Social impact can encompass a wide range of ideas and projects that positively affect the communities we live in. We are delighted to showcase a Fulbright alumnus working on education policy and research projects that are contributing to a better world.
By Jordan Andress (Fulbright Intern, Summer 2025)
Domingos Fernandes – President of the National Educational Council | Full Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Policy at the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE) | Integrated Researcher at Center for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES)
Fulbright alumnus, Domingos Fernandes, began his PhD at Texas A&M University in 1986 with the support of a Fulbright grant. A former mathematics teacher, he had previously completed a degree in Mathematics (Educational Branch) at the University of Lisbon, and a Masters degree in Mathematics Education at Boston University. Following his dissertation advisor, he enrolled at Texas A&M, where he received a teaching assistantship. During this time, Domingos focused his research on how first-year university students approached mathematical problem solving, especially process problems, which cannot be solved through standard algorithms alone.
Domingos has served as a professor and researcher, an education advisor, and a vice minister of education for Portugal, before serving as the president of the National Educational Council (CNEDU), which he was elected by a majority of the Members in the Assembleia da República in 2022.
We interviewed Domingos about his experience as a Fulbright grantee and his time in the United States, and how it has impacted his life and his career in education.[1]
Can you describe your Fulbright experience?
I got some support from the Fulbright Program in 1986. I started in 1986 when I went for a PhD program at Texas A&M University. And I don’t remember the exact date, but I believe that I became in touch with the Fulbright Commission in Portugal in 1985. But the most important thing that I should underline is the fact that at that time, we in Portugal had very few opportunities to study abroad. And so, I did not get a full scholarship. But I got two important things for me at that time. One was health insurance. They paid for my health insurance, and they supported two [plane] tickets: [one] when I went to Texas A&M and the return ticket. That was extremely important for me, besides the way people treated me, and the support they provided, even when they just talked to me. I really owe that to the program, and I will never forget it. And it was, in fact, quite significant the support they provided.
What was the most impactful part of your Fulbright experience?
When I came back to Portugal, my life changed significantly as a professional, as a professor, and as a researcher. And that is, I believe, one of the purposes of the Fulbright Program. My relationships with researchers in the United States, for a period of about 15 to 20 years, was very strong. I went many times to the United States to participate in scientific and research meetings. I participated in, and because I started to have some leadership, I led some research programs here in Portugal. Within those programs, I could invite American researchers to come to Portugal to give papers, to participate in initiatives that we had at that time on mathematics and mathematics education research. I remember, for example, that we got some support from NATO to develop a huge, in terms of importance, meeting on research on mathematical problem solving. And of course, many of the people we invited were from the United States, because I got to know them over there. So that was really very nice.
Could you tell me what aspects of American culture left the strongest impression on you?
Well, there were several aspects. Of course, most of them are within the academic system. One thing that really impressed me was the diversity. The diversity and people being recognized by their abilities, their competencies, their knowledge. The recognition regardless of the places or countries people were coming from. That diversity was certainly a cultural aspect that impressed me. Also, the openness of most of the Americans I could relate with. They [in academia] were quite open to other points of view, and they were eager to understand what was going on in other places. People were not arrogant. I met people very, very, very highly qualified from different universities, from Stanford, from Chicago University, from Berkeley. I met a lot of professors from high-ranking universities, and I was just a kid – I was in my 30s and they treated me like I was their colleague. So, their humbleness also impressed me. There are many other things. I am one of those people who changed quite a lot because of living in the United States.
What advice would you offer to future Fulbrighters going to the United States?
You should be open to listening to how great American thinkers think about society, the world, learning, and education. I learned a lot listening to National Public Radio (NPR), and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS). I saw people like James Baker and Madeline Albright, from different ideological perspectives, but they could communicate the very nature of the United States. So, once you are in the United States, read, watch, and listen to those intellectuals, those thinkers. For example, you see three pictures behind me. Photography was one of the things that I discovered in the United States through Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, and other photographers. I learned a lot about art. You are in this country, see what’s going on. I knew about music before I got to the States – fantastic music – but I learned more about music when I was there. So, once you go to the United States, don’t just focus on your academic duties, but look at other things, because that is also important for your professional and personal growth.
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Though nearly 40 years have passed since his Fulbright grant, Domingos’ experience in the United States continues to leave a lasting impression on him. Just as Fulbright helped shape his academic, professional, and personal growth, Domingos has made a lasting mark on the Portuguese education system through his contributions on educational research, his development of program evaluations in education and assessment, and his leadership in shaping education policy. Thank you for sharing your story, Domingos! We appreciate your continued impact on education policy and research!
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About the Author:
Jordan Andress is a current Master in Public Affairs and Master in International Affairs dual-degree candidate at Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs in Bloomington, Indiana. Prior to graduate school, he served for five years as a public school teacher in Chandler, Arizona. He is currently a summer intern at the Fulbright Commission in Lisbon, through the Study in Portugal Network (SiPN) internship program, supporting the Commission’s work and operations through alumni outreach, co
[1] This interview, conducted over Zoom, has been edited for clarity, grammar, and flow while preserving the original intent of the speaker’s responses.