Fulbright Grantees

We present the Fulbright grantees for academic year 2023-24. See the networking opportunities of the Fulbright Alumni, too.

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Special care for all Fulbright grantees

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Assistance with application processes

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Assistance with on site integration

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Events and networking opportunities

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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 

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

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Grants for Bulgarians citizens

Up-to-date information about Fulbright grants, application deadlines and a full list of eligibility criteria.

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Grants for US citizens

All programs which can be used by American citizens to apply for a grant and collaborate with prominent Bulgarian institutions. 

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Advisory services for students

Free services for high-school students who want to pursue higher education at an elite US university. 

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