Praveen K. Chaudhry, professor of Social Sciences and Global Fashion Management, has been named a Fulbright Specialist by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. A political scientist and documentary photographer, Chaudhry has spent over a decade conducting visual ethnographic research across Kashmir, Tibet, and the Taurus Mountains in Türkiye. His work documents the profound changes migration and globalization have brought to these regions’ vanishing nomadic cultures.
Joining the Fulbright Specialist Program “is quite an honor,” says Daniel L. Benkendorf, chair of the Social Sciences Department. “It is in recognition of his specialized expertise on the nomads and weavers of Turkey, Kashmir, and the Tibetan Plateau, work that he has shared with the FIT community in many events and exhibitions over the years.”
Unlike traditional Fulbright grants, the Specialist Program focuses on short-term projects of two to six weeks. This allows accomplished professionals and academics, like Chaudhry, to make significant contributions to projects overseas, addressing shared challenges that benefit our world while maintaining their commitments at home. The program also helps Fulbright Specialists bring fresh perspectives and lasting connections to their professional networks and communities.
This appointment adds to a distinguished career: Chaudhry previously received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities and has authored numerous books and papers showcased globally. Now through April 30, his photograph Yamuna, Delhi, India is on display in the Fotomatter Collective group exhibition “Natural World” at Silverwood Park Gallery in Saint Anthony, Minnesota.