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ME Student Katie Bezdjian Receives Fulbright Award

Mechanical engineering student Katie Bezdjian has received a Fulbright Award. As part of the award, she will spend a year abroad where she will be studying thermophotovoltaics alongside researchers at the Solar Energy Institute at the Technical University of Madrid in Spain.

The Fulbright program is an international educational exchange program designed to build relationships between people in the U.S. and around the world with the aim of solving global challenges. The program is funded through the U.S. Department of State and grant recipients are selected based on academic and professional achievement as well as a record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.

Katie Bezdjian

Bezdjian just completed her M.S. thesis, which focused on characterizing a high-temperature paint called Pyromark 2500, which is often used as a receiver coating in concentrated solar power systems. The paint can maximize the amount of solar energy absorbed by the receiver, which improves the efficiency of the entire solar power system. Her research involved both physical experiments and computer modeling to study the evolution of Pyromark’s radiative properties due to high-temperature exposure.

“I view renewable energy engineering as the perfect integration of my academic and personal interests,” said Bezdjian. “I’ve always gravitated toward thermal sciences, and I’m deeply passionate about nature conservation.”

Bezdjian’s Fulbright grant is focused on thermophotovoltaics (TPV), a type of solar energy technology. TPV devices include a heat source that emits thermal radiation toward photovoltaic cells, and then the photovoltaic cells generate electricity. TPV cells have the potential to reach high efficiencies—researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently developed TPV cells with efficiencies higher than 40%. Bezdjian will study a novel TPV device fabricated from germanium alongside researchers in Spain. Specifically, she will focus on modeling the TPV device and measuring the thermal conductivity of the device’s components. This is one piece of a larger three-year grant. Researchers in Spain have already begun work on aspects of the project and will continue to work after Bezdjian completes her time.

“I’m very excited about the collaboration aspect,” said Bezdjian, “as well as expanding my knowledge of solar energy technologies.”

Bezdjian is graduating this spring and will leave for Spain later this year.

“I want to thank all of the professors I’ve had the privilege of learning from during my time at the U,” said Bezdjian. “I wouldn’t have the knowledge or the capabilities to pursue this opportunity if it weren’t for them. I’d especially like to thank my master’s thesis advisor, Dr. Mathieu Francoeur, for introducing me to the PI I’ll be working with while in Spain and Dr. Sameer Rao for his support in my application. I feel fortunate to have such a wealth of support in this department.”

https://www.mech.utah.edu/me-student-katie-bezdjian-receives-fulbright-award/

Miguel Rodriguez awarded Fulbright Scholarship

This story originally appeared in @theU.

Miguel Rodriguez, postdoc research associate in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, is ready to pack his bags for travel. Rodriguez has received a Fulbright Scholarship to do research for a year at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.

“Being awarded a Fulbright means getting the opportunity to absorb another culture’s way of thinking, including how science is thought about and practiced,” said Rodriguez. “I will also get the chance to represent and share my Black Puerto Rican American culture with the people around me. I hope that my work abroad will lead to future post-Fulbright collaborations with the colleagues I’ll meet at the Weizmann.”

The Fulbright Program is one of several U.S. cultural exchange programs between the United States and other countries. The program was founded by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946 and is considered to be one of the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world. The Weizmann Institute is a public research university, established in 1934. It differs from other Israeli universities in that it offers only postgraduate degrees in the natural and exact sciences.

At the Weizmann, Rodriguez will be analyzing a nationally used online tool for science teachers called Personalized Teaching and Learning (PeTeL). For the first part of his research, Rodriguez will do a social network analysis (SNA) on the interactions between teachers using PeTeL to find patterns and how teachers connect with each other. In the second part, he will choose several teachers to interview and then conduct a follow up qualitative analysis. Doing this will strengthen interpretations of the SNA results and provide insight to those outcomes.

PHOTO CREDIT: Department of Physics & Astronomy
Miguel Rodriguez, postdoc research associate in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

Interest in PER

Rodriguez became interested in Physics Education Research (PER) while working on his graduate studies in physics at the University of Oklahoma (OU). He found he had become more interested in teaching than in his solid-state physics research. His then advisor, Bruno Uchoa told him about PER and encouraged him to apply to a PER doctoral program. After leaving OU with a master’s degree in physics, he was accepted at Florida International University (FIU), which is where he began studying PER under the guidance of Geoff Potvin, associate professor of physics at FIU’s STEM Transformation Institute. Rodriguez received his Ph.D. from FIU in 2020.

In graduate school, he received encouragement and support from many academic advisors, especially Dr. Potvin. He has also been encouraged by his current postdoc advisor, Dr. Ramón Barthelemy, assistant professor in the U’s Department of Physics & Astronomy. His friends and family also have provided support. “The biggest obstacle I had to overcome in my academic career was finishing my dissertation during the first two months of the COVID pandemic,” he said. “The uncertainty and worry that came because of the pandemic was tough, but I still managed to work around 80 hours each week during those two months, until I finished my dissertation.”

Research paper accepted in Physics Education Research

Rodriguez is the lead author, along with Ramón Barthelemy and Melinda McCormick, of a paper accepted by Physics Education Research. In the article, Critical race and feminist standpoint theories in physics education research: A historical review and potential applications, the authors reviewed two theoretical frameworks: critical race theory (CRT) and feminist standpoint theory (FST). The paper guides the reader through the historical context that developed each theory, presents core tenets and major ideas of the theories, along with external critiques and where they stand today. The goal of the paper is to help readers further understand CRT and FST—what their role is in education—and how they may be used in physics education research. Simultaneously, the article serves to broaden perspectives of fundamental societal problems, such as racism and sexism.

Future research

Rodriguez would like to continue his research in three different areas: the first is to continue to study how students learn science so that students can more effectively transfer science to everyday life. “I think it’s important that we determine, as science educators, how to better instruct our larger society,” he said. His second avenue of research involves critically assessing the experiences of underrepresented groups. “Even though much progress in civil rights has been made, there are still many gaps. I want to help make physics education more equitable,” said Rodriguez. Lastly, he wants to contribute to building the artificial intelligence systems that will enhance education, designing modules for students to express their representations of physics and, eventually, assess students’ assignments using machine-learning algorithms.

When Rodriguez isn’t doing research, he’s passionate about seeing the world and exploring new cultures. His goal is to travel to as many countries as possible—currently, he’s visited 24 countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He practices a martial art known as Wing Chun. He’s played drums since he was three and saxophone since age eleven. He likes to dance to different kinds of music and styles, such as salsa and tango, hip hop, and electronic. Newly married, he also loves to spend time with his wife.

TOP FULBRIGHT TIPS IN STARTING YOUR APPLICATION

When thinking about applying for a Fulbright award, here are some important tips to consider:

Choose a country strategically
List what you hope to gain from applying to a specific country, including your familiarity with the language, culture, and history of that country. Would you have more in common and knowledge about a different country? Also, focus on the number of awards available for each country and think critically about the competition and applicant pool for the countries that interest you.

Tell a story
One Fulbrighter suggests that you should think about crafting a story with your application:

“Many people will write a statement in a professional format, but the readers of these statements will be reading hundreds of applications with a similar format. Start off with a personal narrative that directly relates to your why, and I guarantee you that the statement will be much stronger and stand out among a pool of applicants.

“My personal narrative began with how I picked up a second language growing up due to linguistic barriers between my grandmother, who took care of me for many years while my parents were working. This tied back to my interest in applying for a Fulbright ETA grant to Portugal. Don’t be afraid to be a little vulnerable and a little personable in communicating why you would be the best fit.”

Read the Fulbright Act and use its language in your essays
Another former participant had a great suggestion for creating a compelling application:

“I personally highlighted important phrases from the Fulbright charter, the Fulbright website’s mission, as well as the post’s country profile. I made sure to incorporate this language into my story. This helps you stay focused on the purpose of this program and exchange experience.”

Ask for feedback
Successful applicants often seek out feedback from different people. You can seek assistance from the U’s Writing Center, your professors, and the director of the Fulbright Program.

As another Fulbrighter wrote, “the different perspectives helped me fine-tune my application and polish both my Personal Statement and Statement of Grant Purpose.”

Choose recommenders who know you
Think strategically about the choice of recommenders. For an ETA application, ask those who have supervised you when you have taught, tutored, or mentored others. You may also know someone who witnessed your ability to navigate through a different culture (Learning Abroad supervisor). For a Research and Study applications, the strongest letters are from your professors with whom you have taken classes or conducted research.

Just do it!
Finally, for those needing an extra push, a Fulbright ETA has this advice:

“The first and most important tip I have is to just do it. I was not going to apply for Fulbright because I thought I was not going to get it. I did not think I was going to get it until I got it. It is very easy to feel like you are not good enough; the application is lengthy, the wait time to hear back about your application is unbearable and doing all this on top of your normal obligations might seem insane; however, the experience is worth it. There is so much to learn by going abroad and through the opportunities the fellowship offers.”

If you want to talk about the Fulbright program, the various awards, and your own ideas about the application, please contact Prof. Howard Lehman, Director of the Fulbright Program at lehman@poli-sci.utah.edu.

Fulbright Celebrates 75 Years of Building Bridges

In 1945, as the world was reeling from the aftermath of World War II, James William Fulbright—a U.S. senator from Arkansas—proposed the creation of a program aimed at averting future nuclear wars. The concept was founded in Fulbright’s belief that connecting people from different countries would ultimately foster greater understanding and cooperation between their nations. Fulbright came to call this “converting nations into peoples.”

Seventy-five years later the Fulbright program has become the largest exchange program in history. The original spirit of reciprocity endures and is part of what makes the program unique. Eleven students arrived at the Salt Lake City campus in Fall 2021—the U’s largest incoming class of “Fulbrighters,” as participants call themselves— representing 10 different countries. The U also hosts four continuing Fulbrighters, along with three Fulbright alumni who have progressed to doctoral studies. In total, 14 countries are represented on campus.

What does it mean to be a “Fulbrighter?”

Students participate in the Fulbright Program in one of three ways: some serve as foreign language teaching assistantships in local schools, some students pursue graduate study, and other awardees work on research projects related to their destination country.

The program is “bilateral,” meaning that students come to the U.S. from other nations, and the U.S. State Department sends around 2,000 students out internationally each year. This year, eight U students were selected as Fulbright semi-finalists, and two received awards to represent the U.S. abroad. For the 2022 application cycle, 22 U students applied for a Fulbright award, the second largest number of applications on record.

Bringing the Fulbright Program to the U

“Every student fulfills certain obligations related to their program goals,” said Dr. Howard Lehman, professor, Political Science and director, Fulbright Academy at the U. “You do your work, but the larger philosophical goal is to get out of the lab, or classroom, and go to the grocery store, take trips, and really interact with those you meet. Every participant is a cultural ambassador.”

Lehman received three Fulbright Scholar awards of his own as a faculty member. It was when he returned to teach after his last fellowship that he realized the need for a larger Fulbright presence at the U.

“There had been a couple of students who had won awards, but there was really no coordinated promotion or support of the program. Today, I’m passionate about helping U students create winning applications,” said Lehman.

As a top-tier research university with international work at the heart of its mission, Lehman felt the U had more to contribute. In the seven years since he started a concerted effort promoting Fulbright, 27 students have received the sought-after award.

The Fulbright Way

Caitlin Silianoff

“It’s hard to track the many deep impacts that my Fulbright has had in all aspects of my life—it really feels like this experience molded my personal and professional worldviews. I spent a lot of time out of my comfort zone, which opened me up to exciting challenges and memorable experiences,” said Caitlin Silianoff of her experience. Silianoff was awarded a fellowship to teach English in Taiwan and graduated from the U in 2020 in International Studies.

“These students stand out,” said Kendra Taylor, Sponsored Student Coordinator for the office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Regardless of whether they are coming into the U.S. or going out to other countries, Fulbrighters have a reputation that can be summed up in one word — involved. “They are all heavily involved in the community–both on campus and at large. They are engaged on a whole other level.”

Fulbright Changes Lives

Joaquín Lopez-Huertas

“Fulbrighters are essentially curious,” said Lehman. There’s a feeling when you’re a part of the Fulbright program that you don’t want to waste a minute. Fulbrighters really try to embrace the moment; they tend to be busy every day exploring and learning. And, for many of these students, the experience is truly life-changing.”

The Fulbright Program operates in over 160 countries around the world, and many students are exposed to living conditions abroad that are vastly different than their home country through their fellowship.

“I realized that every day of my program at the University of Utah costs the same as the minimum monthly wage of an indigenous family living in extreme poverty in rural Guatemala,” said Joaquín Lopez-Huertas, a 2021 Fulbrighter at the U studying City & Metropolitan Planning. “This is a reminder that I received an opportunity in which I must do my best.”

Aziz Abuzayed

“Coming to Utah from occupied Gaza, this is not just a cultural and academic exchange opportunity,” said Political Science graduate student Aziz Abuzayed. “It is also another chance at a normal life, where I am not in constant fear for my life even if I just sit at home.”

Many students who complete a Fulbright at the U enjoy their time in Utah so much that they even chose to return for further study.”Students become major ambassadors for the University of Utah and they go back and tell their friends what a wonderful place it is,” said Taylor.

A Bright Future

At the beginning of the fall semester, the 2021 class of incoming Fulbrighters had the opportunity to meet each other at an outdoor potluck hosted by ISSS. It was a joyous celebration of international friendship made sweeter by the rarity of social interaction since the beginning of the pandemic. (Several awardees had to postpone their fellowships until travel restrictions were lifted.) Over shared dishes from their home countries, the group began to build the bridges Senator Fulbright envisioned over 75 years ago.

“The Fulbright Program’s mission is to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship,” said Fulbright when founding the program.

It’s a mission the U is proud to continue to play a part in.

How to apply

Students can explore opportunities through the U by visiting the Fulbright Academy website or by emailing Dr. Lehman.

New Chief Global Officer Named

Brian Gibson

University of Utah Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dan Reed announced Brian Gibson has been named the university’s new chief global officer.

Gibson, a noted leader of internationalization and global engagement efforts, joins the U after most recently serving as executive director of George Mason University’s Global Education Office. He will assume his new role July 1 and will be working both on campus and remotely until students return for the Fall semester.

“Brian Gibson joins the University of Utah at a moment of incredible global transition and change,” Reed said. “His expertise in building international education networks will be essential as the university strengthens its support for international students, learning abroad initiatives, and campuses and learning programs around the world.”

In five years at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, Gibson founded the university’s Global Education Office and oversaw global learning programs, which doubled in size during his tenure, growing from 900 to 1,700 students. He managed more than 200 global programs, launching the university’s first experiential learning program and developing its first travel safety and security system.

Before his time at George Mason, Gibson led Northeastern University’s Global Experience Office for two years. From 2012 to 2014, he was a visiting professor at City University of Hong Kong; and from 2006 to 2012, Gibson was Columbia University’s assistant dean for Comparative and International Programs. He served as acting branch chief for the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Office from 2004 to 2006.

At the U, Gibson will be responsible for leading the Office of Global Engagement, leading the planning and execution of strategic internationalization initiatives, including the Utah Asia Campus, where student enrollment has grown to more than 400 students studying in six undergraduate and two master’s degree programs. He will be a member of the Academic Affairs leadership team.

Gibson said his passion for global engagement started with a transformative experience in high school, when he was a foreign exchange student to Sweden.

“Our conversations must always start and end with students,” Gibson said. “I see global engagement at the center of this swirling mass of creativity, research, discovery and enrichment, where we broaden our diversity and align strengths between our international partners and our faculty and broader university community. Indeed, robust global engagement is a fundamental objective of the university and it is everyone’s job, not just the Office of Global Engagement.”

Gibson’s research focuses on African customary law. He earned a bachelor’s degree in International Economics and a J.D. in Comparative and International Law from Georgetown University, and a master’s degree from Columbia University. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam.

Gibson succeeds Chris Ireland, who is retiring after serving as the university’s chief global officer since 2018.

Two U Students Receive Fulbright Awards for 2021-2022

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.

EIGHT U STUDENTS NOMINATED AS SEMI-FINALISTS FOR FULBRIGHT AWARDS FOR 2021-22

The University of Utah is proud to announce that eight students have been nominated as Fulbright semi-finalists this year. This year’s list has six undergraduate students and two Ph.D. students, including four English Teaching Assistant semifinalists and four Research Grant semi-finalists. Countries include Vietnam, Cameroon, Germany, Turkey, Colombia, Taiwan, Mexico, and Hungary.

Making it to the semi-finalist round is a significant accomplishment in the Fulbright competition, and means that the applications have been forwarded by the Fulbright National Screening Committee to the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in the host country for final review. Finalists will be notified later this spring, with the timing of notifications varying by country.

University of Utah’s 2021-22 Fulbright semi-finalists are:

Devon Cantwell, Ph.D., Political Science / Fulbright Research Award to Vietnam
Devon will examine environmental justice in climate adaptation and mitigation planning in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in relationship to other cities in Southeast Asia and the national climate strategy in Vietnam.

Alessandra Cipriani-Detres, BA, International Studies and Minor in Spanish and Italian, Learning Abroad Peer Advisor / Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Colombia.

Ian Farkas, BA, Political Science, International Studies, and Middle East Studies with Turkish Language / Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Turkey.

Peter Johnston, BA, Political Science and minor in Spanish / English Teaching Assistantship Mexico.

Elissa Krebs, Ph.D., Violin Performance, Minor in Viola Pedagogy / Fulbright Research Grant to Germany.
Elissa’s project is to work with the distinguished scholars at the Max Reger Institute, and research and write her dissertation on the little-known solo violin music of Max Reger.

Caitlin Silianoff, BA, English and Political Science / Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan.

Elliott Sipple, BS, International Studies / Fulbright Research Grant to Hungary.
Elliott will explore the perceptions of the Hungarian people and their opinions on how U.S. foreign policy has impacted the respect for democratic institutions and the civil society in Hungary.

Celine Slam, BS, Chemistry / Fulbright Research Grant to Cameroon.
Celine will study what malaria parasite genetic factors contribute to asymptomatic malaria.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program currently awards approximately 1,900 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide.

The Fulbright Program at the U is sponsored by the Office for Global Engagement and the Graduate School. For more information, students can contact Prof. Howard Lehman, Director of the Fulbright Program lehman@poli-sci.utah.edu.

Three U Students Receive Fulbright Awards for 2020-21

Three 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 2019-20 academic year. Additionally, four students were designated as an Alternate.

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 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. Unfortunately, the exceptional circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on the number of available awards in foreign countries.

Fulbright Recipients

Caitlin Silianoff will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Taiwan. Caitlin will receive her BA in English and International Studies and a BS in Political Science with a minor in Chinese.

Rogelio Brambila will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Mexico. Rogelio will receive his B.S. in Anthropology and Biology, and a B.A. in Latin American Studies.

Brendan Darraugh, BA, German and Political Science, will use his grant to enter the Master’s Program in National and International Public Administration and Policy at the University of Potsdam, Germany.

Fulbright Alternates

Polly Llewellyn, BA, English, Fulbright Study Award to the United Kingdom. Polly would use the Fulbright grant to earn an MA degree in creative writing from Aberystwyth University.

Alex Son, BA, Political Science, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Cambodia.

Charlie Robinson, BA, Russian, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Russia.

For more information, please contact Howard Lehman at lehman@poli-sci.utah.edu

Three U students receive Fulbright awards for 2018-19

Three University of Utah students have been selected as finalists for the prestigious Fulbright scholarship.

Zoe Diener, Kevin Priest, and Daniel Ybarra have received a highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for the 2018-19 academic year.

Diener (MS, public health) will conduct research in public health in Namibia, Priest (MA, British and American literature) will be an English Teaching Assistant in Greece and Ybarra (BA, communication studies and Middle East studies) will be an English Teaching Assistant in Uzbekistan.

“Twenty-six students applied this year, which is a record for the U and a seven of them were chosen as semi-finalists, which is the most we’ve ever had,” said Howard Lehman, director the U’s Fulbright program. He says that the application process is lengthy involving short, but challenging essays. Successful applicants need a combination of academic achievements, language background, and relevant international experiences.

The other semi-finalists were Claire Taylor (environmental humanities), Tyler Huth (geology and geophysics), Avery Gardner (electrical engineering) and Analeigh Sanderson (modern dance).

Diener, Priest, and Ybarra are three of 1,900 U.S. citizens who will teach, conduct research and provide expertise abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.

The U.S. Fulbright program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build relations between people in the U.S. and the people of other countries that are needed to solve global challenges. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriate made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

Fulbright recipients address critical global challenges in all areas, while building relationships, knowledge and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States. Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in many fields, including 54 who have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 92 who have received Pulitzer Prizes and 33 who have served as a head of state or government.

The Fulbright Program at the U (https://fulbright.utah.edu/) is sponsored by the Office for Global Engagement and the Graduate School. For more information, students can contact Prof. Howard Lehman, director of the Fulbright Program (lehman@poli-sci.utah.edu).

Four University of Utah students receive prestigious Fulbright scholarships – Fulbright Recipients 2016

Students will travel across the globe to teach English, enter a MA program, and conduct research

Four University of Utah students have received highly competitive Fulbright awards for 2016. The prestigious awards will allow one undergraduate student to teach English in South Korea, one to teach English in Malaysia, another student to enter a Master’s program at a British university, and a graduate student to conduct research in Bulgaria and Romania. Each award is for one academic year.

The US Fulbright program was established in 1946 to create mutual understanding and support friendly and peaceful relations between people in the U.S. and other countries. The program provides grants for international exchange for students and scholars to study, teach and conduct research. It is the largest U.S. international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.

Jessica Chamorro

BA in Sociology, International Studies with a minor in Korean Studies

English Teaching Assistant, South Korea

“Beyond my academic Korean studies, I would like to further comprehend the social and cultural factors that contribute to youth development in South Korea by directly working in an elementary educational setting. I intend to obtain a Master’s degree in Education Policy and Management with the aim to advance multicultural education policies in U.S. educational institutions.”

Sabrina Dawson

BS in International Studies and BA in Political Science

English Teaching Assistant, Malaysia

“I chose Malaysia because I studied the Muslim world, and because resources are largely centered in Kuala Lumpur, directly impacting rural education. I speak French, Arabic, Spanish, and Hebrew, and have specialized in studying global Islam and foreign relations. I am passionate about building global partnerships and opportunities, and look forward to spreading this passion in Malaysia through my Fulbright ETA. When I return, I plan to enter the Foreign Service after attending law school.”

Matthew Kirkegaard

BA in Political Science and Environmental Studies with minors in Portuguese & Brazilian Studies

MSc. in Water Security and International Development from the University of East Anglia

“I am interested in water security and governance, particularly transboundary water politics. I spent last year studying in southern Brazil as a Boren Scholar with a focus on international water politics in the La Plata Basin and have worked on water security issues in rural Costa Rica and urbanizing India. I will research the effects of regional integration on water cooperation and conflict, collaborating with UEA’s Water Security Research Centre. I then hope to pursue a public service career in US environmental foreign policy or with multilateral organizations.“

Kate Mower

MA in History

Study/Grant Award to Bulgaria-Romania

“The project will take place in four ancient Thracian and Greek colonial cities: Philippopolis, Kablye, Callatis, and Histria. Modern archaeological museums at each city house the artifacts uncovered at the sites. I will create video presentations based on the geographic information for artifacts uncovered concerning the god Apollo. This project will give a literal picture of the geographic information that would otherwise be hard to evaluate. The research done during my Fulbright year will be the basis for my dissertation on Thracian and Greek identity through religion. I plan to use this experience as a platform for a career in academia, and to build contacts with those working in these two countries. I expect to expand interest and abilities of future students interested in digital archaeology.”

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