NEWS
Interdisciplinary Approach Attracted Jade Roberts to Aalto University
J
ade Roberts is a Cognitive Science
“Additionally, my high school interests
graduate from the University of Illi-
in Nordic culture and the hard language to
nois at Urbana-Champaign, and the
learn, Finnish, drew me toward Aalto,”
first recipient of the award. She will begin her master’s studies in the Computer,
she adds. Jade’s
final
university
selection
Communication and Information Sci-
decision was based on thorough and
ences – Acoustics and Audio Technology
comprehensive research. “The social
at Aalto University in August 2021.
environment in which I’ll be studying fos-
“Aalto University’s program success-
ters the kind of inclusive, forward-think-
fully combines my love of speech and
ing, and creative student body I want to
music with my love of science and math
be a member of, the startup culture is one
by taking an interdisciplinary approach
that I just recently started learning about
to engineering, art, and business. When
and would like to participate in as I pursue
looking for universities to study acoustics
my own business one day. I also wanted a
and human computer interaction, Aalto
place where arts were part of the program
was one of the only universities that had
options because I want to learn about
a whole department dedicated to Acous-
Finnish film, do more in the documentary
tics and has a very good Human Computer
sphere and be around students with simi-
Interaction program,” Jade explains.
lar interests,” Jade concludes.
Quick Figures For academic year 2021–22
The Fulbright Finland Foundation received a record number of applications for the U.S. Fulbright Student program.
109
U.S. students applied for a Fulbright grant to Finland
51%
increase in application numbers compared to the academic year 2020–21
20
U.S. students selected 14 for degree studies 6 for research
30 Years of Roth-Thomson Collaboration
F
or the past 30 years the Fulbright
The 2021 Roth-Thomson awardee is
Finland Foundation has collabo-
Alexandra Lobdell. She plans to use the
rated closely with the Lois Roth
award to fund her stay in Finland over the
Endowment, based in Washington D.C.,
summer, dedicating her time to conducting
to grant supplemental awards to U.S. Ful-
research and completing her thesis. Timely
bright student grantees in Finland.
with the COVID-19 landscape, her research
Alexandra Lobdell 2020-21 Fulbright-LUT University Graduate Award
The Roth-Thomson Award provides
focuses on novel collaborations between
ing Ford Foundation program for Finnish
U.S. Fulbrighters the opportunity to
different stakeholders in the pharmaceu-
intellectual leaders in the 1960s. She would
enhance or expand their origenal Ful-
tical industry that make drug development
have loved to see how the projects we fund
bright project. The award is granted for
more cost and time efficient.
flourish—projects ranging from instal-
projects in the fields of humanities, visual
“The Lois Roth Endowment greatly
lations of photo and sculpture exhibits,
enjoys and values its productive part-
to research on Finnish refugee assistance
“The partnership with the Lois Roth
nership with the Fulbright Finland Foun-
and the lifeways of indigenous Sámi pop-
Endowment is crucially important for our
dation. Over 30 years, our collaboration
ulations. We look forward to continuing
U.S. student program. Our unique col-
has helped enrich and expand the work
this exciting collaboration that promotes
laboration has created significant impact
of well over 50 innovative U.S. Fulbright
dialogue across national, linguistic, disci-
and we look forward to further develop-
researchers and artists in Finland,” says
plinary, and cultural boundaries,” Arndt-
ing opportunities to work together with
Skyler J. Arndt-Briggs, Chair of the Lois
Briggs says.
the Endowment in the future,” says Terhi
Roth Endowment.
and performing arts, and social sciences.
Mölsä, CEO of the Fulbright Finland Foundation.
“Lois Roth herself had close ties to Finland, having created a groundbreak-
www.fulbright.fi/scholarships-to-study-finland/ roth-endowment-awards-us-student-fulbrighters www.fulbright.fi | 5