Fulbright Picks Two With WesternU Ties

POMONA, CA--(Marketwire - April 1, 2009) - Dr. Beatrice Saviola, associate professor of microbiology at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, and Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis, a WesternU Board of Trustees member since 2004, have been selected for the Fulbright Scholar Program for 2009-10.

The traditional Fulbright Scholar Program sends about 800 U.S. faculty and professionals annually to 140 countries to lecture and conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields.

"I am very honored, as an American Judge, to join in the Fulbright mission of developing international understanding, open communications and long-term cooperative relationships," said Judge Duffy-Lewis, "As a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court, the world's single largest bench, where the world intersects in business, law and education, I hope to bring experience from the California courts and American friendship to Bulgaria."

Judge Duffy-Lewis will be teaching at Sophia University, School of Law in Bulgaria during the upcoming fall semester. Her curriculum will include "The Application of Criminal and Civil Law in the Trial Courtroom." She will also be assisting the Bulgarian courts and legal societies in the implementation of a mediation program.

Bulgaria has recently gained membership in the European Union (EU) and has increasing international business and legal issues derived from its worldwide interaction.

"To address some of the issues, I will be assisting in putting together a program on electronic discovery and how it impacts business and lawsuit preparations," said Judge Duffy-Lewis.

Dr. Saviola, a College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific professor and researcher, will be travelling to Rosario, Argentina, to perform research with Dr. Ricardo Morbidoni at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, where she will investigate stress responses in mycobacteria and teach a graduate course on mycobacterial genetics.

"I feel honored to be selected and excited to go to Argentina," said Dr. Saviola. "I look forward to interacting with my host institution."

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsors the Fulbright Program. Under a cooperative agreement with the bureau, the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) assists in the administration of the Fulbright Scholar Program for faculty and professionals, according to its website, http://www.cies.org/.

"To achieve a Fulbright is indeed a high honor for the recipient, while at the same time it brings credit to the University," said Dr. Philip Pumerantz, president of WesternU. "We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of Judge Duffy-Lewis, who is a member of our Board of Trustees, and of Professor Saviola, a member of the COMP faculty."

About Western University of Health Sciences

Western University of Health Sciences (www.westernu.edu), located in Pomona, Calif., is an independent nonprofit health professions university, conferring degrees in health sciences, nursing, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies and veterinary medicine. In August 2009, the university will admit students to new degree programs in dentistry, optometry, podiatry and biomedical sciences.