Gianna Innocenti '23 was awarded the Fulbright Research Award to research wildfire ecology in the mountains of Northern Italy.
Why did you choose to apply for this award?
I spent 3 years at Oxy doing biochemistry research in the Udit lab. I really enjoyed doing research, but I discovered that biochemistry is not my passion, and I’m very grateful that I learned both of these things. I decided to apply for the Fulbright because I wanted an opportunity to try doing ecological research. Because I am passionate about ecology and research I wanted to see what working in this field would be like. I also have a lot of family in Italy and have spent a bit of time there and truly loved it, so it just made sense.
Briefly describe the work you will be doing on your fellowship.
I will be researching wildfire ecology in the mountains of Northern Italy. Specifically, what are the best methods to restore a forest after a wildfire in order to prevent future wildfires and to capture the most carbon possible.
What are you most looking forward to during your time as a fellow?
I am really looking forward to the food as well as getting proficient in Italian.
How have your experiences at Oxy prepared you to apply for this award?
Oxy provided me with three years of in depth research experience, which gave me the confidence and necessary skills to apply for this fellowship despite it being outside of my exact field of study. They also provided such helpful resources for the application itself through the fellowships office.
What advice would you give future applicants about the application process?
If you find people that you want to work with who are doing research that you are really passionate about, the application will not be as difficult as everyone makes it out to be. (Possibly only applies to stem research awards)