For his latest book about Mongolia, Jay Nathan, Ph.D., wrote a poem about the country that includes the line “Chinggis horses ride high under Mongolian blue sky.”
The Clarks Summit resident experienced the blue sky in Mongolia for himself in the fall when he received the Fulbright Specialist Award.
The award allowed Nathan, a tenured full professor at St. John’s University in New York City, to travel to Mongolia, where he delivered a lecture at the National University of Mongolia.
Nathan, who was born in India, learned he was selected July 21, arrived in the country Oct. 1 and stayed for 15 days, visiting Ulaanbaatar, the country’s capital, Erdenet and Darkhan.
His time in the country — situated between Russia and China — focused on how Mongolia can engage globally and how it can invest in infrastructure and modern technology. Nathan also attended conferences and gave out copies of his most recent book about the country, “Mongolia at the Crossroads, Global Engagement to Modernize Economy.”
One highlight of the trip for him was a technology innovation conference in Erdenet, where Nathan was invited to speak.
“The energy of the people, the conference and the quality of the presentation, how they were passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship and technology, all those three things, that really touched me greatly,” Nathan said. “That was a great experience.”
He said while the people of Mongolia are smart and have ambition and the nation, which has about 3 million people, has modern technology and a high literacy rate, it faces issues on the world stage because it is a landlocked, isolated country that is historically nomadic and the climate is cold most of the year.
“People are positive and they are welcoming,” he said. “We have a close connection politically, economically.”
Nathan said he has learned a lot about the Mongolian culture on his trip. He said the people he met in Mongolia appreciated his closeness with the country, especially on business development there.
“I completely immersed myself,” Nathan said.
Jay Nathan, Ph.D., poses for a photo after a lecture he gave in the fall at the National University of Mongolia. (Submitted)
Jay Nathan, Ph.D., poses with students, faculty and administrators at National University of Mongolia following his lecture at the university in the fall. (Submitted)
Jay Nathan, St. John’s University (SUBMITTED)
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Jay Nathan, Ph.D., poses for a photo after a lecture he gave in the fall at the National University of Mongolia. (Submitted)
The Fulbright program is an international exchange program sponsored by the federal government designed to build connections between people in the United States and other countries. Nathan was one of more than 400 U.S. citizens selected to share their expertise with host institutions abroad through the program.
It is not the first time Nathan, who was previously a tenured professor at the University of Scranton, has received the award. He previously received it twice, in 2008 and 2015, for projects in Mongolia and has been a Fulbright Scholar to Thailand, Poland, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Romania. Nathan’s work has taken him to nearly 20 countries.
George Aulisio, dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library at the University of Scranton, wasn’t surprised to learn Nathan was selected for the award. The library has hosted the Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series, which he endowed, for more than a decade.
“He’s a distinguished scholar whose work emphasizes global understanding, especially in regards to the economic development of countries and businesses,” Aulisio said. “It reflects a deep commitment to international perspectives and the value of cross-cultural dialogue, so in my mind he’s sort of the perfect candidate to be awarded a Fulbright (Scholar).”
He said Nathan has been a steadfast supporter of the university through the endowment, which Aulisio said allows the library to bring internationally recognized dignitaries and performers to the campus at no cost to the community.
“That’s always a nice treat for the university community, but also to the wider community,” Aulisio said.
Nathan plans to continue his relationships with people in Mongolia, and has invited faculty and students from the country to spend time in Pennsylvania and New York City this summer.
Although he has received the award before, Nathan is still humbled to be selected. He hopes to include his observations and experiences during his most recent time in Mongolia in either an updated version of his book or a new one.
“After 10 years, I’ve been blessed,” Nathan said. “I’m extremely, extremely grateful for the Fulbright Specialists Award.”