Coastal Carolina University associate professor of biology Douglas Van Hoewyk has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to do research at Ankara University in Turkey during the 2015-2016 academic year.

Van Hoewyk will be working on research evaluating the cellular mechanisms of Alyssum murale and Thlaspi caerulescens, rare Turkish plants that are able to accumulate a large amount of nickel that would be toxic to most plants. Turkey has the most abundant collection of these rare plants in the world. He will also explore developing closer relationships and exchange with Ankara University.

Van Hoewyk has been on the CCU faculty since 2008. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. After working at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and DeCode Genetics in Iceland, he earned a Ph.D. in botany from Colorado State University. His research applies genetics and molecular biology to study how plants respond to stress, survive in their natural habitat and can be manipulated to better serve society.

The biologist is one of approximately 1,100 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program in 2015-2016. He joins 16 other current CCU faculty and 8 retired CCU faculty who have also received Fulbright awards.

"Dr. Van Hoewyk's receipt of this prestigious award is indicative of the world-class faculty Coastal Carolina University has working with its students," said Darla Domke-Damonte, associate provost for global initiatives.

The announcement was made by the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is administered by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, a division of the Institute of International Education.

For more information on global initiatives at CCU, contact Domke-Damonte at 843-349-2129 or ddamonte@coastal.edu.