Dr. Yogendra Panta, Ph.D., P.E., and Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at WVU Tech, has been selected by the U.S. Department of State as a Fulbright Specialist.
As a Fulbright Specialist, Panta joins a network of academics and professionals recognized for their expertise. These scholars are invited to support short-term, high-impact projects at institutions abroad. Specialists work with host universities on specific needs, like curriculum development, faculty training, program assessment, or strategic academic initiatives.
Panta’s academic discipline as a Fulbright Specialist falls under Engineering Education, specializing in higher education administration and organizational learning, assessment techniques and standards in higher education, pedagogy, design in engineering education, and evaluation of engineering education programs.
Panta was previously selected as a Fulbright Scholar in 2022. A native of Nepal, he returned to his home country after many years in the United States to facilitate faculty development and training workshops and build sustainable partnerships in engineering education.
“This recognition builds naturally on my earlier Fulbright U.S. Scholar experience, where I worked with engineering institutions to promote effective teaching practices, active learning, and faculty development,” says Panta. “During that time, I led workshops, collaborated with faculty cohorts, and shared approaches related to teaching, mentoring, and early accreditation-focused practices. That experience was deeply collaborative and reaffirmed my commitment to global academic engagement grounded in mutual learning.”
As a Fulbright Specialist, Panta’s work will focus on supporting partner institutions abroad in areas where they seek targeted guidance, especially in strengthening higher education systems. This may include conducting workshops on outcomes-based education and assessment, mentoring faculty on curriculum design and continuous improvement, offering seminars on student-centered pedagogy, and advising academic leaders on building sustainable accreditation and quality assurance practices.
“Given my experience with ABET-aligned processes and faculty development, many of these engagements center on helping institutions develop practical, evidence-based systems that they can continue using long after the visit,” explains Panta.
“My previous international experience has taught me the value of listening first, adapting to institutional culture, and focusing on capacity-building that supports long-term impact,” he says.
“The global perspectives I gain through these collaborations directly inform my teaching, accreditation leadership, and faculty development efforts on campus. It strengthens WVU Tech’s global engagement and highlights Tech’s ongoing contributions in higher education, assessment, and continuous improvement,” says Panta.
“Serving as a Fulbright Specialist is both a professional honor and a service-oriented role. It allows me to continue contributing to higher education internationally while representing WVU Tech in meaningful academic partnerships.”