WEST graduate student selected as Fulbright U.S. Postdoctoral Scholar

Sarah Abney, WEST Center student in the University of Arizona’s Department of Environmental Science, has been selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for 2022-2023.

Fulbright Scholar Awards “are prestigious and competitive fellowships that provide unique opportunities for scholars to teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbright scholars also play a critical role in U.S. public diplomacy, establishing long-term relationships between people and nations.” Funded and awarded by the U.S. Department of State, Fulbright experiences have been found to increase international research collaboration and continued exchanges, as well as strengthen cross-cultural communication skills.

Alumni of the Fulbright Scholars program include 40 Heads of State or Government, 61 Nobel Prize Laureates, 76 MacArthur Foundation Fellows, and 89 Pulitzer Prize Recipients. Since its inception in 1946, over 400,000 ‘Fulbrighters’ have participated from over 160 countries.

Approximately 8,000 Fulbright Program fellowships are awarded each year. These awards are designed to primarily cover in-country expenses related to specific projects, with home institutions providing additional support.

Congratulations to Sarah Abney! Ms. Abney will spend the next year (2022-2023) in Mexico. She will work in the Water Science Unit at El Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C. (CICY), with a special focus on pathogen transmission in the environment within tourism and increasing industry consulting capabilities. 

For more information, contact Sarah Abney at seabney@email.arizona.edu.