FAMU professor named Fulbright U.S. Scholar, will research AI in psychology at Czech University. June 18, 2026 By Heather Johnson TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida A&M University (FAMU) psychology professor Huijun Li, Ph.D., has been named a 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Scholar, one of the most competitive and prestigious academic exchange designations in the United States. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program sends American faculty, researchers and professionals abroad each year to lecture and conduct research at host institutions in more than 130 countries. Li received the award in April, and she will travel to the Czech Republic in January 2027 for a seven-month appointment at Palacky University (UP), where she will conduct research and teach on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into psychological education and research. "I was very excited, and it's unbelievable because I know it is very competitive," Li said. "I'm looking forward to the cultural exchange, and I will be happy to share what I will learn with my students and colleagues." The project will center on an AI-powered app that includes mindfulness exercises and activities designed to help users recognize and constructively manage stress. Li said the timing aligns with the Czech Republic's national strategic plan, which calls for using AI to improve quality of life through 2030. "I really caught that point that this country is prioritizing AI in improving people's lives," she said. Li is a professor for FAMU's College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities (CSSAH) Department of Psychology and assistant director of the University's Center for Ethnic Psychological Research and Application. Her research focuses on youth mental health disparities within underserved populations, including mobile health technology, beliefs about the causes of mental illness, stigma, and barriers to care Since joining FAMU, she has secured more than $7 million in federal and foundation research grants and has authored or co-authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, books, book chapters and translated works. Li said the breadth of her output reflects the strength of her collaborative networks. "It's not only me doing all of these things," she said. "There are different research teams who work together, and we have become very productive." Her scholarship includes editing the 2019 volume "Handbook of Attenuated Psychosis Syndromes Across Cultures: International Perspectives on Early Identification and Intervention," published by Springer. The book draws on research from clinical programs across multiple countries to advance early identification and intervention for youth at risk for psychotic disorders. Her most recent funding award, a $399,971 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), launched in September 2025 and supports Boldly RISE, a student retention and wellness initiative at FAMU. The three-year project examines how social connectedness and behavioral health shape academic outcomes for first-year college students and is designed to inform retention strategies at institutions nationwide. Before joining FAMU, Li served as director of multicultural research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. Li earned a doctorate in school psychology from the University of Arizona in 2003. She also holds an undergraduate degree in English and a graduate degree in applied linguistics, both earned in China. She served on the editorial boards of the Asian Journal of Psychiatry and Psychology in the Schools. Li was named FAMU's Emerging Researcher of the Year in 2014 and Distinguished Researcher in the non-STEM category in 2024.

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