When Dr. Helda Pinzon-Perez traveled to Uruguay and Paraguay this past semester, she brought more than her expertise in health education – she brought a commitment to expanding research, creating meaningful contributions and fostering collaboration between the two South American countries and the Central Valley.
“I am just a venue to facilitate these wonderful opportunities for our university,” Pinzon-Perez said.
Pinzon-Perez, a professor in the Department of Public Health at Fresno State, was one of 20 faculty from the California State University system – and the only faculty member from Fresno State – to receive a 2025-26 Fulbright Scholar award.
The Fulbright Program is an international academic exchange program of more than 160 countries that aims to foster mutual understanding between people of the United States and other nations. Recipients spend time teaching or conducting research in a different country of their choice, broadening their global perspective, while creating valuable partnerships with international universities and communities.
As a longtime public health scholar and researcher, Pinzon-Perez has been committed to strengthening healthcare outcomes and opportunities in the Central Valley for more than 25 years. This commitment took her to Uruguay and Paraguay in spring 2026 – coinciding with her semester-long sabbatical.
Pinzon-Perez initially chose to teach in Uruguay as she was interested in learning about the country’s healthcare system. While there, she taught a course on migrant healthcare in the School of Medicine at the Universidad de la República. The planning and design of the course was a year-long collaborative effort with faculty from the university, who plan to create an e-book on migrant health.
A key goal of Pinzon-Perez’s Fulbright scholarship was to form academic collaborations between Fresno State and the Universidad de la República.
“These academic collaborations will allow for students in our university to participate in study-abroad courses in which they can learn about other healthcare systems and incorporate what they learn back home in the U.S.,” Pinzon-Perez said. “We hope to bring 10 to 14 Fresno State students to Uruguay next summer with support from the Division of Continuing and Global Education at Fresno State.”
Through her collaborative efforts, Pinzon-Perez coordinated and developed an international webinar, featuring speakers from the U.S., Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay. Each spoke about the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence within the healthcare landscape for their particular country.
While in Uruguay, Pinzon-Perez learned about the Fulbright Regional Travel Program, which allows current Fulbright scholars the opportunity to travel and collaborate with institutions in neighboring countries for up to 14 days. Wanting to expand on her teaching opportunities, she applied and was accepted to travel to neighboring Paraguay for two weeks.
There she presented at four different universities on topics ranging from AI, the role of public health in healthcare and the future of healthcare professionals. She also met with the vice minister of health to discuss ways for Fresno State to collaborate with the Ministry of Health in Paraguay on projects like an international webinar focused on tropical infectious diseases.
A seasoned Fulbright scholar, Pinzon-Perez previously received two Fulbright teaching and research awards in 2008 and 2016. Her 2008 work in the Dominican Republic focused on research exploring the link between diabetes and obesity, while her 2016 work took her to Peru, where she taught courses in health promotion, health policy and research methods.
As a three-time Fulbright recipient, Pinzon-Perez said the experience elevated her teaching and broadened her perspective as a public health educator.
“From a professional standpoint, I feel more academically and scientifically knowledgeable, which has allowed me to contribute more as an educator and researcher,” Pinzon-Perez said. “My understanding of healthcare and healthcare services has expanded overall. It has been an enriching experience.”
When she returns to Fresno State in the fall, Pinzon-Perez will continue her service on Fresno State’s Fulbright committee, where she reviews applications of graduate students who have applied for Fulbright scholarships. She also provides mentorship and presents regularly about her own Fulbright experiences. She said this is one way she can pay it forward.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to teach and collaborate with faculty members and scientists in Uruguay and Paraguay, particularly Dr. Alicia Alemán at the Universidad de la República, as well as Patty Vargas and the Fulbright team in Uruguay,” Pinzon-Perez said. “Working alongside these outstanding professionals and sharing knowledge has been an incredibly rewarding experience. This opportunity would not have been possible without the tremendous support of the Fulbright Commission, Fresno State’s Department of Public Health, and the College of Health and Human Services, to whom I extend my sincere gratitude.”
