Oregon State University has announced that six current students have been selected for the 2018-19 Fulbright U.S. Student Program by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Additionally, four OSU students are alternates for the program.

Hunter Briggs is a graduating senior and Ford Family Scholar from Eugene majoring in Ethnic Studies. For his Fulbright year, Hunter will pursue an MSc in Criminology in Practice at the University of Leicester. Upon return to the U.S., Hunter plans to pursue a joint J.D./Ph.D degree program in preparation for future nonprofit and advocacy work with the goal to incorporate arts-based programming into prison reform.

Dang Duong is a graduating senior in Microbiology (pre-med) and a Fulbright ETA to Kazakhstan. Dang will engage with students in and out of the classroom to share the American language and culture, and looks forward to celebrating Kazakh holidays.

Niki Hobbs is a senior who will graduate summa cum laude in June with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. While teaching in Germany, she also hopes to coordinate with local Scout and Girl Guide troops to work on badges and volunteer projects together.

Ellen Lamont is a PhD student in Geology. During her Fulbright year, she will collaborate with the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology to sample and map fault exposures in the sub-Himalayan foothills of India in order to increase knowledge of current hazards. Ellen will also reach out to local youth groups to host STEM workshops and participate in networking and mentorship events hosted by the Indian Academy of Sciences and Women in Science and Engineering.

Kai Parker is a doctoral student in Civil Engineering. He will collaborate with one of Chile’s foremost tsunami experts at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María to perform a probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment to help fill the knowledge gap around coastal vulnerability. Kai will also engage with his local community through rock climbing and other outdoor activities. Upon return to the U.S., Kai plans to seek a university teaching position while continuing to research coastal hazards and provide a scientific resource for building community resilience.

Traben Pleasant is a PhD student in Applied Anthropology. Traben, an honored Veteran of the US Marines, will travel to Bocas del Toro, Panama with his family in the fall to conduct research to identify barriers to post-secondary education for black and indigenous youth. He will also engage in the local community by teaching English and basic computer skills.

These students are among over 1,900 U.S. citizens who will study, conduct research, and teach abroad for the 2018-2019 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.

In addition to these honors, four Oregon State students are current alternates for Fulbright awards and may still be promoted: Trisha Chau for Imperial College in the United Kingdom, Grace D’Angelo for Germany, Omar Sheikh for Canada, and Christina Welch for Spain.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered at Oregon State University through LeAnn Adam, OSU Prestigious Scholarships Coordinator. For more information about applying for Fulbright or other national and international scholarships and fellowships, please contact LeAnn at [email protected] and visit: http://topscholars.oregonstate.edu 

June 01, 2018