TU Delft Aerodynamics master’s student Thomas Mohren was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship during a ceremony at the Amsterdam EYE Film Museum on June 3, 2014.
Regarded as one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world, the Fulbright Program facilitates international educational exchanges between the United States and over 155 countries by providing grants to exceptional students, artists, researchers and academic professionals. Each year, approximately 8,000 grants are awarded to scholars across the globe and more than 310,000 “Fulbrighters” have participated in the program since its inception in 1946.
In total, twenty-one students, nine PhD candidates and one scientist from the Netherlands received scholarships to study, research or teach in the US, beginning in the upcoming academic year (2014–2015). The successful candidates were ultimately chosen through a highly competitive, merit-based selection process in their home countries. Beside their excellent academic performance, the scholars have shown great promise in their field and are able to act as representatives of the Netherlands in the US.
“To be selected for the Fulbright scholarship is a great honor,” Mohren says. “This grant makes it possible for me to study in the USA, which is both an academic and a childhood dream of mine.” Despite his enthusiasm, the Fulbrighter admits that he was uncertain whether he would make the grade during the application process. “After I got the invitation from my contact at the University of Washington, I took about a month to write my online application. I did not feel very confident about my chances after the interview, but a week later, the news came that I was one of the nineteen lucky Fulbright graduate scholars.”
Upon completing his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft, Mohren chose to specialize in Aerodynamics, completing the first part of his Master’s studies at Wageningen University as a participant in the Honors program. During that time, Mohren followed courses in Biology and Zoology, which eventually led to an internship on the wing structure of hummingbirds.
Sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation, Mohren will embark on his zoological graduate research at the University of Washington later this year. “In October, I will begin my thesis on how birds change their wing shape with the information from their flow sensors,” Mohren shares. “The science behind bird flight is fascinating to me, and I thank the Fulbright Program for making my research possible.”
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