Geography Ph.D. candidate and Byrd Center's Glacier Environmental Change Group member Tal Shutkin has been awarded the prestigious 2023-2024 Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship. 

Over the next seven months, Tal will be in Peru conducting his dissertation research titled "Glacier Change and Social Hydrology of the Cordillera Huaytapallana." This region in the Peruvian Andes contains a significant concentration of tropical glaciers, which provide essential water resources to a densely populated area. Yet, they are retreating rapidly, causing significant socio-environmental shifts across the area.

Tal's study will assess the historical and current transformations of the Cordillera Huaytapallana glaciers and their broader impacts on water systems and local communities. Tal's research employs a comprehensive approach, blending geomorphology, hydrology, and social sciences with advanced statistical and numerical modeling to explore the significant geographical transformations occurring in this vital region. Tal is advised by geography Professor Bryan Mark, who leads the Glacier Environmental Change Group.

The DDRA grant supports doctoral candidates conducting language and area studies research worldwide, with only about 90 fellowships awarded nationally this year. The Office of International Affairs manages the program at Ohio State.

Visit the Office of International Affairs to learn more.