Two Fulbrights Choose CNR

This fall, the college welcomed international student Daniel Waiswa, who is pursuing his graduate studies in the Department of Forestry under a Fulbright Scholarship. Waiswa, an honor student from Uganda, holds a B.S. in forestry and an M.S. in computer science from Makerere University in Uganda.

Working with his adviser, associate professor Stephen Prisley, Waiswa hopes to develop research in the areas of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), forest measurements/inventory, and modeling and computer-assisted forest management, while obtaining his Ph.D. in forest biometrics and geomatics.

“I have always longed for a university offering quality postgraduate education, and from my short stay so far, I believe Virginia Tech is the right one based on the care, expertise, and facilities that I am experiencing for the first time in my life,” said Waiswa.
Another Fulbright scholar from abroad, Claudia Wultsch, is also attending the college. She earned an M.S. in zoology at the University of Graz in Austria, and will work towards her Ph.D. in fisheries and wildlife.

With the guidance of her advisors, professors Mike Vaughan and Marcella Kelly, Wultsch will pursue research in the areas of carnivore ecology and population dynamics. For her Ph.D. project, she will work on the population ecology of jaguars in Belize.

 “I feel very welcomed in my department, and I am also amazed at how many opportunities students here have. The last several weeks definitely exceeded my expectations, and I am really glad that I decided to pursue my Ph.D. in the fisheries and wildlife program here at Virginia Tech,” said Wultsch.

The Fulbright Program provides grants for graduate students, scholars and professionals, and teachers and administrators from the U.S. and other countries to go anywhere in the world in pursuit of research and education.  The program is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
It has provided more than 250,000 participants, chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential, with the opportunity to study and teach in each other’s countries, exchange ideas, and develop joint solutions to address shared concerns. The program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by former Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas.

4/12/09