More news from the Big Apple: JRP alumna Jana Berkessel receives Fulbright scholarship for a research stay at Columbia University

After recently announcing our new partnership with Columbia University, we have more exciting news from the Big Apple: JRP alumna Jana Berkessel has recently received a Fulbright scholarship for a research stay at Columbia.

With the help of the scholarship, Jana, who is currently a PhD student in Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Mannheim, will be conducting one of her PhD projects in New York next year. There, she will be working with Prof. Shigehiro Oishi, a leading expert in the field of socioecological theory, which focuses on how natural and social habitats influence mind and behavior, and vice versa. Jana, whose own work centers around the influence of cultural norms on social processes, as well as around person-environment interactions and well-being, is already excited for her stay: “It fits my research interests perfectly and I am looking forward to working with Prof. Oishi”. 

The Fulbright doctoral fellowship covers living expenses, as well as traveling and visa costs for doctoral students who spend parts of their research training in the US. Grants are also available for US citizens to go abroad. In addition, Fulbright holds a strong network of current and previous scholarship holders and organizes various events. This was also one of the reasons that motivated Jana to apply: “I am very much looking forward to attending Fulbright events and meet other researchers from various fields”. More information on the Fulbright program and on how to apply can be found here and here for exchanges between the US and Germany.

Jana was part of the 2016/17 JRP cohort, where she investigated the effectiveness of user-generated content for reducing excessive consumption. Her time during the JRP has not only expanded her social and professional network but has also prepared her for her PhD, she says: “Joining the JRP during my Masters’ was an amazing opportunity to learn more about psychological research and to connect with other interested students. It allowed me to deep-dive into the research process, learn a lot about teamwork (with the added difficulty of living on three different continents), and – most importantly – to meet other students I am still friends with today. From teamwork and collaborating, to writing papers, presenting, and publishing research – the experiences I gained during my time in the JRP really pay off during my Ph.D.” 

Congratulations Jana – we wish you all the best for your research stay and are looking forward to your future work!

JRP alumna Jana Berkessel at jSchool 2016.
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