JHSPH Students Named Fulbright Scholars (web article)

Two Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health students will travel abroad to study and conduct research as 2010 recipients of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards. The prestigious scholarship program promotes cross-cultural interaction through education. This year’s scholars will be stationed in Mongolia and the Republic of Georgia.

Miraya Jun

Miraya Jun, an MHS student in the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health, said her research interests were inspired by a casual discussion about the increase in alcohol production and consumption among various populations in Mongolia. “Traditionally, few young people in Mongolia consumed alcohol,” said Jun. “This pattern has changed, especially in urban areas, where global trends are now more influential, and beer, wine and bottled cocktails are widely available.” As a Fulbright recipient, she will travel to urban and rural Mongolia to investigate the factors affecting alcohol use among adolescents. She will collaborate with the Health Sciences University of Mongolia and work with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) on the creation of a community task force. “I hope to add to the research about Mongolian adolescents in order to help them broadcast their stories and help the country understand their needs. By comparing the urban and rural adolescents’ views and experiences I will form a better picture of the nature of alcohol abuse in different contexts.”

Namrita Singh

Namrita Singh, a PhD student in the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health, seeks to understand how the displaced community in the Republic of Georgia recognizes and manages mental health problems and the types of informal services that are utilized. As a Fulbright scholar in Zugdidi, Singh will conduct qualitative and quantitative research and create a data collection tool that can be used by NGOs or service providers to assess existing care-seeking strategies and informal mental health services for displaced communities in Georgia. “In Georgia, the mental health system is characterized by limited financial and geographic access; a lack of trained or specialized professionals; and an emphasis on institutionalization.” Singh adds, “Understanding when and why individuals seek informal support within their social networks will aid in the development of culturally appropriate interventions that build on existing community support structures.”

Established in 1946, Congress created the Fulbright Program to “foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges.” Since its inception, more than 196,000 students have benefited from the program that provides funding for students, scholars and professionals to undertake graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. The deadline for 2010 applications is September 22. For more information about the program, please visit www.jhsph.edu/SFR/fulbright.html or contact Catherine Klein, Fulbright Program Advisor at cklein@jhsph.edu.