Rachel Jankowski will graduate from Denison this spring with a major in geosciences. As a Fulbright grantee, Rachel will conduct environmental science research in Poland. Specifically, Rachel will document geomorphological changes of dunes along the southern Baltic Coast to examine the relationship between storms and dune erosion.
A native of Wadsworth, Ohio, Rachel’s passion for the environment stems from her childhood time spent at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. A Gilman Scholar, Rachel conducted research in Iceland on how higher rates of glacial melt are impacting arctic wetlands. She has also contributed to a research project in New Orleans, Louisiana, studying flood patterns of the Mississippi River Delta.
Having spent three summers working at national parks, Rachel has also been active on the Denison campus working as a teaching assistant and making podcasts for the Student Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. “This project will promote mutual cultural understanding,” Rachel says, “because the effects of climate change are a pressing and universal problem.”
Rachel is one of five Denisonians who were offered prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Grants for the 2022-2023 academic year. Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Fulbright grants foster mutual cross-cultural understanding as awardees spend a post-graduate academic year teaching English, conducting research, or studying at a university in one of over 140 participating countries. Fulbright grants are awarded on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as awardees’ record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.
