Host City USA: New Delhi

Yash Deo

The American Psychological Association defines depression as a deep-seated illness marked by sadness and loss of interest in activities. Its impact was deeply felt by Yash Deo when his grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Yash then played a significant role in his grandfather’s care, taking on daily responsibilities such as bathing him, changing his clothes, and cooking for him. This experience piqued Yash’s interest in the psyche/neuro side of science, prompting him to take a psychology course in high school. There, he was introduced to concepts like neuroplasticity, which reshaped his understanding of the brain’s adaptability quotient. Motivated by these insights, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and worked in Dr. Matthew Cooper’s behavioral neuroscience lab. His studies and lab work deepened his knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms behind disorders like depression. Outside of the classroom, Yash was active in the neuroscience community at the University of Tennessee, serving as a neuroscience ambassador and holding leadership roles in several university neuroscience organizations. He developed key organizational and team-building skills and launched the Neuro-Tools Series, providing practical neuroscience-based tools on topics such as sleep, focus, and motivation. These experiences have led Yash to aspire to a career in interventional psychiatry, where he aims to use specialized neuromodulatory techniques like transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to alleviate the burdens of mental and neurological disorders. His goal is to enable individuals to engage meaningfully with their communities without the constraints of their symptoms; the focus is particularly on treating depressive and anxiety disorders to restore normalcy and joy to their lives.

The research, divided into three phases of preparation, treatment, and analysis, is utilizing advanced techniques like fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy), EEG (electroencephalography), and cognitive testing. Yash’s extensive lab experience and Dr. Verma’s expertise aim to enhance treatment strategies for severe urban mental health crises.

Sadie Cowan

Sadie Cowan graduated from Boston University (BU) School of Public Health, Massachusetts, in 2024 with a master’s in public health, concentrating in global health policy. Sadie received her bachelor’s in sociology with honors from BU in 2022. She is originally from Dalton, Georgia, where her love for social sciences and public health began through experiences in electoral politics – a passion she continued for several campaign cycles in Georgia, Massachusetts, and nationally. Sadie’s social science research, among which includes a study regarding gender-affirming care for transgender inmates in the Georgia Department of Corrections Facilities, has been published by Johns Hopkins University and featured by Boston University’s Undergraduate Research Program. Her academic interests include global development, strengthening of health systems, LGBTQIA+ health, comparative health systems, and healthcare access for marginalized populations. Outside of academics, Sadie enjoys distance running, hiking, and exploring new cuisines.

Achieving the World Health Organization’s Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination Goals necessitates rapid reductions in TB incidence and mortality, particularly in India, which bears a quarter of the global burden. Aside from diagnostics, the Indian government has introduced nutritional subsidies for persons with TB through the Ni-kshay Mitra program. While the program has benefited hundreds of thousands of Indians with TB, there’s an urgent need to enhance its uptake. Sadie’s Fulbright-Nehru project is studying the impact of Ni-kshay Mitra subsidies on their recipients; it is also examining the motivational factors behind donors participating in the program. Besides, the project is exploring ways in which Ni-kshay Mitra can enhance access to public-sector TB facilities.

Chandler Compton

Chandler Compton is a North Carolina native raised on his family’s farm near Chapel Hill. At Wofford College, he majored in international affairs and English, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He played on the men’s soccer team while also serving the college’s honor council and tutoring students at the library’s writing center. As a junior, he directed and hosted the college’s first-ever TEDx conference. He has also studied in Prague, Czechia.

After college, Chandler served as a logistics officer in the United States Marine Corps. Stationed at both Mount Fuji and Okinawa, Japan, his role involved leading the Marines in logistics operations and collaborating with partners across the Indo-Pacific region. His firsthand experience working in this dynamic international environment solidified his interest in international affairs and regional cooperation.

Chandler enjoys traveling to new countries, reading history, and going snowboarding whenever possible. He is a passionate supporter of the Atlanta Braves and Everton Football Club. When not following sports or being with friends, he is likely to be found at the gym or playing pick-up sports at the nearest basketball court or soccer field.

Chandler’s Fulbright-Nehru research is focusing on India’s potential leadership role in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) to strengthen Indo-Pacific supply chains. His project is identifying collaborative strategies for Quad members to build resilient multilateral supply chains in the region. Considering India’s strategic location, growing economic influence, and access to critical trade routes, Chandler argues the country is uniquely positioned to spearhead the Quad leadership in fortifying the Indo-Pacific economic infrastructure and promoting regional stability and sustainable development while mitigating the impact of disruptions in the global economy.

Ria Agarwal

Ria Agarwal recently graduated from Tufts University with a double major in international relations and civic studies. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, her academic focus includes human rights, international law, and migration studies.

In her professional capacity, Ria worked as a legal assistant at Cambridge Immigration Law, where she prepared legal documents, conducted asylum case research, and performed community outreach. She also interned with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, where she contributed to research and provided legal assistance for refugees.

Ria’s commitment to civic engagement is evident in her roles with Blue Future and the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs Association, where she played a key part in voter registration and AAPI advocacy efforts. Additionally, as a journalist at The Fulcrum platform, she published articles exploring voter suppression and the impact of state policies during COVID-19.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Ria is passionate about Indian classical dance, enjoys reading, and loves spending time outdoors.

Ria’s Fulbright-Nehru project is exploring the challenges faced by Bangladeshi migrants in India who had been displaced from their country by climate-related disasters. Situated in Delhi, her research is addressing the lack of formal refugee status for these individuals, which strips them of essential protections and makes them vulnerable to exploitation. The study is assessing both Indian and international legal frameworks to evaluate their effectiveness in safeguarding the rights and well-being of climate-displaced migrants. Through legal analysis, expert interviews, and collaboration with the Migration and Asylum Project, Ria aims to generate actionable insights and influence policy discussions on migration and climate adaptation.

Eric Davidson

Dr. Eric Davidson is professor of the Appalachian Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, where he served as director for six years. His research areas include terrestrial nutrient cycling, greenhouse gas emissions from soils, global biogeochemical cycles, and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Davidson is a past president and fellow of the American Geophysical Union; a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; and a highly cited researcher in Web of Science. He served as the North American Center director for the International Nitrogen Initiative and as a NASA project scientist for the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia. Dr. Davidson was also a Jefferson Science Fellow. He currently serves as senior editor for AGU Advances. He previously served as an editor for Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Global Change Biology, and Soil Science Society of America Journal. Dr. Davidson received his PhD from the Department of Forestry at North Carolina State University and worked as a postdoctoral researcher in soil microbiology at the University of California at Berkeley and at the NASA Ames Research Center. He worked for 22 years at the Woods Hole Research Center, including a term as president and executive director. He is the author of Science for a Green New Deal: Connecting Climate, Economics, and Social Justice and You Can’t Eat GNP.

Only about half of the nitrogen applied to croplands as fertilizers and manures goes into harvested products; the remainder is mostly lost as air and water pollution. Dr. Davidson’s Fulbright-Nehru project is investigating the potential impacts of the coming green ammonia transformation for fertilizers in India within the broader context of sustainable nitrogen management. In this regard, he is interviewing experts and stakeholders from government ministries, the fertilizer industry, schools of agronomy and environmental sciences, farmer groups, and biotechnology innovators to ascertain their awareness of green ammonia technology and their expectations of positive and negative consequences for agricultural productivity, economics, farmer well-being, and environmental quality.