Kansas State University

MANHATTAN — This year Kansas State University will host two Fulbright scholars from Australia as part of the university's Australia initiative.

Anthony Maeder, professor of health informatics at the University of Western Sydney, is the 2015 Fulbright distinguished chair in agriculture and life science, and Scott Chapman, crop physiologist at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, or CSIRO, and the University of Queensland, is the 2015 Fulbright senior scholar.

Kansas State University was the first U.S. education institutional partner of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission. As part of the partnership, the university provides annual funding for two Australian researchers to live and work in Manhattan for six months while collaborating with Kansas State University researchers.

"International scientific collaboration is a key aspect of Kansas State University becoming a Top 50 public research university by 2025," said Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz. "Our partnership with Australian universities provides some wonderful opportunities that help us achieve these benchmarks."

Maeder studies methods to promote healthy lifestyles in children and adolescents through the use of mobile devices. He will work with Richard Rosenkranz, associate professor of human nutrition, to develop mobile applications that will support physical activity and nutrition programs.

"I am looking forward to working with Dr. Ric Rosenkranz and his colleagues to blend my information and communications technology interests with his health sciences expertise," Maeder said. "We are hoping this will lead to some significant multidisciplinary research outcomes in the emerging area of health informatics."

Chapman will research wheat plant growth in response to field stress conditions. He will collaborate with Feed the Future Innovation Lab directors Jesse Poland, assistant professor of plant pathology, and Vara Prasad, professor of agronomy, as well as Steve Welch, professor of agronomy, to understand how the region's rainfall affects wheat and sorghum production and how plant breeding can be used to improve adaptation to drought and heat.

"The researchers I will work with at Kansas State University will provide new connections for Australian researchers in crop science, especially in understanding which crop plants traits help them adapt to heat and drought," Chapman said.