Carvalho will spend his Fulbright grant studying coral reef fisheries in the Philippines as a continuation of his doctoral research on Indonesian coral reef fisheries. \u201cI’m half Filipino but have never visited, so the Fulbright provides a great opportunity to continue my research and learn more about my heritage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Once he completes his Fulbright year, he\u00a0hopes to find a postdoctoral fellowship to further his studies of marine fisheries in tropical or temperate environments.<\/p>\n Lewis applied for the Fulbright grant because of her interest in water and sanitation issues in Indonesia, where she will work with the Islamic University of Indonesia to carry out research on well water contamination\u00a0from the improper installation or management\u00a0of septic systems. She also plans to explore the social stigmas around sanitation\u00a0systems and their impacts on human health.<\/p>\n \u201cI absolutely\u00a0love Indonesian culture, people and language, and I’m eager to get back and start my research,\u201d said Lewis, who spent a year studying the language and culture of Indonesia as the recipient of a Boren Scholarship in 2018. \u201cIt was the best year of my life, and to be able to return to do research in my field is a dream come true.\u201d<\/p>\n She plans for a career in international development, focusing on water and sanitation systems in Indonesia with a goal of strengthening the systems and the communities that use them.<\/p>\n Loberti will pursue a master\u2019s of research degree in rhetoric at Royal Holloway, University of London, during her Fulbright year, focusing on how females are portrayed in Ancient Greek texts. Legally blind since childhood, she has spent many years as a disability activist, including serving as the first legally blind youth delegate to the United Nations and a delegate to the U.N. International Human Rights Summit. She was also a U.S. representative to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women Youth Forum.<\/p>\n \u201cTo hold a Fulbright in my hands is incredibly validating,\u201d she said. \u201cSince I have been an activist for as long as I can remember, I have always been curious about how we use language to cultivate justice and understanding, with which my grant program is uniquely equipped to address.\u201d<\/p>\n After completing her time in London, Loberti plans to earn a doctorate in rhetoric at Pennsylvania State University on her way to a career in academic research, while continuing her gender- and disability-rights activism.<\/p>\n Malambi will spend her Fulbright year earning a master\u2019s degree in conflict and development at Ghent University in Belgium and conducting research on the Congolese diaspora, an interest stemming from personal experience. She and her family were forced to flee the Democratic Republic of Congo and spent seven years in a refugee camp.<\/p>\n On being awarded a Fulbright grant, she said she \u201cfelt validated. I felt like not fitting in has always been the right way to go. I know winning one of the most prestigious awards has forever changed my attitude towards going for what I want in the future. I feel fearless and daring.\u201d<\/p>\n The Fulbright Award was the latest in a long list of major awards Malambi has earned, including a Benjamin Gilman Scholarship from the U.S. State Department allowing her to spend a year studying in Rennes, France, a Beatrice Demers Language Fellowship, and a Public Policy and International Affairs Law Fellowship. When she completes her Fulbright year, she hopes for a career working for the State Department, United Nations or a non-governmental organization.<\/p>\n![\"Tabatha](\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news-draft\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2021\/05\/Lewis-scaled.jpg\")
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