Interview #3: Lucy Guarnieri
EGSA has interviewed one of our graduate students, Lucy Guarnieri from the Dr. Gardiner Lab, who was recently selected as a Fulbright Fellow. First, we would like to extend our sincere congratulations!
· Could you briefly introduce yourself (e.g., your academic year, program, advisor/lab, and research focus or study system)?
My name is Lucy Guarnieri; I am a 5th year Entomology PhD student in Mary Gardiner’s lab. I study moth diversity and conservation in urban greenspaces, and I also do lots of moth related outreach!
· Could you briefly explain the Fulbright Program for those who may not be familiar with it?
Fulbright is the flagship cultural exchange program of the United States. The goal of the program is to improve cultural relations and diplomacy between the U.S. and other countries around the globe by sending U.S. citizens abroad to study, do research, or teach English.
· What inspired you to apply for the Fulbright Fellowship? And what advice would you give to other students considering applying for Fulbright?
I was inspired by my experience studying abroad in Santiago, Chile while I was an undergraduate student. It was such an amazing experience, and I’ve always wanted to go back – I realized that Fulbright could allow me to do that! My advice is to reach out to the wonderful folks at the OSU Office of International Affairs. They were a tremendous help in putting my application together. And I would start those conversations early, because it takes a long time to assemble all the materials, letters, and essays that you need for the application.
· What are you most excited about regarding your time in Chile?
I studied abroad in Chile in 2018, so I am most excited to reconnect with my host family and other friends there who I haven’t seen for a while! I’m also very excited to join a new lab and learn new skills (and also improve my Spanish).
· What do you think contributed most to your success in receiving this fellowship?
In my application essays, I think I did a good job of explaining why this experience would benefit me, both personally and professionally, and why I have the skills to carry out the proposed project and be an effective cultural ambassador. I really leaned on my previous experience in Chile there; I talked about how much I grew from studying abroad and how it would be fitting to return as a Fulbrighter and strengthen my connection with Chile from a research angle. I spent a lot of time revising those essays with the help of my advisor and the Office of International Affairs to make them as competitive as possible.
· Could you describe your research project for the U.S. Student Program Chile Science Initiative Award (e.g., topic, goals, and significance)?
Our goal is to improve biological control of the invasive codling moth, which is a very damaging apple pest that has become resistant to several groups of insecticides. Chile is one of the biggest producers of apples globally, so this is an important issue for growers there. We want to better understand how the parasitoid wasp Mastrus ridens, which is imported for biological control of the codling moth, uses floral resources and how we can make sure the wasp establishes successfully.
Thank you, Lucy, for taking the time to participate in this interview and for sharing your valuable advice and experiences. EGSA OSU wishes you all the best and continued success in Chile and wherever your journey takes you next!
Interviewer/Editor: Dahee Ahn