Taylor Tyger, a graduate student in the School of City and Regional Planning, recently was awarded the 2014-2015 Fulbright U.S. Student Award for Finland. Her research project on “Environmental Health Benefits of Urban Aquatic Environments” will utilize softGIS as a public participation and is part of an ongoing collaborative project between several Finnish universities and the Finish Environment Institute. Her research will evaluate the health-related cultural ecosystem services provided by urban aquatic environments, such as affording recreation opportunities, improving mental health, developing social capital, and contributing to the overall quality of life. Tyger will be hosted by Aalto University and the University of Helsinki from September 2014 – May 2015. 

What initially attracted you to apply for the Fulbright Award?

Tyger: The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an ideal opportunity to pursue research that I am passionate about while experiencing another culture. After a summer of research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an Environmental Health Intern, I really wanted to continue environmental health research. The Fulbright program offered the perfect opportunity to develop my own unique research proposal while also living abroad, which has always been a dream of mine. 

What was the application process like?

Tyger: I began my application in August and just found out that I was awarded a Fulbright grant last week [early March]. With great feedback and assistance from the staff in Georgia Tech’s Fellowship Office, I went through numerous drafts of my research proposal and personal statement before final copies were submitted. The contacts in Finland that I reached out to about hosting me were incredibly receptive and eager to assist me with my application. I am also grateful to have references that were excited about my ideas and happy to write letters of recommendation. Following an interview with Georgia Tech’s Fulbright review committee, my final application was submitted in October, and I was notified that I made it to the final round in January. 

What do you think helped you stand out from other applicants?

Tyger: I think my background as a Georgia Tech MCRP student, experience at CDC, and work as a Graduate Research Assistant at Georgia Tech’s Center for Geographic Information Systems, as well as other internships, helped my stand out. In addition to my passion for the research topic, I also think I clearly communicated my desire to engage in Finnish culture and bring back my experiences to the U.S. I imagine that the feasibility of my research project was a plus, since I am contributing to an ongoing research project and I am being hosted by two universities. 

What contact will you have with your research partners leading up to your trip to Finland?

Tyger: I will be Skyping and emailing with my hosts (members of the research team) until I leave to work out the details of my research plan. The Fulbright Center in Finland has already been very helpful and I will be staying in touch with them as well. 

What will you do to help prepare you for your research project and living in Finland?

Tyger: I will be doing a lot of reading on the subject so that I am ready to hit the ground running (perhaps skating) when I get there. I hope to arrive in Helsinki this summer before the grant period officially starts in September so I can begin my cultural immersion. Until then, I will be studying Finnish, keeping up with the news in Finland, learning about Finnish culture and history, and talk to friends that have live in Finland.  

I am so excited to see where this adventure leads! Regardless of my career path, I know this research will be valuable for future research and practice as a planner. This will certainly be a period of great personal growth and a major milestone in my life. 

Taylor Tyger is a graduate student at Georgia Tech's School of City and Regional Planning specializing in environmental and health planning and is expected to graduate in May 2014.