University of Arizona professor Scott Saleska named Fulbright U.S. Scholar
Dr. Scott Saleska, professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona, has been selected as a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar for the 2027–2028 academic year.
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, administered by the Institute of International Education, offers competitive fellowships for scholars to teach and conduct research abroad. The Distinguished Scholar designation recognizes accomplished faculty whose work has made significant contributions to their fields and who are positioned to advance international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
At the University of Arizona, Saleska is an internationally recognized forest ecologist whose research focuses on the interactions between forests and climate, with a particular emphasis on tropical ecosystems. For more than two decades, he has collaborated with researchers in Brazil to better understand how Amazonian forests respond to environmental change, including drought, climate variability, and ecosystem disturbance.
Through his Fulbright award, Saleska will collaborate with colleagues at the University of São Paulo’s Ribeirão Preto campus and the Federal University of West-Pará, with research activities taking place in both the Atlantic Forest and Amazon regions of Brazil. His primary host is Professor Tomas Domingues at the University of São Paulo.
Dr. Scott Saleska.
Saleska’s project, titled “Remote Sensing of Forest Drought Vulnerability & Resilience to Advance Biodiversity Conservation in Iconic Brazilian Forests,” will develop and apply innovative remote sensing techniques to assess how forests respond to drought conditions across two of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots: the Amazon and Atlantic forests of Brazil. By combining satellite observations with on-the-ground measurements of tree hydraulic traits, the research team aims to create detailed maps identifying forest regions most vulnerable and most resilient to intensifying drought conditions.
The project builds upon more than 20 years of U.S.–Brazil collaboration in forest ecology and will establish new partnerships with researchers at both host institutions. In addition to advancing scientific understanding of forest responses to climate change, the initiative will support the training and mentorship of students in both countries, foster scientific exchange through seminars and workshops, and engage directly with Brazilian environmental agencies, including the Ministry of the Environment, ICMBio, and the National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
“I am particularly excited to be able to receive this award as the Earth is heading into another El Niño climate pattern,” said Saleska. “El Niño brings strong drought to the Central Amazon of Brazil, and the effect of drought on these iconic forests is precisely the problem we are studying. It is both a tremendous scientific opportunity and a tremendous concern that we are seeing so many strong droughts—this will be the fifth drought so far this century of what used to be called ‘once-in-a-century’ droughts. We hope to discover new insights into forest response to climate change.”
The findings generated through the project will also support conservation and policy efforts beyond Brazil. In the United States, results will be connected to biodiversity conservation initiatives through the U.S. Forest Service International Programs and the University of Arizona’s Lovejoy Center, helping ensure that knowledge gained through the international collaboration informs environmental stewardship in both countries.
To learn more about Dr. Saleska and his research efforts, click here.
Internal support is available for prospective Fulbright Scholar and Specialist applicants. For more information, please contact Danielle Barefoot, dbarefoot@arizona.edu, Associate for International Research Development and the University’s Fulbright Scholar Liaison.