Freya George, a recent graduate of Carleton University’s Department of Earth Sciences has received a Lloyd’s of London Fulbright Scholar Award to enable her to conduct postdoctoral research at Johns Hopkins University on one of the most well-regarded and impactful scholarship programmes in the world.
As a participant, Freya has been selected to undertake pioneering research into the cycling of volatiles (water, carbon dioxide, etc.) from Earth’s surface to its deep interior. Much of this transfer occurs in rare geological settings known as subduction zones, and the unique rock record of subduction zones exposed at the surface can be interpreted to reconstruct the complex history of these regions. Results of this research will provide insight on the vital influence of plate tectonics on the volatile cycle, and has implications both for the development and evolution of Earth’s atmosphere, climate, habitability and life, and our understanding of earthquake cyclicity in subduction zone settings (e.g., Japan, western North America).
As part of the Fulbright Visiting Scholar programme, the Scholar Awards provide the only scholarships available to academics and other professionals for lecturing and/or research in any discipline at any accredited US university. The Awards form part of the US-UK Fulbright Commission’s work to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Commenting on receiving the Award, Freya said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to carry out my research at one of the foremost research institutions in the US. We are living through a period of great planetary change, and only by improving our understanding of the Earth system from its inception to the modern can we hope to safeguard a positive future. As a Fulbright scholar, I hope to simultaneously develop strong international research collaborations within the geological community whilst improving my understanding of US cultural history and exploring the great outdoors of the eastern US.”
Penny Egan CBE, Executive Director, US-UK Fulbright Commission said:
“This cohort of Fulbright grantees will have the opportunity to immerse themselves fully in another culture, work collaboratively and develop lasting transatlantic relationships. In so doing, they will build upon the work of the more than 23,000 alumni of the US-UK Fulbright Programme that have come before them, helping move us closer towards Senator Fulbright’s vision of a peaceful, more prosperous world.”
Scholar Bio: Freya George recently gained her PhD from the Department of Earth Sciences at Carleton University on the metamorphic and petrologic evolution of the Indian Himalaya, under the supervision of Dr. Fred Gaidies. Both this work and her Masters degree from the University of Oxford combine classic geological approaches with inorganic chemistry and material sciences in order to elucidate fundamental rock-forming processes that occur deep within the Earth. During her Fulbright year, she will investigate the geological record of volatile (water, carbon dioxide, etc.) cycling in subduction zones by applying high-resolution and novel analytical approaches to rocks from exposed global subduction zone settings. Freya’s collaborators both at Johns Hopkins University and Pennsylvania State University have made groundbreaking strides in this area, and she is excited to expand her geological repertoire by working alongside them. While not in the lab, Freya plans to explore the National Parks of the eastern US, score a few goals on the soccer field, and learn about US cultural history.
About the US-UK Fulbright Commission:
The US-UK Fulbright Commission was founded by diplomatic treaty in 1948 to foster intercultural understanding between the USA and the UK through educational exchange. It continues to support Senator Fulbright’s vision through scholarship and summer programmes, enabling British and American citizens to study, research or teach at universities on either side of the Atlantic. As part of the EducationUSA network, the Commission offers British students free, accurate, and comprehensive information about opportunities to study at accredited universities in the USA. The Commission also delivers the Sutton Trust US Programme, designed to help high-achieving, lowincome UK students explore US higher education.
About the Awards:
The US-UK Fulbright Commission provides the only bilateral, transatlantic scholarship programme in the UK, offering Awards for study or research in any field, at any accredited US or UK university. The Commission selects scholars through a rigorous application and interview process, looking for academic excellence alongside a focused application, a range of extracurricular and community activities, demonstrated ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a plan to give back to the UK upon returning. Typical grants include a maintenance allowance and/or a contribution towards tuition fees. Fulbright scholars receive administrative support and a cultural education programme including visa processing, a comprehensive pre-departure orientation, enrichment opportunities in the USA, a reentry session and access to a global alumni network.
To see an accompanying story on Freya's Fulbright Award, please visit the Carleton University Newsroom
May 27, 2019
Press Release by US-UK Fulbright Commission