Fulbright Grantees
We present the Fulbright grantees for academic year 2023-24. See the networking opportunities of the Fulbright Alumni, too.
Special care for all Fulbright grantees
Assistance with application processes
Assistance with on site integration
Events and networking opportunities
Academic and professional growth
Grantees from the U.S.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Bulgaria
Scholars
Dr. Blase Billack
Field of Specialization: Medical Sciences, Pharmacology
Home Institution: Saint John’s University, New York, NY
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv
Jonathan Calame
Field of Specialization: Architecture, Cultural Preservation
Home Institution: Maine College of Art, Portland, ME
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Balkan Heritage Foundation, Sofia
Graham Griffith
Field of Specialization: Journalism, Communications
Home Institution: Self-employed Journalist, Portland, ME
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Center for the Study of Democracy, Sofia
Julie Kiernan
Field of Specialization: Theatre
Home Institution: Salem State University, Salem, MA
Host Institution in Bulgaria: New Bulgarian University, Sofia
Elana Resnick
Field of Specialization: Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology
Home Institution: University of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Trust for Social Achievement, Sofia
Dr. Rebecca Thomas
Field of Specialization: Social Work
Home Institution: University of Connecticut, Hartford, CT
Host Institution in Bulgaria: New Bulgarian University, Sofia
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Laura Carrig
Field of Specialization: Herbalism, Music
Project Title: Musical and Botanical Rites of the Traditional Bulgarian Calendar
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, and Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts, Plovdiv
Hannah Ivanov
Field of Specialization: Fine Arts
Project Title: Non-Conformist Modes in Bulgarian Painting Between 1960 and 1990
Host Institution in Bulgaria: National Academy of Arts, Sofia and Burgas
Tyler Lecours
Field of Specialization: Archaeology
Project Title: Unearthing Thrace: Greek Expansion in the Ancient World
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Balkan Heritage Foundation, Sofia
Rebekah Mills
Field of Specialization: Law
Project Title: Digging into History: Cultural Heritage Conservation Efforts in Bulgaria
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Balkan Heritage Foundation, Sofia
William Morris
Field of Specialization: Migration Studies
Project Title: Civil Society Organizations and Humanitarian Networks during the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Open Heart Foundation, Varna
Rachel Neale
Field of Specialization: Slavic Studies
Project Title: Preservation of Bulgaria’s Oral-Traditional Epic and Women’s Roles Therein
Host Institution in Bulgaria: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, and American University in Bulgaria, Blagoevgrad
ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Grantees from Bulgaria
Graduate Students
Maria Atanasova
Thanks to Scandinavia Award
Degree Objective: MA in Public Administration
University of Maryland – College Park
Ashod Derandonyan
Thanks to Scandinavia Award
Degree objective: MA in Public Policy
Gallaudet University
Evangelia Gkaravela
Degree objective: MA in Aerospace Engineering
Stevens Institute of Technology
Ivan Shopov
Bulgarian Leaders
Degree objective: MSc. in Education
Harvard University
Ekaterina Fakirova
Bulgarian Leaders
Degree objective: LLM
University of Pennsylvania, Carey Law School
Rukiye-Ayshe Egeli
Bulgarian Leaders
Degree objective: MA in Material Science and Engineering
Cornell University
Lexi Fleurs
Bulgarian Leaders
Degree objective: MA in Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts New York
Visiting Researchers
Nia Toshkova
Evolutionary Biology
Home Institution: National Museum of Natural History, BAS
Host Institution: University of California-Los Angeles
Spring 2024
Gyulten Huseinova
Neuropsychology
Home Institution: Koç University
Host Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Fall 2023
Diana Manchorova
Reproductive Biology
Home Institution: Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, BAS
Host Institution: Wayne State University
Fall 2023
Veselina Dzhumbeva
East European Languages and Literature
Home Institution: Queen Mary University of London
Host Institution: Columbia University
Fall 2023
Visiting Scholars
Civil Society Researchers
Stefan Krastev
Home Institution: Anti-Corruption Fund
Host Institution: ProPublica
Fall 2023
Veneta Novakova
Home Institution: Façade Engineering Association
Host institution: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
Fall 2023
Visiting Scholar Award in Mathematics at the University of Miami
Dimitar Kodjabashev
Mathematics (Algebraic Topology)
Home Institution: Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, BAS
Host Institution: University of Miami,
Spring 2024
You can find some photos of the Bulgarian Fulbright cohort for AY 2023-24 here:
Join 3000+ Fulbright Bulgaria community
Grants for Bulgarians citizens
Up-to-date information about Fulbright grants, application deadlines and a full list of eligibility criteria.
Grants for US citizens
All programs which can be used by American citizens to apply for a grant and collaborate with prominent Bulgarian institutions.
Advisory services for students
Free services for high-school students who want to pursue higher education at an elite US university.