Idaho State University Prof. Receives Fulbright Scholar Award to Conduct Research in Finland

Recently, Alex Bolinger, Idaho Central Credit Union Endowed Professor of Management at ISU, was named a recipient of a Fulbright Scholar Award. Starting in January, Bolinger will spend five months at the University of Vaasa and “investigate how leaders in the energy sector in Finland address the global challenge of developing talent pipelines of future leaders in their organizations.” Bolinger will focus on how these organizations identify and advance future leaders, how their practices align with similar businesses in North America, and what future leaders consider beneficial for advancing their careers. He’ll interview current and prospective energy sector leaders, observe meetings, and more as part of the project. Bolinger plans to present his findings at a future Academy of Management Conference and publish a paper on his results. 

“One of the most interesting parts of recent discussions about the rise of AI is that rapidly changing technology will tend to accelerate the pace of career responsibilities,” said Bolinger. “In other words, leader development used to be reserved for the people in an organization who were identified as 'high potential.’ In the future, everyone will need leadership training and development if organizations want to stay agile and keep up with the pace of change.” 

While at the University of Vaasa, Bolinger will also lead a series of paper-development workshops to help his colleagues publish their research in more peer-reviewed journals. 

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected for a Fulbright,” said Bolinger. “I think about the faculty here at ISU who I grew up admiring, people like Art and Marcia Lloyd, who made wonderful connections around the world through their Fulbrights and brought the knowledge that they acquired back to serve students here in Idaho. I am indebted to my colleague and good friend, Dr. Kathy Lund Dean, who encouraged me to apply. I also want to thank our donors and alumni, whose financial support allows faculty like myself to travel to academic conferences, because otherwise we would not be able to make the connections necessary to cultivate these types of opportunities. I am grateful to everyone who has supported me and made this opportunity possible, including the administration and my colleagues here in the College of Business and across Idaho State University.”

“Dr. Alex Bolinger is brilliant, inquisitive, creative, and is constantly learning from the world around him,” said Greg Murphy, interim dean with ISU’s College of Business. “The insights he gathers will no doubt inform both his research and his teaching. We wish him the best and look forward to learning about his experience.”

The Fulbright Program was started “in 1946 in the aftermath of World War II through legislation introduced by the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, passed by the U.S. Congress, and signed into law by President Harry Truman.” Since then, “nearly 450,000 Fulbrighters from the United States and across the world have participated in the Fulbright Program.” 

For more information on the ISU’s management program, visit https://www.isu.edu/management/.