Two University of Utah students have received highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for the 2021-2022 academic year. Additionally, one student is designated as an Alternate.
Devon Cantwell
Devon Cantwell is a Ph.D. student in Political Science. She received a Fulbright Research Award to conduct research in Vietnam. She will examine how cities address human security issues (e.g. the needs of individuals including food, water, and shelter). To advance scholarship in this area, Devon’s research uses the case study of Ho Chi Minh City to explore three key questions: (1) What role do cities play in global climate change governance? (2) Do cities influence how state actors craft and enact climate action plans? (3) How do cities diffuse policy to national and international levels of governance? Understanding Vietnam’s climate change would contribute to broader impacts in climate change governance literature significantly by helping to explain Global South pathways for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Celine Slam
Celine Slam received a BS in Chemistry. She received a Fulbright Research award to conduct research in Cameroon. The title of her project is “Defining Parasite Genetic Factors Contributing to Asymptomatic Malaria.” Celine will identify asymptomatic cases, sequence the DNA and characterize the growth of parasites causing these asymptomatic infections to see genetic mutations, like drug-resistance mutations, are being carried by individuals with asymptomatic malaria. This study will establish if asymptomatic cases are a reservoir for drug-resistant parasites in Cameroon.
Ian Farkas
Ian Farkas, BA, Political Science and Middle East Studies with an Emphasis in Turkish was selected as an Alternate for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Turkey.
The flagship international educational exchange program is designed to build relationships between people in the U.S. and in other countries with the aim of solving global challenges. It is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. At the U, the Fulbright Program is directed by Dr. Howard Lehman and is sponsored by the Office for Global Engagement and the Graduate School.
Grant recipients are selected based on academic and professional achievement as well as a record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.
For more information on the University of Utah’s Fulbright Program, please contact Prof. Howard Lehman at lehman@poli-sci.utah.edu.