Carol Wilusz is a Professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology and Director of the Cell & Molecular Biology Graduate Program at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. In the spring of 2025, she was hosted by the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. As a Fulbright Scholar, Carol conducted research on the regulation of gene expression in stem cells by RNA-binding proteins. Outside the lab, she found time for a series of unexpected adventures: paddling a dragon boat on the Vltava River in Prague, riding a paternoster lift in Zlín, and taking the Baltic Express from Prague to Gdańsk. I struggled to decide where to spend my sabbatical and settled on Prague on a whim – it’s in the center of Europe, and at the time I was applying, I had just visited my son there while he was studying the criminal justice system for a summer. I was also attracted by the impressive range of research going on at IMG, the idea of experiencing a complet...
Seiler Rivers is a 2024/2025 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant alumna. With a BS in Computer Science, a minor in Music, and a passion for both choral music and supporting young women in technology, Seiler was placed at the Gymnázium and Business Academy in Mariánské Lázně, the youngest town in the famous spa triangle of Western Bohemia. Inspired by the experiences of previous Teaching Assistants, Seiler hoped to join a local choir or orchestra (as a piano player) to integrate into her new community while continuing to do what she loves. She succeeded. Music, often called a universal language, helped her navigate challenges and connect with others in ways that went well beyond choir rehearsals and performances. Today, Seiler reflects on the question: "Why do we sing? Is it to be heard? No, surely not. It's to participate in something larger than ourselves–to both contribute and to listen." Before embarking on my journey as a Fulbright ETA, I had studied classical pian...