The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a prestigious award that provides funding to study for a master’s degree, complete an independent research project, or teach English for up to a year outside the U.S. During their grant period, Fulbrighters meet, work, live with, and learn from the people of their host country.
RIT has a record six Fulbright U.S. Student awardees this year, following a record 30 applicants and 15 finalists.
RIT Awardees
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After spending a previous summer assisting on a research project led by RIT professor Tony Vodacek in the Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia, Joseph will return to Malaysia to work on a project analyzing aerial hyperspectral imagery to map species of trees. “The great thing about doing machine learning is it allows you to be a scientist and allows you to work with plenty of different people across all different types of fields,” says Joseph. “Being able to go to Malaysia with Dr. Vodacek directly formed the connections that led to this project.” Read more |
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Peyton will spend the next year as an English teaching assistant at a university in Kosovo. “With Kosovo’s recent history, it is a uniquely politically charged place where everyone is engaged in politics,” says Peyton. “I’m excited for what the university students will bring to my class, and to create an open dialogue to hear what they have to say about the conflict.” Read more |
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Emma will head to Paris and Neuilly-en-Sancerre, France, to study collections sourced from former French colonies at the National Museum of Natural History to build a new body of ceramic work inspired by the collections and traditional French craftsmanship. “This area of study is incredibly important. For me personally, my experience in a bi-cultural marriage with someone who is from a formerly colonized country gives me a unique perspective on the nuances around repatriation and cultural exchange,” says Emma. “Looking at how creatives can enhance and complement natural sciences and history collections can expand our minds in terms of what community interaction with these collections can look like.” Read more |
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Mikkael’s Fulbright award will fund a 10-month research experience in the BioIonic Currents Electromagnetic Pulsing Systems (BICEPS) Laboratory at the National University of Singapore. His research focuses on age-related neurodegeneration, which can be seen in Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other conditions. “One of the biggest reasons I wanted to work with this lab is that I would be the first person there to do this type of research on neuroprotection, and that I would have access to work with the lab’s patented technology. This lab established all of the processes for magnetically induced secretome production, so I’m going to use their methods to see if it can be applied to neuroprotection efforts,” says Mikkael. Read more |
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Izzy will head to Dubrovnik, Croatia to expand her previous time in Croatia where she delivered the Multispectral Imaging System for Historical Artifacts (MISHA) to The State Archives. RIT experts developed the MISHA system to uncover object details that aren’t visible to the naked eye. “I’m so honored to represent RIT in the Fulbright scholarship program,” says Izzy. “I always wanted to do something big with my life, but I never knew where to start. I think one of the most beautiful things about RIT is the staff, the faculty, and the students here all willing to help make big dreams become realities.” Read more |
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| RIT students interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program fellowship should contact Jenny Sullivan (jenny.sullivan@rit.edu), Director of Education Abroad & International Fellowships. |
Joseph Casale
Peyton D’Anthony
Emma Herz Thakur
Mikkael Lamoca
Izzy Moyer
Sarah Sabal