For VCU life sciences doctoral student and alumna, Fulbright offers research and personal growth
by Lauren McClellan
By day, she studies the local frog population. By night, she gazes at Picasso paintings about the Spanish civil war.
VCU life sciences doctoral student and alumna Julie Charbonnier is studying the impact of global climate changes in the amphibian population in Southern Spain. Specifically, she is researching how changing pond duration and density dependence may influence size and allometry of juvenile frogs.
Spain
Charbonnier has learned about more than just the local amphibians during her time abroad. She has also experienced personal growth while in Spain.
“I have enjoyed how much I have changed and developed as a person,” Charbonnier said. “When you are living abroad, you are constantly exposed to new people, opinions and ways of life, which forces you to rethink your own ideas, attitudes and perceptions.”
Charbonnier has chosen a location that is vibrant and diverse. Spain has 17 autonomous communities within its borders. According to Charbonnier, “They have widely different customs, foods and history, and even languages! Spain is more a patchwork of different countries sown together than a whole cohesive country.”
One of Charbonnier’s most memorable moments in Spain was when she saw a historic Spanish painting.
“I finally saw Picasso’s Guernica and it was a very emotional moment,” Charbonnier said. “It vividly portrays Spain’s destruction during the civil war and is amazing to see in person.”
Image from PabloPicasso.org
The application process
Charbonnier originally applied for Fulbright in 2010. The first time she applied, she did not receive the grant. She also applied to other grants she did not receive. Even though she experienced failure, it did not deter her from applying again.
“I learned from the experiences, and made my new proposal better,” Charbonnier said. “My past failures were just the stepping stones to getting the Fulbright!”
Determined to improve her application, Charbonnier applied for Fulbright again the following year.
Charbonnier consulted many people when she was working on her application, including her teachers, friends, family, colleagues and the National Scholarship Office. With all of this help, she refined her proposal and personal statement.
“It took me months,” Charbonnier said. “I brainstormed a lot, had hundreds of people give me comments, nitpicked every detailed. It was a long, tenacious and difficult process.”
As an undergraduate, Charbonnier had taken Spanish. She found her language skills helpful when applying for her Fulbright because Spain requires that applicants submit their statements of grant purpose and personal statements in Spanish as well as English.
“Not to worry,” Charbonnier said. “Spain is the only country that requires that.”
Charbonnier’s language skills were not the only strong aspect of her application.
“I applied two years in a row,” Charbonnier said. “I think I showed dedication. I also had very strong affiliation letters to show I could get stuff done and hit the ground running.”
To Charbonnier, the Fulbright panels were the most helpful part of the application process she went through at the National Scholarship Office.
“The Fulbright panel gave me so many helpful comments and suggestions and really helped me strengthen my application,” Charbonnier said. “It was an awesome benefit to have talented, intelligent people focus on my proposal for a few hours and really help to take the proposal to the next level.”
Charbonnier was happy to hear the news that she received her Fulbright research grant.
“I felt like a candy wrapper in an updraft! I was elated!” Charbonnier said.
In addition to her Fulbright grant, Charbonnier also received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship grant.
Advice for future applicants
Categories Fulbright Award, NSO Student Features
“Be tenacious. Have everyone look at your application; ask for advice, every detail counts. Get help from others outside your field, and from people of different walks of life. You need a new, fresh set of eyes as often as possible. This will also help you make your ideas clearer, but also get you to think more creatively about what you are submitting. Others can also catch spelling and grammar mistakes, and other small details you may have missed. When it’s hard to stay motivated, connect with another person going through the application process. You’ll be able to motivate each other and have someone who is going through the same thing.”
