WhattheFulbrightGave to MeandWhatCan I GiveBack

Assoc. Prof. Dr. TsankaDikova

Vice Dean, Faculty of Dental Medicine

Medical University of Varna

During 2011/2012 school year I was Fulbright senior scholar in Rice University, Houston. It is one of the high ranked universities in the USA and in the world as well. In 2010 it was ranked the first in Materials Science in the world. It is famous with investigation and application programs in the nanotechnology field. In 1985 the third polymorphic modification of carbon - “fullerene” was invented here and the research team took Nobel Prize. I worked on the project “Nanoengineered coatings on Ti implants” in the lab of prof. PulickelAjayan - one of the researchersdiscoveredcarbon nanotubes. It was great honor for me to workin the same university and in the same nanotechnology fieldas these great scientists. I have never believed that I will have ever chance to work in such conditions.

I could complete my project and till now I did 3 presentations in Bulgaria and Taiwan and 4 publications in scientific journals in Bulgaria, Ukraine and Journal of Advanced Materials Research. Four more papers are ahead. I updated my lectures on “Nanomaterials and nanotechnologies in medicine” and showed my students real nano-objects. I hope it will help them for better understanding of the diseases and their treatment.

My work as Fulbright senior scholarhad great impact on my scientific and professional development. After I returned home:

  • In June 2012 I took Golden badge of the Federation of Scientific-Technical Unions for high achievements in science and technologies.
  • In February 2013 I was chosen for a National expert in Materials Science and
  • SinceMay 2013 I am vice-dean of Dental Faculty at Medical University of Varna.

Fulbright grant gave me great opportunity for cultural exchange. I worked in the international group, consisted of students and PhD fellows from different countries – India, Hungary, China, Korea, Turkey, Kuwait, Brazil and USA. I had a chance not only to participate in different international events but also to collaborate with the staff of the Office of International Students and Scholars(OISS) in their organization. It gave me opportunity not only to learn more about different cultures, but also to promote Bulgarian history and culture by organizing “Martenitsa” class for international ladies and by publication about the old capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire- VelikoTarnovo in the web-site of Rice University. I was very warmly surprised when I saw the OISS office decorated with Bulgarian “martenitsa” on the 1st of March as wish for health and good luck to all international visitors. It was amazing!

The most powerfuland diverseimpressions about the lifein the USAandother countries I received during the Fulbright Visiting Scholar seminar in Birmingham, dedicated to the human rights. It made us, Fulbrighters from different countries, to realize that if we want our children to have a better life in the future, we have to fight now. And our fight will be successful only if we joint our efforts all over the world.

Before the Fulbright I didn’t know that the life style in Europe and in USA is so different and the life in America is mostly on the wheels of the car. But most of all I was interested in the education of BSc, MSc and PhD students, especially in medicine and in dental medicine, and in the organization of the work with international students and scholars as well. My experience in Rice in this area is very useful for me in my new position.

I was also interested in the life of Bulgarians in the USA. Thankfully to Fulbright I had a chance to visit many cities and places – LasVegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Detroit and Indianapolis. It was amazing when I even found relatives of our family moved to USA 90 years ago. The meeting was very exciting – nobody of us has ever believed that we will reestablish our relations. I always speak about this with tears in my eyes.

I have always stimulated my colleagues and students to participate in international exchange, because this is an opportunity to share the knowledge and experience with colleagues of different countries, a chance to know different culture, to meet different people, to feel different spirit and to live different life. I have already shared my experience and knowledge about the life, education and research in USA with my colleaguesand students. I shared my experience how to apply for Fulbright grant with my PhD students,my colleagues in Bulgaria and with my Chinese and Kuwaiti colleagues I worked with in Rice University.

I visited many countries till now and I have many friends in Japan, India, Malaysia, Russia, USA etc. I keep in touch with all my colleagues I have worked with abroad. So, I can be a bridge between Rice University and Medical University of Varna, or bridge between Houston Fulbrighters and Varna Fulbrighters, or simply bridge between USA and Bulgaria.