbright Academy of Science and Technology (FAST) to be an outstanding and valuable nonprofit organization. I find it particularly valuable in building national and international professional networks. I am a 3-time Fulbright Awardee having had awards in two different countries and parts of the world. Participation in the last four FAST meetings has allowed me to start, with Professor Baronies from Ecuador, the International Undergraduate Research Symposium (IURS) which is an activity of FAST. In addition participation in FAST has allowed me to expand the number of countries participating in IURS. The IURS brings undergraduates and their advisors together from around the world to share their research findings (both students and advisors make presentations) and interest. In addition to the presentations the symposium has two workshops, such as on preparing manuscripts for publication. Also students visit local science based industries so that they may see science in action. Thus, through the IURS FAST is developing the next generation of international researchers and potential Fulbrigh Scholars.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
• I've seen the results of this organization in... Bringing people together to form networks. • What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is... meeting and interacting with people from different parts of the world. • If this or
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
• My experience would have been better if... there were specific sessions for the hard sciences • If I had to make changes to this organization, I would… increase the number of returning participants
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
• I've seen the results of this organization in... Bringing people together to form networks. • What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is... meeting and interacting with people from different parts of the world. • If this or
Ways to make it better...
• My experience would have been better if... there were specific sessions for the hard sciences • If I had to make changes to this organization, I would… increase the number of returning participants
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
One thing I'd also say is that...
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every six months
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-1-01
2 people found this review helpful
I was a student grantee in the late 1980s and changed jobs several times in the 1990s. Each time I thought, "There must be Fulbrighters who would want to hire someone like me - a fellow Fulbrighter with international experience and a desire to improve the world." But it was hard to find them and hard to reach them. When advances in the internet made it possible for alumni to easily find and interact on a global scale, I volunteered to work on the creation of the Fulbright Academy of Science & Technology. We had a small group of alumni volunteers who had a similar vision, and we slowly built the organization. Today, FAST is leveraging the knowledge, abilities and connections of the Global Fulbright Alumni Community, with programs worldwide, and as the executive director I have the pleasure of interacting with thousands of alumni - and using the network to help many meet their personal and professional goals.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
my work with US Fulbrighters and alumni overseas. I have seen projects get $1 million+ in funding because of FAST. I have seen alumni sharing their unique knowledge and experience and seen organizations go in new directions because of that knowledge.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-8-01
6 people found this review helpful
Fulbright Academy is an amazing nonprofit doing genuine national and international SERVICE. As a professional bioethicist and 3-time former Fulbright awardee, who also serves on the Executive Board of my local Northern CA. Fulbright Alumni Association (5 years), I can attest that Fulbright Academy does yet more impressive REAL SERVICE in the USA and around the globe than other Fulbright alumni organizations more local and regional in their outreach. The expanded outreach of Fulbright Academy alone is amazing. I constantly marvel at what Executive Director Eric Howard & his team of supporters and volunteers are able to achieve with their tireless work and genuine creative and cutting edge concrete ideas implemented successfully for real service. Any donor funds are put to concrete and efficient and EFFECTIVE use. That's all Fulbright Academy needs to do yet more on very little. It is an extremely worthy charity and as a professional ethicist I give it my highest recommendation.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Most recently, Annual Meeting for 2010, Sustainability Conference, specifically The Global Health Forum, which was extremely useful in terms of networking and concrete service alike.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every month
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-5-01
6 people found this review helpful
This is an unusual organization devoted to technical analysis and problem-solving, drawing on the thousands of current and former Fulbright scholars and their hosts. This is a large, sophisticated, and significant talent pool that can bring experience and global perspective to issues both small (repairing a telescope in Morocco) and huge (global health). The value added is that FAST brings "Fulbrighters" together on basis of technical expertise and interests rather than country program, which had been the only basis for alumni groups previously.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Global health initiative
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
1) Raise endowment for sustainability 2) Create partnership networks so that programming and initiatives do not depend on a few interested individuals
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
diversity of points of view and intellectual stimulation.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
highly diverse in age and background and highly committed, usually passionate about potential for doing good by applying a particular technology or approach to problem solving.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
leverage networks of very bright and experienced people who would support each other in making serious change.
Ways to make it better...
there were more support staff to help manage initiatives.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
fund-raising and membership outreach, because although there are many Fulbright scholars they are not conveniently accessible in databases.
One thing I'd also say is that...
this Academy could be replicated for other broad disciplines (humanities, social sciences, etc.) with potential for interdisciplinary colaboration. It draws on an existing, well-qualified, vetted, experienced base and mobilizes this global talent pool.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every six months
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-6-01
6 people found this review helpful
Hello, In April 2010 the Institute for Sustainable Enterprise at Fairleigh Dickinson U. partnered with FAST to organize a Forum on Human Values and Sustainability. Along with Eric Howard, Ex. Director of FAST, I headed up the project team that organized and ran the Forum. Partnering with FAST enabled us to engage a greater array of advisors, speakers and participants to the one-day Forum. FAST, and Eric Howard in particular, were wonderful partners who were engaged in every aspect of the Forum. We had bi-weekly meetings over the six month planning period with about half of the 7 person project team calling in on Skype. The Forum was a great success--an in-depth dialogue across business, academia, government, and non-profits (people and issues). The Forum also prompted the project team to publish an article ("Human Values and Sustainability: Can Green Swim Upstream" in the journal, People and Strategy) and present an All-Academy Workshop on human values at the Academy of Management annual conference in Montreal in August. All of these activities were self funded. The point is that it was a highly collaborative and productive partnership. FAST not only does good works worldwide but its members live their commitments and values. In March of 2010 my wife, Rose, and I attended the FAST conference on Sustainability in San Francisco. It was an international gathering of diverse and caring participants. FAST is building a community that will continue to expand in service of worldwide needs. Dr. Daniel Twomey Professor of Management Director for International Partnerships Institute for Sustainable Enterprise Fairleigh Dickinson University
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Creating a partnership to promote human values and sustainability through a forum, a conference, a publication, website, and conference workshop.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every week
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-8-01
8 people found this review helpful
The Academy in unique in providing ways for former Fulbright scholars to communicate with their colleagues, seek expertise, look for human & financial resources and develop further the areas which originally earned them their Fulbright status, without any connection to or obligation to the U.S. Government or their own government.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Following my presentations, I have been asked to assist in individual projects by attendees from seven different countries. For example, I am helping Macedonia to develop a private American-style University.
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
contact with great minds from different countries and backgrounds
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
dedicated, overworked and enthusiastic
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
create a global leadership network, linking minds & ideas, people and skills, and needs & money.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every six months
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009-1-01
7 people found this review helpful
FAST is a great organization that facilitates collaboration among current and former Fulbright scholars who are interested in bettering the world through their gifts and skills. The group has done remarkable work connecting people who otherwise would not have met.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
attending networking events, making contacts with whom I will very likely collaborate in the near future.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every month
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-3-01
6 people found this review helpful
I was impressed not only by the number of scholars who comprise this organization but also by their sense of contribution to and caring for the larger community. Here is a repository of minds belonging to people who have deonstrated their intellectual abilities as well as their dedication to global concerns. My experiences with them confirmed this. Although they consist of a discrete body of individuals who have earned Fulbright scholarships, the organization is open to, and actively pursues, partnerships with the general public and other like-minded organizations.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
1. Co-sponsoring a day-long Forum on Human Values and Sustainability in April, 2010. 2. Attending its annual conference in San Francisco in March 2010
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
One time
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-4-01
5 people found this review helpful
FAST provides networking and collaborative learning opportunities among Fulbright scholars from diverse fields. Their conference in San Francisco 2010 was informative and valuable.
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
terms of their capacity to organize an international conference
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About every six months
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010-1-01
