On this episode of 'SEMO Spotlight', graduate student Emily Hudgins talks about her 'Fulbright' award and the research on macroinvertebrates in Indonesia that earned her the award.
Hudgins has always had an interest in macroinvertebrates, or insects visible to the naked eye, and now, as a graduate student, she has the opportunity to study aquatic insects and how they respond to changes in sediment on the small island of Nusa Penida in Indonesia.
Macroinvertebrates are highly sensitive and the first organisms to be affected by changes in the ecosystem. By analyzing them, Hudgins can see how the rainy season affects the ecosystem and changes the aquatic landscape.
A major goal of Hudgin’s project is to involve locals so they can help mitigate damage after she’s gone.
Hudgins had been working on her project since December of 2024 and waited over a year to hear about the results. She was selected as a semi-finalist by an American board, and then a board in Indonesia granted her one of 13 spots to travel and awarded her the Fulbright.
Hudgins will be traveling to Indonesia at the end of October on a 10-month grant to continue her research.