Cristina Cosma, Ph.D.

Professor Cristina Cosma joined Wentworth in October 2004. Her coursework in Construction Management primarily focuses on construction project scheduling and heavy construction. 

From August 1997 to April 1998, she was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of Florida where she conducted research on Total Quality Management, an approach that involves improving the management process and quality of a product by looking at every single step in the production process. 

According to Cosma, who is from Romania, the most rewarding part of her Fulbright journey was having the opportunity to live on a different continent, as well as learn and engage with a diverse group of people in a culture that was vastly different from her own. In addition to being surprised by the warmth and openness she received, Cosma was also impressed by the organization and efficiency she found within the entire university system. The faculty and staff took care of her and made her feel at home from day one, including the university’s international student office, which provided an in-depth orientation.  

“Everyone asked how they could help and what I needed,” says Cosma. “They gave me an office and a computer, and all the professors knew what they had to do. They were ready for me.” 

As a Fulbright Visiting Scholar, she met her future Ph.D. advisor, who encouraged her educational goals and funded her return to the U.S. as a graduate student.  

“One of the rewards and advantages of participating in the Fulbright Program is becoming lifetime members of a remarkable community of scholars that is recognized worldwide,” says Cosma. 

Cosma looks forward to establishing a successful collaboration of research with future Fulbright Scholars who share her vision of advancing society by improving the built environment.  

For students who are unsure about applying for a Fulbright, her message is simple. “Just do it! I promise you will have the time of your life.”