WashU welcomes global experts from academia, business, public policy, and creative fields to campus to develop ideas for joint projects and connect with our community. Distinguished Visiting Scholars can be nominated by a WashU departmental host at any time throughout the year. Funding covers travel, lodging, and activities at WashU.

Program Overview

The International Distinguished Visiting Scholars (DVS) Program brings field-leading scholars from around the world to campus for short visits of up to nine days. These visits enrich the diversity of perspectives at WashU and create new opportunities for global-to-local learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Scholars deliver public lectures, engage with students and faculty, and build relationships that seed lasting research collaborations.

Eligibility and Expectations

Visiting scholars are leading experts in their fields and may be of any nationality. Scholars come from a range of disciplines and may be leaders from academia, business, public policy, or creative fields. During their visit, scholars are expected to:

  • Give at least one public presentation
  • Engage with both faculty and students
  • Meet with WashU colleagues to explore project ideas and develop proposals that lay the groundwork for future collaboration

Hosting and Funding

Each scholar is hosted by a WashU school or academic department. The host department or school extends the invitation and coordinates all arrangements for a successful visit.

WashU Global, Office of the Provost provides up to $10,000 per visit to cover the scholar’s airfare, hotel accommodations, stipend, and official meals and events involving WashU faculty, students and staff.

Application Process

International scholars interested in this opportunity should first identify a WashU faculty member willing to serve as their host. The host then submits the application on the scholar’s behalf. Any WashU faculty member may nominate an eligible international scholar through the InfoReady Portal.

Nominate a Global Candidate

Each nomination should include:

  • Candidate and visit details: scholar’s name, title, field of specialization, home institution and country, prior WashU visit history, proposed visit dates (up to 9 days), and a description of proposed activities with faculty and students (lectures, workshops, classroom visits, collaborative projects, etc.)
  • Supporting documents: CV, a letter of support from a faculty member, dean, or department chair, and an itemized cost estimate covering stipend, airfare, hotel, and official meals/events ($10,000 max if visiting from overseas, $5,000 if already in the U.S.)
  • Host commitment: faculty and staff contact information for the hosting school/department, plus an acknowledgment that the nominating faculty member has discussed the visit with their chair or dean and confirmed departmental support.

This opportunity is supported by WashU Global, Office of the Provost. Questions about this program can be directed to global@wustl.edu.

2026-27 International Distinguished Visiting Scholars

Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, Professor of Clinical Anatomy and Biomedical Anthropology & Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja (Yakubu Guwon University), Nigeria
Parag Gogate, Professor, Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, India
Chunguang Wang, Distinguished Professor, School of Sociology and Political Science, Shanghai University, China
Célia Zolynski, Professor of Private Law, Paris 1 Sorbonne, France
Farhod Maksudov, Director of the National Center of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan

During his visit in Fall 2024, Dr. Oliver Ezechi, Director of Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, engaged with
faculty, students, and global health practitioners through five keynote presentations, small
group discussions, and 1:1 conversations, delivering insights on community-driven HIV and cancer prevention research in Nigeria.

Past International Distinguished Visiting Scholars

Since 2024, the International DVS program has hosted more than 20 leading scholars from 15 countries across five continents.

2025-26 International Distinguished Visiting Scholars
Elizabeth Bukusi, Senior Principal Clinical Research Scientist, Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
Uchechukwu Emmanuel Nwokwu, National Coordinator of the National Cancer Control Program, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Nigeria
Julio Rios Figueroa, Professor of Law and Political Science, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, Mexico
Jong-Hyun Ahn, Underwood Distinguished Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Yonsei University, South Korea
Muslim Khassenov, Associate Professor of Law, Maqsut Narikbayev University, Kazakhstan
David Tumusiime, Director, Makerere University Biological Field Station & Professor, Department of Environmental Management, Makerere University, Uganda
Alex Florindo, Associate Professor, Physical Activity Epidemiology, University of São Paulo, Brazil
2024-25 International Distinguished Visiting Scholars
Benjamin Koudou, Professor of Biology, Nangui Abrogoua University; Director of Research and Development, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Côte d’Ivoire
Pauline Byakika-Kibwika, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology & Chair, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Uganda
Changqing Chen, Chair and Professor, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, China
Oliver Ezechi, Director of Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos and Professor of Maternal, Reproductive and Child Health, Leads University, Ibadan, Nigeria
Mariela Noles Cotito, Professor of Political Science and Discrimination and Public Policy, Universidad del Pacífico, Lima; Peru
Gen Goto, Professor of Law, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Jaime Miranda, Professor & Head, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia
Kwasi Torpey, Professor of Family Health & Dean, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Ghana
Ana Gallego Cuinas, Professor, Department of Spanish Literature & Dean, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Granada, Spain
Sandra Ley Gutierrez, Distinguished Professor, School of Social Science and Government, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
Mayowa Owolabi, Professor of Neurology & Director, Center for Genomic and Precision Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria