For the past 80 years, the Fulbright Program has supported scholars, artists, writers, and professionals in connecting with international institutions to do cutting-edge work. At its heart, the Fulbright is an exchange program that funds research and projects outside of participants’ countries. It aims to build international relationships and cultural competency between Americans and the rest of the world. However, the recent federal funding freezes and layoffs have impacted several educational exchange programs, bringing its future into question.

Funding has begun to trickle back in, but many have been affected by the freeze on federal grants to the Fulbright and other programs related to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs—including the Gilman Scholarships, the Critical Language Scholarship, and the IDEAS program and some fear the impacts could have long lasting consequences.

In this segment, we discuss what the Fulbright is, why it matters, and who might be affected by funding freezes affecting international research. 

Guests: 
Nicolás Kisic Aguirre, sound artist and PhD student at the University of Washington
 Anita Ramasastry, the Henry M. Jackson Professor of Law and Senior Advisor and Director of Faculty Engagement in the Office of Global Affairs at the University of Washington.

Related Links: 
Study-Abroad Funding Is Paused, Leaving Some Students Stranded — NYT
Funding freeze leaves Fulbright and study-abroad scholars stranded — Washington Post

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. 

For the past 80 years, the Fulbright Program has supported scholars, artists, writers, and professionals in connecting with international institutions to do cutting-edge work. At its heart, the Fulbright is an exchange program that funds research and projects outside of participants&rsquo; countries. It aims to build international relationships and cultural competency between Americans and the rest of the world. However, the recent federal funding freezes and layoffs have impacted several educational exchange programs, bringing its future into question.
Funding has begun to trickle back in, but many have been affected by the freeze on federal grants to the Fulbright and other programs related to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs&mdash;including the Gilman Scholarships, the Critical Language Scholarship, and the IDEAS program and some fear the impacts could have long lasting consequences.
In this segment, we discuss what the Fulbright is, why it matters, and who might be affected by funding freezes affecting international research.&nbsp;
Guests: 
<ul>
<li>Nicol&aacute;s Kisic Aguirre, sound artist and PhD student at the University of Washington</li>
<li>&nbsp;Anita Ramasastry, the Henry M. Jackson Professor of Law and Senior Advisor and Director of Faculty Engagement in the Office of Global Affairs at the University of Washington.</li>
</ul>
Related Links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/study-abroad-programs-funding-trump-fulbright-gilman.html">Study-Abroad Funding Is Paused, Leaving Some Students Stranded</a> &mdash; NYT</li>
<li><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/03/11/fulbright-study-abroad-funding-freeze-state-department/">Funding freeze leaves Fulbright and study-abroad scholars stranded </a>&mdash; Washington Post</li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>.
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.&nbsp;

Soundside

For the past 80 years, the Fulbright Program has supported scholars, artists, writers, and professionals in connecting with international institutions to do cutting-edge work. We discuss what the Fulbright is, why it matters, and how federal funding freezes are impacting international research.

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