Rebecca Macklin receives Fulbright Award
Rebecca, a PhD Candidate in Comparative Literature, has received a Postgraduate All Disciplines Fulbright Award to enable her to research at Cornell University in the USA in 2017-18.
Rebecca Macklin gained her Masters from the School of English in 2012 and is now a PhD Candidate in Comparative Literature in the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies. The All Disciplines Fulbright Award will enable Rebecca to research at Cornell University on one of the most well-regarded and impactful scholarship programmes in the world.
As a participant, Rebecca Macklin has been selected to spend a year at Cornell University as a Visiting Student Researcher under the supervision of Professor Eric Cheyfitz. Rebecca will carry out research into postcolonial and indigenous engagements with globalization, with a specific focus on Native American and South African fiction. Situated within the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, Rebecca will have the opportunity to work with leading scholars in the field as well as undertake engagement work with local indigenous communities.
Rebecca Macklin and the other 44 British grantees of the 2017-18 Fulbright cohort will celebrate their success at a reception hosted by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on Thursday 6 July.
Commenting on receiving the Award, Rebecca Macklin said: “I am very proud to have been selected as a Fulbright Postgraduate Scholar and am excited to spend a year at Cornell University, which would not be possible without the support of the Fulbright Commission. This is a particularly interesting time in the US in the context of indigenous rights, where issues such as the Dakota Access Pipeline have taken centre-stage, and my research will be vitally informed through being immersed in the landscapes and cultures that my work engages with. Having studied Native American literature from afar for years, it will be invaluable for me to have access to the unparalleled resources and dynamic research culture at Cornell, which I look forward to contributing to.”
Penny Egan CBE, Executive Director, US-UK Fulbright Commission said: “The impact of the Fulbright programme can change the world. Our Fulbrighters will return to the UK having been exposed to different cultures, value systems and schools of thought. They will have the capacity to be more empathetic global citizens and be better prepared for collaboration across borders, between the US and the UK, and beyond.”
Amy Moore, Director of the Fulbright Awards Programme, added: “No greater example of the continued importance of international education can be found than in the determination and drive of our 2017-18 grantees. These students, academics and professionals have identified the relevance of intercultural cooperation to their careers. As Fulbright alumni and future leaders, they will be able to foster personal and professional connections between nations.”
The Fulbright Commission provides the only bi-lateral, transatlantic scholarship programme, offering Awards for study or research in any field, at any accredited US or UK university.
The Commission selects scholars through a rigorous application and interview process, looking for academic excellence alongside a focused application, a range of extracurricular and community activities, demonstrated ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a plan to give back to the UK upon returning.
Typical grants include a maintenance allowance and/or a contribution towards tuition fees. Fulbright scholars receive administrative support and a cultural education programme including: visa processing, a comprehensive pre-departure orientation, enrichment opportunities in the USA, a re-entry session and access to a global alumni network.
Scholar Bio:
Rebecca Macklin is a researcher of postcolonial and indigenous literatures, undertaking a PhD in Comparative Literature at the University of Leeds. An alumnus from the universities of Leeds and Lancaster, her writing has appeared in publications including Native American and Indigenous Studies and Wasafiri. Prior to her PhD, Rebecca worked in academic publishing, working with branches of the United Nations as an editor of sustainable development publications. She is a Board Trustee for the Bishop Simeon Trust and has a pervading interest in the role of participatory arts in international development contexts, having led youth empowerment workshops in South Africa.
