The Fulbright Program

Moments from the award-winning documentary "Elephants in the Coffee" 🎥 🐘 ☕ Co-directed by Bhaskar Krishnamurthy, 2018 #Fulbright Specialist to India, the documentary examines the ongoing conflict between endangered Asian elephants and coffee farmers in southern India as they co-exist in agricultural areas. Krishnamurthy shares, "I have been passionate about elephants since childhood...I was interested to understand the human elephant conflict on a personal level, more so in a country that has deep reverence to elephant headed god, Ganesha," the Hindu god of beginnings. Krishnamurthy founded Clic Abroad Foundation, a 501(c)3 which provides cultural exchange opportunities for high school and graduate students in the U.S. to connect with India. The documentary was produced through five years of travel with students and his Fulbright, showcasing his sustained partnership and direct outreach with local teachers and students. Watch the full documentary on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3WD8ReA Fulbright Commission in India World Learning

For Fulbright alum Dr. William Tan, any challenge represents an opportunity, not an obstacle. A physician, record-breaking Paralympian, author, motivational speaker, and cancer survivor, his extraordinary life is a testament to the power of perseverance and helping others. After completing a master’s degree in physiology as a #Fulbright Foreign Student from Singapore at Harvard University, Dr. Tan: 🏅 Raised over $18 million in charitable funds through marathons, ultra-marathons, and other competition 🏅 Completed the World Marathon Challenge: 7 Marathon on 7 Continents in 7 Days 🏅 Became the first person in a wheelchair to complete a marathon at the North Pole in 21 hours and 10 minutes, in temperatures as cold as -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 degrees Celsius). Hear more of his inspiring story: https://lnkd.in/eaD-BEUt

How can educational technology provide learners with the "key to making a real impact" within our rapidly changing world? Aigerim Khafizova, #Fulbright alum from Kazakhstan and EdTech consultant, shares: "The past decade in EdTech has shown me the importance of being adaptable and focusing on the needs of learners. I've seen how technology can transform education when it meets the evolving needs of both students and teachers. My working experience in the developing world has highlighted the crucial role of technology in bridging educational gaps. The pandemic underscored the need for flexible and resilient solutions. With the challenges of climate change and the rise of AI, it's vital to ensure no one is left behind in the global workforce." Aigerim Khafizova is currently a consultant on the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) joint initiative, and recently founded her second education company called Synterium. She credits her Fulbright as a "turning point" in her career, as interning in the Silicon Valley with EdTech companies gave her "the foundational knowledge and global perspective to see the boundless potential of integrating education with technology." 📸 1. Headshot of Khafizova 2-3. Khafizova with fellow Fulbrighters during her Fulbright 4. Khafizova with the Edgravity Online University team, the first EdTech startup she founded 5. Khafizova attends the Fulbright Program's 75th Anniversary #Innovation #EducationTechnology #EdTech #FemaleFounder

Join Jacob Ligorria, #Fulbright-National Geographic Award Recipient to Poland, for a Q&A! ⬇️ Jacob is investigating what adult seabirds called dovekies, or “little auks,” in the Arctic are feeding their chicks. By tracing where dovekies forage, his research will help clarify how climate change is influencing the entire Arctic food web. Ligorria will archive and analyze collected data, write a manuscript for a scientific paper, and publish weekly blog posts to communicate his research in the Arctic to inform research-based conservation programs and the public. ❓How has Fulbright shaped your career path or understanding of the world? "My time as a Fulbrighter has helped emphasize the importance of community both in my career and personal life. Fulbright has afforded me numerous opportunities to share my scientific research beyond the scientific community, often times with elementary school students. I have even received grants to conduct hands-on activities about ecology with students across Poland. These events were really rewarding for me, as I could see students get genuinely excited about the animals we were studying. I realized how important opportunities like these are for students to get excited about learning and applying what they learn in class to the real world! I will ensure that scientific outreach with local communities is a crucial part of my career as a biologist going forward! As an outsider in a new country, finding spaces with community has been super important to meet new people and acclimate to a new culture. By taking part in community events and volunteering locally, I have met great friends from around Poland. They have been my support system abroad, from helping me navigate the language to having deep conversations about our cultures. I know that wherever I am in the world, I want to contribute to creating and maintaining these communal spaces where people can be authentically themselves and find support in each other." ❓What is the best part of your Fulbright experience? "The best part of my Fulbright experience is something I never anticipated when preparing for my stay in Poland. I joined a roller derby team, the Chrome Sirens, in my host city of Gdańsk! I had never seen a roller derby match, much less played in one, when I joined the team and had practically no experience on roller skates. However, I joined the team after attending an open practice and really enjoying myself. Over six months later, I have now travelled to Poznań for a roller derby bootcamp and played in my first game filled with players from across Poland. My teammates have become among my closest, most supportive friends in Poland!" National Geographic Society Fulbright Poland Uniwersytet Gdański

During her time as a #Fulbright U.S. Student to the Philippines, architect and design researcher Olivia Mae Asuncion witnessed an "incredible desire and commitment to serving and accommodating their disabled students" at Cavite Institute, a private school that voluntarily added a Special Education program to their curriculum. 🏫 Seeing the community's commitment to accessibility shifted her perspective on accessible design: "It stopped being simply a code issue, it became an attitudinal issue; a human needs and human rights issue.” This more wholistic approach has informed every aspect of her career since. Since her Fulbright, Asuncion has been appointed to the U.S. Access Board and named one of San Francisco Business Times' "40 under 40"! Discover how Asuncion promotes inclusive design as a human right: https://bit.ly/3S5g1W7 📸 1. Portrait of Asuncion 2+3. Asuncion at Cavite Institute 4. Asuncion giving a presentation as part of the Design Museum Everywhere's Inclusive Design Stories event in May, 2024 5. Asuncion and colleagues at her San Francisco Business Times “40 under 40” award ceremony Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) Fulbright Philippines (Philippine-American Educational Foundation) University of Oregon College of Design #InclusiveDesign #Accessibility #ADA

Looking back to the 2024 "Public Health in a Complex World: Translating Science, Building Trust" enrichment seminar in Boston hosted for approximately 100 #Fulbright Foreign Students! 🔬🌐 Through panel discussions, site visits, and a keynote address, Fulbrighters learned from subject matter experts about cutting edge innovations in biotechnology and public health, as well as how scientists and researchers from a variety of disciplines work to translate science, build trust with communities, and make accurate public health information accessible. 📸 1. Participants enjoying a Freedom Trail walking tour through historic sites in Boston 2. Fulbrighters at a site visit to the Center for Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) 3. Site visit to Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, one of the nation's only museums dedicated to public health infrastructure 4. Opening dinner at More Than Words, featuring keynote address by Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath, the Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at HSPH.

"Teachers want to teach in ways that support all their students – and learning about neurodiversity and neurodivergence can help them with that. In my seminar at UMBC, we worked with a broad range of resources – from textbooks to picture books, from own voices texts to research articles – and all students interviewed an expert-by-experience. This way, students don’t just learn more about the topic – they also know which resources are out there, and how important it is to listen to the relevant communities and their experiences." ~ Jules Buendgens-Kosten, University of Maryland Baltimore County's first #Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence! Buendgens-Kosten specializes in English language teaching and teaching neurodivergent populations, such as students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other minority neurotypes, as a researcher at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt in Germany. While at UMBC, Buendgens-Kosten taught a master's level course in TESOL and offered workshops for teachers within the UMBC community to add an international perspective to their pedagogy. 📸 1. Buendgens-Kosten at UMBC’s National Coming Out event. 2. Buendgens-Kosten with their host faculty Shannon Sauro, associate professor of education at UMBC. 3. Buendgens-Kosten(closest to shelves) hosting a TESOL seminar class. (Credit: Marlayna Demond) #ADA #AccessForAll #AccessibleEducation Fulbright Germany

Announcing the new Fulbright Arctic Initiative cohort! 📣 Since 2015, the Fulbright Arctic Initiative (FAI) has sustained research and community engagement to support a healthy, prosperous, and sustainable Arctic. For its fourth cycle, a new group of twenty scholars, each from an Arctic nation, will collaborate over the next 18 months to address: ❄️ Climate Change and Arctic Resources ❄️ Arctic Security and Governance ❄️ Mental Health and Well-Being The cohort is led by Dr. Elizabeth Rink and Dr. Lill Bjørst, two alums of previous Fulbright Arctic Initiative cohorts. They remarked on the significance of the many “early-career scholars with the eagerness to work across disciplines” joining many seasoned Scholars. They note how this cohort represents “both Indigenous and non-Indigenous voices on public policy research questions relevant to Arctic nations” and that they “bring unique scholarship from all over the Arctic – both as experts and citizens.” Learn more about the FAI IV Scholars: https://bit.ly/3LinxcB 📸 The previous Fulbright Arctic Initiative Cohort at the Hellisheiði Power Plant in Iceland, and co-lead scholars Dr. Elizabeth Rink (left) and Dr. Lill Bjørst (right) Fulbright Canada Fulbright Denmark Fulbright Finland Fulbright Commission Iceland US-Norway Fulbright Foundation Fulbright Commission Sweden Montana State University-Bozeman Aalborg Universitet

“Many of the environmental challenges we face as a society are global in nature, and I believe that, in the spirit of extension, looking beyond the borders of Ohio and the U.S. is important...Taking some of that science developed in [Ohio] to inform decision-making not only across the 88 counties in Ohio but across the whole globe, that’s really an inspiring role..." Dr. Scott Hardy is an Ohio Sea Grant Extension educator, working out of The Ohio State University to help communities sustainably manage water resources. From December to January, Hardy served as a Fulbright Specialist to Chile hosted by the University of Atacama (UDA). Hardy collaborated with local experts, researchers, and government agencies who are working to address water scarcity in the Atacama Desert and gave lectures on water-related topics. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Lhij0M 📸 Hardy with UDA colleagues inside a desalinization plant, exploring Chile, and with a focus group at UDA Fulbright Chile World Learning