Marija Purgar Filjak Awarded Prestigious Fulbright Scholarship
Marija Purgar Filjak, a doctoral student at the Laboratory for Informatics and Environmental Modeling within the Division for Marine and Environmental Research at the Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI), has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. She will continue her research in the United States for the next nine months. Thanks to this scholarship, Marija will conduct research at the renowned Emory University in Atlanta, focusing on the transparency and quality of ecological research, with a particular emphasis on data openness and the sharing of analytical tools in environmental science.
The Fulbright Scholarship, funded by the U.S. Government, is one of the world’s most well-known and esteemed international scholarships, awarded to scientists, students, and researchers across the globe. In Croatia, the competition for this scholarship is organized annually by the Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth in collaboration with the Agency for Mobility and EU Programs and the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb. The scholarship is granted to top-tier candidates, covering the costs of studying, research, and professional development at American universities and institutes.
Marija, as one of the selected recipients, will take this opportunity to further her expertise at Emory University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the U.S., ranked among the top 25 universities. During her time there, she will explore the transparency of ecological studies, the sharing of scientific data, and address issues surrounding conflicts of interest in science.
"The U.S. Government funds the Fulbright Scholarship, and the application process is highly competitive," Marija explains. "The application was quite extensive, requiring a motivational essay, a research proposal, the preparation of necessary documentation, and an English language exam, which I passed with excellent results."
Marija Purgar Filjak i kolege.
In less than three years, Marija has published eight scientific papers, including four as co-author and four as first author, with two of them appearing in the prestigious journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. This year, alongside her mentors, Dr. Tin Klanjšček and Dr. Antica Čulina, she received the Annual Ruđer Bošković Institute Award for the best scientific publications.
In her latest study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution in May 2024, her research team demonstrated that pre-registering research plans is a crucial factor in enhancing the transparency and reliability of studies. They also described ways to promote and implement this important practice.
We congratulate Marija and wish her continued success in her future endeavours!
