Department of Political Science Faculty Member Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award

Gemma Marolda, a faculty member in the Dietrich School's Department of Political Science, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Italy. Dr. Marolda will conduct research and be a guest lecturer at the University of Bari (UNIBA) as part of a project to study European migration policies and practices in the Central Mediterranean. The Mediterranean remains the world’s deadliest route for migrants and refugees fleeing conflict, poverty, and violence in Africa and the Middle East, reflecting Europe’s still imperfect governance in place today. This project is an investigation of the complex web of interactions at different governance levels between state and non-state actors managing migration in the Mediterranean.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Marolda will share knowledge and foster meaningful connections across communities in the United States and Italy. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their institutions, labs, and classrooms, in the United States, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. As Fulbright Scholar alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Fulbright alumni include 60 Nobel Prize laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 39 who have served as a head of state or government.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce that 2021 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program. Celebrations throughout the year will highlight the impressive accomplishments and legacy of the program and its alumni over its first 75 years, both in the United States and around the world. A dedicated 75th Anniversary website - www.fulbright75.org - is being updated throughout 2021 to showcase anniversary events and to facilitate ongoing engagement.  

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright program is an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.