Dr. Suresh Pillai.

Dr. Suresh Pillai, Associate Department Head for Graduate Students and Director of the National Center for Electron Beam Research in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M University, has been selected as a Fulbright Specialist.

As part of this prestigious appointment, Dr. Pillai will partner with the Warsaw University of Technology and the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology in Poland to deliver a two-week program titled “Active Learning to Advance Environmental Technologies.” His visit, scheduled for November to December 2025, will include a series of technical lectures and interactive workshops focused on applying electron beam (eBeam) technology to pressing environmental challenges.

The program will emphasize active learning strategies to engage students and researchers in addressing issues such as waste management, water treatment, and the remediation of persistent pollutants like PFAS. Lecture topics will include:

• Principles and history of eBeam and ionizing radiation technologies
• Applications in drinking water safety, wastewater treatment, and pollutant remediation
• Waste valorization and energy recovery from agricultural and municipal streams
• Technology Commercialization

By incorporating teaching techniques such as “think-pair-share” and “concept mapping,” Dr. Pillai’s program aims to equip the next generation of environmental engineers with the practical skills needed to tackle global sustainability challenges.

This Fulbright initiative will also help strengthen long-term research collaborations between Texas A&M University, Polish academic institutions, and other international partners.

Dr. Pillai now joins the distinguished ranks of Fulbright alumni that include Nobel Laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and world leaders, furthering Texas A&M’s global impact in research, teaching, and innovation.