Middle Haddam Resident wins Prestigious Fulbright Research Award

Middle Haddam resident Kim Sawicki was recently awarded a prestigious Fulbright Study/Research Grant. The award is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. With dual degrees from the University of Connecticut in Pathobiology and Allied Health Sciences, Ms. Sawicki’s undergraduate work prepared her for a career in epidemiology, studying the One Health Initiative. Collaborating with St. Andrew’s University in Scotland and the Marine Institute in the Republic of Ireland, her nine-month research grant will explore current successful efforts in the European Union which preserve cultural coastal fishing communities. The results of her work will be shared with United States domestic fisheries partners and marine conservation experts who seek to expand sustainable fishing practices.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Recipients of Fulbright research grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

Ms. Sawicki has lived in Middle Haddam with her husband and four children since 2011. She will be traveling to the EU this fall to complete her study. You can follow the progress of this research on her educational blog which can be found at: https://sustainableseas.blog/.