Ten MIT affiliates, including undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni, have accepted Fulbright grants to conduct research worldwide. Five other students declined their awards for other opportunities, and another is still deciding. This year, 16 of MIT's 30 Fulbright applicants won awards, establishing MIT as a top-producing institution. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, offers American students and recent alumni chances to conduct independent research, pursue graduate studies, or teach English in over 140 countries.
Jessica Chomik-Morales SM ’25 will research science communication in Spain, focusing on how narrative elements influence reader comprehension and engagement. Stella Gassman will graduate this month and conduct microbiology research at the University of Copenhagen, studying the vaginal microbiome. Chen Li SM ’25 will explore how AI and systems thinking can support health in Arctic communities.
Liam Moser will use Fulbright funding for postdoctoral research on volcanoes in Iceland. Lilia Ould-Hammou will advance adaptive exosuit control in Korea. Bryan Sperry will study climate resilience and energy equity in urban power grids in Brazil. Sophie Thompson will test recycled carbon fiber composites in Sweden.
Claire Underwood will research high-throughput fabrication techniques for cell-embedded microtissues in Portugal. Sophie Vulpe will develop data-processing algorithms for a gamma ray spectrometer in Romania. Josephine Wang will conduct research at EPFL in Switzerland, exploring brain-inspired language models.
Blogger's Review: MIT once again demonstrates its excellence in research and education, with Fulbright recipients poised to advance scientific understanding and application, particularly at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biomedical fields. Their upcoming research promises to bring fresh perspectives and insights into global scientific development.