Fulbright Reality Czech

Barbora Kaplánková is a film specialist  who focuses on animated films and fantasy. She is currently pursuing her PhD in the Department of Theater and Film at Palacky University. During the 2023/2024 academic year, she spent five months at Idaho State University as a Fulbright grantee, researching gender within the fantasy franchise from 2000 to 2020. The university is located in Pocatello, the sixth-largest city in Idaho, at an elevation of 1,360 meters above sea level. Barbora's journey to the U.S. illustrated what to expect during her Fulbright grant—overcoming challenges and adapting to different ways of doing things than at home was inevitable. Recognizing the transformative power of her experience across the Atlantic, Barbora encourages others who struggle to envision themselves far from their comfort zones to apply for Fulbright: "I went to do research on fantasy in a small town, and now I’m someone who has seen a bison. If you’re hesitating, I wholeheartedly recommend ...

Blair Hassett is one of the 25 English Teaching Assistants who help with English language at various Czech high schools across the Czech Republic. With an MA in Environmental Science, an interest in vineyards, and a passion for exploring rural South Moravia, Blair was placed at the Engineering and Art School in Hodonín, a 25,000 town bordering Slovakia. Blair's motivation to spend ten months in the Czech Republic was inspired by photographer and Fulbright alumnus Matthew Monteith and his book Czech Eden. Captivated by Monteith's photographs of rolling hills and his affecting style, Blair has used her time in the Czech Republic to navigate her newfound relationship with the Czech landscape in reconciliation with her personal identity. Blair believes that "[p]hotography is a distillation of the past or the future, whichever you prefer." This year, she has decided to focus on presence.  Moravia is elusive. Passing through this region in late August after my arrival in Vi...

Sreyas Yennampelli is a neuroscientist and a philosopher. At Emory University, he researched the biological basis of various phenomena, from aggression to fatherhood. His background in philosophy reminds him of the implications of his everyday research and the need to combat the stigmatization of patients. During the current academic year, Sreyas has joined one of the few research labs focusing on eating disorders worldwide at Masaryk University’s Faculty of Medicine in Brno. With his colleagues, Sreyas tries to identify the brain regions involved in the development of eating disorders and monitors the results of their treatment. After his Fulbright experience, Sreyas plans to enroll in medical school, and upon earning his medical degree, he hopes to “post about healthy eating habits on social media and counter harmful diets endorsed by influencers. [He also wants] to develop an annual virtual research conference to create a platform for eating disorder researchers worldwide to exchang...

Katherine O'Neal is a Second Lieutenant  in the U.S. Army. This year, she teaches English, P.E., and Psychology at Gymnázium Vysoké Mýto, a college-preparatory high school located in a town with 12,000 inhabitants in the Pardubice Region. She enjoys staying busy; therefore, in the afternoons, her students can join Katherine's writing workshop or conversation club. Like many recent college graduates, Katherine has had to adjust to a different pace of life, four seasons, and, perhaps most importantly, a dramatically changing amount of sunlight during the school year. Today, she shares, "In my first five months, I have learned that what I choose to focus on will significantly influence my experience here as an English Teaching Assistant." After Fulbright, Katherine plans to start her active duty service in the Medical Service Corps. As a photographer, people have always been my preferred subject. However, acquiring a pocket-sized camera (affectionately referred to as “Ba...

Irena Eibenová, Marcela  Molnárová a Martin Tamáš jsou středoškolští učitelé. Irena učí základy společenských věd, francouzštinu a angličtinu na Gymnáziu Hladnov v Ostravě. V roce 2014 byla jednou ze zakladatelů Asociace učitelů občanské výchovy, jejímž cílem je metodologická podpora učitelů, vytvoření komunikační platformy pro učitele podobných předmětů a silnější a jednotné zastoupení „občankářů“ v kontaktu s Ministerstvem školství. Marcela učí angličtinu na České lesnické akademii Trutnov. Ve svých hodinách usiluje o prohlubování kritického myšlení a přináší do nich průřezová témata zaměřená na výchovu k demokracii. Ve své škole iniciovala uspořádání Studentských voleb a workshopu Paměti národa. Martin učí na Střední uměleckoprůmyslové škole keramické a sklářské v Karlových Varech. Zkušenosti svých studentů se snaží rozšiřovat poznáváním nových zemí a kultur, a tak se jeho třída nedávno zúčastnila výzkumného projektu o geotermálním využití vody na Islandu s finanční podporo...

Pavel Doležal je biolog.  Na Přírodovědecké fakultě Univerzity Karlovy vede skupinu Mechanismy transportu proteinů přes mitochondriální a bakteriální membrány. Jeho výzkum se zaměřuje na biogenezi mitochondrií, zejména na vznik, evoluci a regulaci přenosu proteinů do organel, které jsou klíčové pro energetický metabolismus a programovanou buněčnou smrt. V akademickém roce 2023/2024 vyjel jako stipendista Fulbrightova programu na California Institute of Technology. Co si z pětiměsíčního pobytu na špičkovém vědeckém pracovišti odvezl zpět domů? „Především jiný pohled na organizaci projektů a týmovou práci. Snažím se, aby moji studenti měli větší autonomii a zodpovědnost za své projekty. Chci, aby každý z nich měl pocit, že jeho práce je smysluplná a že je skutečným tvůrcem svého výzkumu.“ Rozhovor s Pavlem Doležalem vznikl ve spolupráci s Ladislavem Loukotou ze stránky  Vědátor  a je čtyřicátým třetím dílem seriálu příběhů k 30. výročí Fulbrightovy komise. Videozá...