Geneseo named Top Producer of Fulbright US Scholar award recipients
On Friday, Feb. 10, The Chronicle of Higher Education listed SUNY Geneseo as a top producer of Fulbright U.S. scholars for their 2022-2023 ranking. Distinguished Professor of Geological Sciences D. Jeffrey Over and Professor of Geological Sciences Scott Giorgis were the two Geneseo recipients of the Fulbright Scholar awards this year.
Giorgis is spending this semester in Barranquilla, Colombia, accomplishing his research characterizing fault movement at the junction of the Nazca, Caribbean, and South American tectonic plates. Over spent last semester in Brno, Czech Republic working on his project, “Collaborative Studies and Teaching in Geological Sciences: Event Stratigraphy, Cyclostratigraphy, and Astrochronology, and Research Investigation of Environmental Changes During the Late Devonian Global Crisis”—a rather lengthy title that still cannot begin to fully encompass Over’s accomplishments.
“We went to the Czech Republic, which awarded 16 scholar researchers teaching,” Over said, “and we [were] one of 16 in the group. Plus, there were 30 students there from the United States who were there to teach English, and that was interesting because this year was the first time that the Czech Fulbright Commission had the English teaching assistants meeting with the researchers in one place. It made it so much more fun having 30 engaged, intelligent, exuberant students in the meetings versus 16 professional talkers.”
This expansive collaboration is just one feature that the Fulbright program champions. Over also referenced cultural differences as simple as linguistic tone as learning opportunities offered through the Fulbright scholarship. Over was able to expand on the non-academic benefits of the Fulbright program as well:
“For students, it’s huge because, for many of them, it’s the first time they’ve traveled outside the US and then [have] the ability to be in one place,” Over said. “And this is what the value of the Fulbright program was.”
Over also discussed the significant role of global academic collaboration in finding the tools and resources needed to complete research, referencing an instrument located at Masaryk University, where Over completed his research—a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, or LA-ICP-MS. Using this tool, Over’s team “examined Devonian-Carboniferous strata and microbialites (sedimentary rocks formed by bacteria and other microbes) that have relevance to modern global climate change,” according to the SUNY Geneseo website.
“We’re looking at the Devonian carbon of personality where there’s a mass extinction,” Over explained. “The idea is [that] by studying the rocks before the mass extinction, we’re trying to find out what were the conditions like that led to it. And so, if we find similar conditions in the modern [world], then we go, ‘This is bad. We’re doing bad things, because [this will be] the outcome of it.’” Over additionally referenced work related to this project he has embarked on with current undergraduate students, describing it as closer to graduate-level learning than undergrad.
Reflecting on the impact the Fulbright program has had on Geneseo and the experience Over has had with the program as a Geneseo faculty, Over said: “We’re encouraged to do research here. The university supports us for doing it… because this is a very valuable thing for the university.”
In a Geneseo News article, Geneseo President Denise A. Battles is quoted echoing this sentiment: “‘The success the College continues to have with the US Scholar program is an indicator of the important cutting-edge research our faculty members are undertaking. This year’s dual Top Producer recognition with both the Fulbright Scholar and Student programs is also a testament to the dedication and mentoring of the many faculty and staff who support our applicants through writing letters of recommendation and participating in the on-campus interview process.’”