Dr. Savithiry Natarajan, Research Molecular Biologist, at the Soybean Genomics and Improvement Laboratory in Beltsville, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received a prestigious Fulbright Senior Specialist Grant Award. This award is administered by J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB) and the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) program, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the Department of State. This award is in recognition of Dr. Natarajan’s research accomplishments in the evaluation of the quality and safety of genetically modified soybeans using proteomics. Under this award, Dr. Natarajan spent two weeks in Egypt and conducted workshops in the area of proteomics at Fayoum University for faculty and research scholars from across the Middle East. In addition, Dr. Natarajan visited Cairo University and MISR University in Egypt and held high level discussions with the President and Vice Dean of the respective Universities to establish US-Egyptian science and technology collaboration. This would allow research students and faculty members to pursue exchange programs and actively engage in scientific research collaborations.

Dr. Natarajan has authored more than 85 research publications, obtained 4 U.S. patents, wrote 5 book chapters, delivered 40 invited talks, and presented 52 oral presentations all over the world including the Brazil, Egypt, France, India and China. Dr. Natarajan is a recipient of several honors and prestigious awards including the “Best Scientist of the year award” from the Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley organized by MIBRT in 2008 and the USDA Administrator’s Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity (ODEO) Awards in 2009 and 2010. She has a Ph.D. in Bioscience and two Masters Degrees in Biology.