Stanford Students Awarded Fulbright Grants for Global Projects
Sixteen Stanford seniors, graduate students, and recent alumni have been awarded grants from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to embark on unique projects abroad during the 2026-27 academic year. This prestigious program aims to foster international understanding and collaboration by supporting U.S. students, artists, and early-career professionals in their endeavors across more than 140 countries.
A Diverse Array of Destinations
The selected scholars will travel to 11 countries, including Cambodia, Chile, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, France, Kenya, Mauritius, Mexico, Sri Lanka, and Spain. Each grantee will engage in individually designed research projects, pursue graduate studies, or participate in English Teaching Assistant programs, showcasing a rich tapestry of academic and cultural exploration.
Meet the Grantees
Maya Agarwal
Maya Agarwal, a senior majoring in economics, will head to Mexico under the Fulbright-García Robles Scholarship. Her project combines professional experience at a Mexican or multinational firm with graduate coursework at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico, allowing her to deepen her understanding of economic systems in a global context.
Caleb Benz
Caleb Benz, who holds a degree in linguistics, will travel to Spain to teach English in the Canary Islands. His project will explore the use of music as a medium for cross-cultural connection, highlighting the power of art in bridging linguistic and cultural divides.
Victoria Bermudez
Victoria Bermudez, a human biology major, will also teach English in Spain. In addition to her teaching role, she plans to lead a journalism workshop and volunteer at a local clinic, examining the intersections between wellness and community engagement.
Debbie Bong
Debbie Bong, with a background in human biology and epidemiology, will conduct research in Fiji on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Her work will involve developing prediction models for cardiometabolic diseases using clinical and biomarker data, contributing to public health knowledge in the region.
Binta Diallo
Binta Diallo, a human biology student with a minor in medical anthropology, will collaborate with the Ministry of Health and Wellness in Mauritius. Her research will investigate how land use changes influence the risk of arboviral outbreaks, utilizing a mix of spatial, environmental, and community health data.
Esha Gupta
Esha Gupta, who studies symbolic systems, will teach English in Kenya while partnering with a local environmental conservation NGO. Her project will explore the relationship between education, storytelling, and environmental awareness, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of ecological issues.
Carolyn Kennedy
Carolyn Kennedy, an international relations major, will conduct interviews in Chile to investigate how new compulsory voting legislation has shaped Chileans’ perceptions of civic duty. Her research will provide insights into the evolving landscape of democracy in the region.
Lyn Lee Loth
Lyn Lee Loth, who holds degrees in biology and feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, will examine the relationship between urbanization and dengue virus in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Her research will focus on how rapid development impacts environmental and community health.
Varsha Naga
Varsha Naga, a biology major, will travel to Sri Lanka to study barriers to timely trauma care. By mapping patient access patterns and transportation delays, she aims to inform evidence-based improvements in emergency care delivery.
Lorelei Santa Maria
Lorelei Santa Maria, who holds degrees in human biology and community health, will teach English and first aid in the Czech Republic. She plans to adapt the Stanford WELL for Life framework to assess adolescent well-being in a post-communist cultural context.
Georgia Scarr
Georgia Scarr, a biology student specializing in ecology, will investigate the impact of Aymara cultural burning on high-altitude Andean wetlands in Chile. Her project will engage local youth in protecting cultural practices and strengthening water sovereignty.
Lucy Stark
Lucy Stark, a PhD candidate in history, will conduct doctoral research at the Archives Nationales D’Outre-Mer in France. Her focus will be on coerced child labor regimes in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly concerning children of African descent in regions like Saint-Domingue and Senegal.
Vivek Tanna
Vivek Tanna, who holds a degree in philosophy and religious studies, will teach English in the Canary Islands. He plans to leverage his experience in bilingual health education and violence prevention while exploring Spanish culture and dance.
Isabel Vila Ortiz
Isabel Vila Ortiz, with degrees in Earth systems and biology, will research the effects of tourism on public health access in agricultural communities in the Dominican Republic. Her collaboration with the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo aims to shed light on critical health disparities.
Katherine Wang
Katherine Wang, who studies symbolic systems, dance, and computer science, will conduct research at Sorbonne University in Paris. Her focus will be on human-computer interaction and artificial intelligence, exploring how emerging technologies can transform the experience and understanding of art.
Jingyu Zhang
Jingyu Zhang, a chemistry major, will also teach English in the Canary Islands. She aims to engage with the local community through dance classes, clinic volunteering, and hosting spoken word workshops, fostering cultural exchange and community involvement.
The Impact of Fulbright Grants
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program not only supports individual academic and professional growth but also aims to build lasting connections between the United States and other nations. With over 1,800 grants awarded annually, the program continues to empower young leaders to make meaningful contributions to global society. The projects undertaken by these Stanford grantees exemplify the spirit of exploration, cultural exchange, and academic inquiry that the Fulbright program champions.
