Sayeed Mehmood, associate professor, School of Environment and Natural Resources in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, has been awarded a 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for “Enhancing the teaching of economics and policy in forestry and environmental sciences curricula.” From January – April 2026, Mehmood will be based at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences (IFESCU), University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
“This Fulbright project will involve a thorough review of undergraduate and graduate forestry and environmental science curricula of IFESCU with particular attention to economics and policy courses, revise course content and delivery, and develop strategies to enhance student learning of core concepts in these areas and their ability to apply these concepts to real life forest and environmental management scenarios,” said Mehmood.
As the oldest institution of higher education awarding forestry degrees in Bangladesh, IFESCU has been the standard bearer in design and delivery of undergraduate and graduate education in forestry and environmental Sciences in Bangladesh. Courses in the general area of social sciences, particularly in economics and policy, are of crucial importance within the forestry and environmental sciences curricula.
“These courses enable students to appreciate the relative values of the diverse array of ecosystem services provided by natural resources, gain a better understanding of human behavior as it pertains to the natural environment and the underlying incentive structure influencing those behavior, and make informed, evidence-based policy decisions governing the conservation, management, and use of natural resources,” noted Mehmood.
During the four months, Mehmood will review and suggest necessary revisions of the curricula in forestry and environmental science at IFESCU with particular attention to economics and policy courses. He will also review syllabi and course content of economics and policy courses taught at IFESCU and suggest necessary revisions. Mehmood will teach select modules of two courses and he will explore ways to enhance student learning of economics and policy and develop recommendations for incorporating them into IFESCU curricula.
“This Fulbright project is significant because it will provide technical assistance to IFESCU and provide me with valuable experience in teaching and curricular planning in a different part of the world. My experience abroad will benefit Ohio State by enriching our campus through the cultural exchange that I will gain from this project,” said Mehmood.
Fulbright
The Fulbright Scholar Program is administered by the Institute of International Education and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
For more information about the Fulbright Scholar Program contact Joanna Kukielka-Blaser. View a complete list of Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recipients.