Two graduate students at Colorado School of Mines have been awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants to conduct research abroad in Iceland and Morocco.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international academic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, providing awards to approximately 8,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals each year from the U.S. and more than 160 other countries.
This marks the first time Mines has had more than one student Fulbright recipient in the same year, said Ashley Weibel, assistant director of undergraduate research and nationally competitive scholarships.
The Mines awardees are:
“Mines’ growing success in the Fulbright program is a sign that our mission to produce the talent to benefit society is succeeding,” Weibel said. “As recipients of the U.S. government’s premier educational exchange award, these students have achieved something truly meaningful, and we’re proud of the positive impact they’ll make during their year abroad.”
Chittimuri, a PhD candidate in applied mathematics and statistics, will spend her Fulbright term conducting research in Hornafjörður, Iceland in collaboration with the University of Iceland, focusing on climate-induced vulnerabilities affecting glacier-based tourism and the surrounding community.
“Through Geographic Information Systems and Machine Learning, I plan to analyze risk factors and predict future climate scenarios,” Chittimuri said “This research is expected to take place over nine months, starting in the Fall of 2025, and will provide insights for climate adaptation strategies that can benefit glacier-dependent communities globally.”
After her Fulbright, she hopes to build a career as a climate resilience researcher, focusing on the intersection of data science, environmental policy and community adaptation, with the ultimate goal of collaborating with governments and international organizations to design evidence-based strategies that empower vulnerable communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change. At Mines, Chittimuri’s PhD advisor is Soutir Bandyopadhyay, professor of applied mathematics and statistics.
Schreiber, a master’s student in hydrologic science and engineering, will spend her nine-month Fulbright term living in Marrakesh, Morocco and researching solutions to desertification in partnership with the High Atlas Foundation, a non-profit that helps communities in Morocco become self-sustaining through income from fruit tree agriculture and carbon offset revenue.
“By collecting field data at numerous farms in southern Morocco, I can ensure the trees are being planted in a sustainable way that recharges the groundwater and prevents the spread of the Sahara Desert,” Schreiber said. “This project is particularly valuable to me as a Moroccan American. Fulbright has given me the opportunity to connect deeper with my heritage while working on my dream project.”
After her Fulbright term, she plans to pursue a PhD focused on groundwater recharge and regenerative agriculture. Schreiber also earned her B.S. in computer science from Mines in 2021.
Applications to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program are supported at Colorado School of Mines through the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. For more information about applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program or other national and international scholarships, please contact ashley.weibel@mines.edu and visit the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships webpage.
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