Fulbright-Nehru Grant Categorys USA: Fulbright-Nehru Student Research Program

Joseph Edmundson

Joseph Edmundson graduated from the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service in May 2022 with a BS in international economics with minors in mathematics and international development. His academic interests include rural and agrarian economic development with a focus on environmental, health, and economic externalities. Joseph’s first exposure to India was in December 2019 when he traveled to New Delhi on a two-week immersion trip to collect local experiences and perspectives on water utilization. Leaving the country with a profound desire to continue engaging with and working in India, he spent the remainder of his undergraduate years investigating rural Indian economic initiatives. This culminated in his honors thesis on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act’s theoretical impact on wage dynamics.

During his undergraduate years, he was also involved with nonprofit consulting. Following his graduation, Joseph spent two years with Goldman Sachs Public Global Banking and Markets Division in New York City.

In India, Joseph is excited to spend his free time continuing to develop his yoga practice as well as learn new culinary techniques, two of his favorite hobbies. Joseph also enjoys playing the tenor saxophone and piano, and is an avid art museum goer. Besides, he has performed as a dancer in Georgetown’s Rangila, an annual South Asian dance recital fundraiser.

In his Fulbright-Nehru project, Joseph is researching the implementation of two technology-based agrarian market interventions, the National Agriculture Market (eNAM) and AgMarknet; eNAM is a pan-India online trading platform for agricultural commodities with the goal of enabling large-scale market integration, while AgMarknet is an initiative to collect, analyze, and disseminate market information to agricultural market stakeholders. In his project, specifically, he is examining where these interventions have been successful and the kind of barriers they had faced; he is also studying the initiatives’ market efficiencies; besides, he is looking at the environmental and economic externalities brought about by these initiatives, including in terms of decision-making related to cropping practices and patterns over time.

Mayukha Dyta

Mayukha Dyta is a bachelor’s student in the U.S. pursuing degrees in pre-medicine and sociology/anthropology. She is interested in methods of diagnosis and the malleability of biomedicine in the way it is taught in different cultures. She has previously worked in biomedical wet labs and conducted electrophysiology research on cardiomyocyte ion channels and yeast cell integrity. Mayukha has published a groundbreaking paper on the presence of BK channels in exosomes. She has also carried out ethnographic work in Indian medical schools. She is a youth delegate for the UN Program UNITE2030 and is the president of a number of clubs and organizations at the collegiate level whose mission range from promoting women in science to creating communities of like-minded individuals. In her free time, Mayukha likes to read, and enjoys the classics.

In her Fulbright-Nehru program, Mayukha is completing an anthropological ethnographic research project to understand how pluralistic patient populations affect diagnosis and treatment (or continuum of care). In addition, she is focusing on the difference between managing and treating patients in the culturally influenced style of biomedicine to understand the fluidity of the practice. The research is building on work in medical anthropology and sociological medical practices among pluralistic patient populations.

Kruthika Doreswamy

Kruthika Doreswamy completed her BS in neuroscience and BA in French from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to complete her MPH in epidemiology at the university’s School of Public Health. During her MPH internship, she examined the relationship between paternal characteristics and spontaneous abortion, and went on to present the findings at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo. Between 2022 and 2024, Kruthika worked at the National Institutes of Health as a post-baccalaureate fellow in the Rehabilitation Medicine Department. She has served as an associate investigator on various protocols examining motor function in individuals with rare neuromuscular disorders, such as spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). She has made presentations at various conferences, such as those of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and World Muscle Society. She is interested in pursuing medical school and working toward increasing access to rehabilitation resources.

In India, stroke is the fifth leading cause of disability and because of the sheer numbers involved due to the country being home to the largest population on the planet, patient-focused rehabilitation is a challenge. In her Fulbright-Nehru project, Kruthika is examining the perspectives of individuals who have experienced a stroke, as well as the perceptions of their caregivers and healthcare providers. She hopes to explore avenues for translating the study’s findings into broader public policy and to create culturally informed tools for post-stroke recovery.

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.

Hannah Davies

Hannah Davies earned an MS and BS in neuroscience and a BS in psychology (magna cum laude) from Brandeis University within four years. Hannah’s master’s thesis on the visual mechanisms involved in balancing was awarded the highest honors within the neuroscience department, and her research is being expanded by senior researchers at Colorado State University who aim to create AI models that assist pilots in maintaining aircraft stabilization mid-flight. During her time at Brandeis, Hannah assisted in teaching organic chemistry to undergraduate students and received the Emily Dudek Undergraduate Teaching Award for her effective teaching methods. Additionally, Hannah coordinated SPECTRUM – a volunteer program providing free mentoring, tutoring, and group play resources to children with disabilities – throughout her four years at Brandeis.

After graduation , Hannah was awarded the two-year Donald J. Cohen Fellowship in developmental social neuroscience at the Marcus Autism Center, a leading institution in the U.S. for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This research fellowship also led to Hannah co-authoring a paper which was published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Hannah is also performing her own independent research on children regarding the genetic likelihood of autism. She has presented her clinical research at the 2024 Gatlinburg Conference and at the 2023 annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research. Outside of research, Hannah coordinates the NIH-funded FirstFocus Study aimed to validate eye-tracking technology as an autism diagnostic tool within the first year of life.

Hannah’s Fulbright-Nehru project is objectively analyzing the efficacy of the Caregiver Skills Training (CST) program using mobile healthcare technology. The CST program, being implemented at AIIMS Nagpur, is addressing autism service insecurity by teaching caregivers how to mediate autism interventions at home. As part of her study, Hannah is quantifying children’s social behavior, sensory sensitivity, and motor functioning from children playing tablet games and watching videos, before and after CST programming, in the hope of improving awareness about CST benefits.

Avital Datskovsky

Avital Datskovsky is a PhD student in the Anthropology Department at Syracuse University. She holds a bachelor’s degree (2013) in South Asian languages and civilizations from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree (2018) in development studies with a focus on contemporary India from SOAS University of London.

Avital’s Fulbright-Nehru project is tracing human and animal inclusion and exclusion from the Ranthambore National Park (RNP), an Indian tiger reserve, established in the 1970s as part of India’s conservation program called Project Tiger. As the park has grown substantially in terms of its tiger population and as an ecotourist destination, communities reliant on the forest for their livelihoods have been excluded from the park. Avital’s ethnographic project is considering what different responses of humans and animals to the RNP as a protected area reveal about political, social, and economic formations in the area; it is also exploring what possibilities for conservation may emerge when the impacts of Project Tiger are studied in terms of human and animal relationality.

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.

Melanie Cham

Melanie Cham graduated from Wesleyan University in 2024 with majors in earth and environmental science and archaeology. During her time at Wesleyan, she studied bacterial speciation and diversity with Dr. Frederick Cohan. This led to a summer research project funded by Wesleyan’s College of Integrative Sciences studying the effects of microplastics on the bacterial strains found in agricultural soils. The results of this research were presented at the 2021 Wesleyan Research in Science symposium and has been published by the American Chemical Society.

Melanie’s academic interest lies in learning more about the past. In 2021, she began research with Dr. Dana Royer in earth and environmental sciences at Wesleyan. During this study, she measured the stomatal index of red maples by simulating environmental conditions from the Eocene to the Miocene to observe how plant anatomy varies with changes in the atmosphere. In 2022, with support from the McNair Scholars Program, she began an independent project, titled “A Novel Method for Estimating Carbon Assimilation Rates from Fossil Leaves”, with Dr. Caroline Strömberg at the University of Washington. For this research, instead of using living organisms to interpret the past, she began using fossils to infer ecological responses to contemporary global warming. Melanie has presented her work at four national conferences: 2022 UCLA National McNair Conference; 2022 Geological Society of America Conference; 2023 Botanical Society of America Conference; and 2024 Mid-Continental Palaeobotanical Colloquium. She is set to begin her PhD in biology at the University of Washington in Fall 2025.

In her Fulbright-Nehru program, Melanie is conducting paleontological research with Dr. Bandana Samant at the Central University of Punjab. The goal of the project is to estimate regional atmospheric carbon dioxide levels before the mass extinction event of the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (K–Pg) which occurred 66 million years ago. For this, she is using information from microscopic leaf fossils collected from the Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) of India. This novel use of gas-exchange modeling with fossils from the DVP have the potential to strengthen the current assumptions of CO2 which are based on different proxies.

Samantha Chacko

Samantha Chacko graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in May 2024 with a major in philosophy, politics, and law, and two minors, one in law and public policy and another in opera. It was through her interdisciplinary coursework that Samantha discovered her passion for law. During her sophomore year, she spent a semester interning with the Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, where she picked up an interest in advocacy. Inspired by Esperanza’s mission, she spent the following year with JusticeCorps, an AmeriCorps program that provides legal assistance to self-representing litigants. Her research experience includes a summer at Cambridge University comparing the legal aid frameworks of the U.S., India, and the UK. Samantha spent her senior year with USC’s Center for Political Future, conducting multiple public policy research projects addressing political polarization and LA’s housing crisis. She intends to build on these experiences and skills through her Fulbright program. Ultimately, she hopes to attend law school and continue her work in increasing access to legal aid. Samantha held several leadership positions on campus, including being the student ambassador for the Thornton School of Music. She was also elected director of Mehfil for her South Asian fusion a cappella team, Asli Baat. Outside of studies, Samantha enjoys singing and watching Bollywood movies.

Although Indian citizens are constitutionally guaranteed access to legal aid, in the year 2023 only 61 per cent of those seeking legal assistance actually received it. While little research has categorized the access to these services by demographic, one report from 2016 found that only 14 per cent of all litigants in India were women. However, it remains unclear whether women actually receive the legal assistance they are entitled to and if they do, whether the quality of the service is of the required standard. Samantha’s Fulbright-Nehru research project is identifying the factors perpetuating the gender gap in access to Indian courts and thus attempting to inform the universal development of legal aid frameworks.