Recounting the Fulbright Year Abroad: Slawomir Hermanowicz

Slawomir Hermanowicz

In 2008, I had the pleasure of being the first Fulbright BOKU Distinguished Chair in Sustainability at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences at the University of Agriculture in Vienna.

This year I was invited to be a guest professor at the University of Agriculture and to give a similar course, although in a much shorter time (one month). Our current visit is about to end and we are really sorry to leave especially since we became very good friends with many people here including my academic host, Professor Raimund Haberl.

I am going to continue research collaboration that we started with his group.  I was interested in the Fulbright Program for a long time as it offers a great opportunity for international collaboration and I am very proud on being the holder of the Distinguished Chair in the area that matches my research interests.

My wife and I had a great time seeing various parts of Austria and meeting many people. We enjoyed their hospitality.  Professionally, the highlight of my Fulbright visit was a public lecture at the University with the introduction by the Rektor Professor Martin Gerzabek. It was a memorable experience to talk about water to more than a hundred people under the portrait of Kaiser Franz Josef. I hope to come back soon to Vienna.

Slawomir Hermanowicz
UC Berkeley (2008-2009)