Through research, three Dyson standouts are making a worldwide impact.

The U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program is one of the world’s most competitive fellowship programs, with both students and faculty receiving scholarships to study, teach, and conduct research. This past year, three Dyson recipients joined the prestigious list of honorees. Focusing on topics as diverse as studying soil ecology in Africa, inspiring Chinese students with the beauty of American art, and promoting the human rights of children in Asia, they’re helping to foster increased mutual understanding across borders.

Kelsey Parker ’18

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Kelsey Parker was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study soil ecology in Zambia. Her research will compare the soil of active and restored copper mining sites to determine soil health and overall sustainability. As an undergraduate, Parker worked with Professor of Biology Marcy Kelly through the Student-Faculty Undergraduate Research Program and spent a summer volunteering at a monkey sanctuary in Ghana. After her Fulbright trip, Parker plans to publish her findings, earn a PhD in conservation biology, and pursue a career in ecosystem restoration.

Janetta Rebold Benton

ART HISTORY

In spring 2018, Distinguished Professor Janetta Rebold Benton served as visiting professor at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China. Benton taught two graduate level courses in American Art, focusing on icons such as Andy Warhol, Georgia O’Keefe, and Winslow Homer. She was also invited to give a lecture at the American Embassy in China, which was broadcast to more than 36,000 people. Benton’s work helped to familiarize Chinese students with Western life and improve their English-language skills. This was Benton’s second Fulbright trip, and she hopes to continue her teaching around the world.

Yvonne Rafferty

PSYCHOLOGY

Professor Yvonne Rafferty received a Fulbright Scholar Award to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Studies Research Program to continue research and social policy work on her project “Prevention and Protection Practices for the Successful Identification, Recovery, and Reintegration of Victims of Child Trafficking in Southeast Asia.” On this, her third trip to the region, Rafferty visited Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia, and worked with representatives from government and United Nations agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations, to share and collect information about the identification, recovery, and reintegration of victims of child trafficking in Southeast Asia.